Category Archives: Genetics

Breast cancer is caused by mutations, or damage, to the DNA in breast cells. Exactly what triggers this change is unknown, but many people will spend countless hours trying to figure it out.

What is known is that there are risk factors that may increase your chances of getting breast cancer. Some of them, like age, family history, and dense breasts, cant be changed. Others are determined by lifestyle factors that can often be controlled.

In the United States, its estimated that around 30% of new cancer diagnoses in women will be breast cancer. This makes early detection and possible prevention very important. In this article, well go over the potential causes of breast cancer and what you can do about them.

Breast cancer originates in breast tissue. Its caused by changes, or mutations, in breast cell DNA. These mutations cause cells to grow abnormally and divide quicker than healthy cells do. The abnormal cells accumulate, forming a malignant breast mass, also known as a lump.

Your immune system may be able to successfully fight some abnormal cells. but the ones that continue to grow may spread, or metastasize, throughout the breast to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

When breast cancer spreads, the malignant tumors it causes in other places are still referred to as breast cancer.

What exactly triggers DNA changes in breast cells isnt clear. Two people can have the same or similar risk factors, but only one might develop breast cancer.

Age is the most significant risk factor for breast cancer. Most breast cancer cases are diagnosed in people over 55 years old.

But your genetics and external factors, like smoking, also have an impact. Genetic risk factors cant be changed, but lifestyle choices that put you at higher risk can be altered.

Its also likely that for many people, multiple risk factors both genetic and environmental have an impact when several are present.

People born with a vagina are at a significantly higher risk for getting breast cancer than those born without one. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 1 in every 100 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States is in a man.

You can inherit a gene mutation that puts you at higher risk for breast cancer from either biological parent. About 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancer cases are caused by hereditary gene mutations. The most common type is a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.

If you have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, your risk for ovarian cancer is also increased.

There are other inherited gene mutations that can increase your risk as well, including:

If you have several close relatives with breast cancer, you may be more likely to develop it. This is especially true if you have one or more first-degree relatives with breast cancer. A first-degree relative is anyone you share at least 50 percent of your genetics with, like a parent or child.

Having a family history of breast cancer may mean you share the same genetic mutation. But there are other potential explanations here that have nothing to do with genetics.

For example, it may mean you share lifestyle choices that put you at greater risk. It may also be caused by environmental factors, like living in an area where chemical exposure, air pollution, or water pollution levels are high.

You may be more likely to develop ER-positive breast cancer if you began menstruating at a younger age or started menopause later than usual. This is because theres a longer period of time when breast cells are affected by estrogen and possibly, progesterone.

Never having given birth also increases your lifetime exposure to estrogen.

If you have given birth, every 12 months that you nurse your child reduces your chance of getting breast cancer by about 4.3 percent.

Smoking cigarettes and using nicotine products modestly increases the risk for breast cancer. The younger you were when you started smoking, the greater your risk. Smoking also increases your risk to a greater degree if you have a family history of the disease.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that alcohol is a carcinogen thats causally related to breast cancer risk.

The greater your alcohol intake, the higher your risk may be. But even one drink per day increases risk in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Toxins and chemicals can be found in:

Some toxins are known as endocrine disruptors, or endocrine disrupting compounds. These toxins can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and may increase breast cancer risk. Endocrine disruptors include:

Certain foods may increase your risk of breast cancer. Foods to limit or avoid include:

Because fat cells produce estrogen, being overweight or obese can be a significant risk factor as is having a sedentary lifestyle, which may contribute to increased weight.

Women whove previously had breast cancer or are postmenopausal have an even higher risk if theyre overweight or are living with obesity.

Hormonal birth control, including the pill, ring, and IUD, may increase your breast cancer risk slightly. This may be greater if you use hormonal birth control for 5 years or more. If you have a family history of breast cancer, your risk may be higher.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) poses a much greater risk. HRT isnt recommended for symptom relief of menopause in people who have other risk factors for breast cancer.

Early detection wont stop you from getting breast cancer, but it can help to ensure a better outcome. Talk with a doctor about how often you should get a mammogram. If you have dense breasts, getting regular ultrasounds may also be beneficial.

Adjustments to your lifestyle may also help. These include:

The following tips may aid with recovery and with avoiding breast cancer recurrence:

Breast cancer is caused by mutations in breast tissue cells. The underlying risk factors for breast cancer include genetics, environmental toxins, and lifestyle factors, but a definite cause hasnt been identified.

Make proactive choices to reduce your risk of breast cancer. These include cutting down on smoking and alcohol use, as well as maintaining a healthy weight.

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Breast Cancer Causes: Genetics, Prevention, and More - Healthline

Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff is the host and executive producer of "In Those Genes," a hip-hop inspired podcast that uses genetics to uncover the those lost identifies of African descended Americans through the lens of Black culture. Jas Thomas/Janina Jeff hide caption

Population geneticist Dr. Janina Jeff is the host and executive producer of "In Those Genes," a hip-hop inspired podcast that uses genetics to uncover the those lost identifies of African descended Americans through the lens of Black culture.

Short Wave reporter Emily Kwong speaks with Janina Jeff, the host and executive producer of In Those Genes, a "science and culture podcast that uses genetics to decode the lost histories of African descendants." They discuss what a person's genetic ancestry test does and does not reveal, and the complicated intersection of genetics, history and race.

Check out more of Janina's work on In Those Genes. Episodes references in today's Short Wave include:

This episode was produced by Rebecca Ramirez, edited by Gisele Grayson and fact-checked by Rasha Aridi. Patrick Murray was the audio engineer. Special thanks to Natasha Branch.

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Scientific Sankofa And The Complexities Of Genetic Ancestry : Short Wave - NPR

By Christa Lest-Lasserre

Golden retriever puppies could understand humans at just a few months old

Tierfotoagentur/D. Geithner/Alamy

Domestic dogs are born to socialise with people because we bred them that way. Two-month-old puppies can already recognise when people are pointing at objects and will gaze at our faces when theyre spoken to both signs that dogs have an innate capacity to interact with us through body language.

Although individual relationships with people might influence that behaviour, at least 40 per cent of this ability comes from genetics alone, says Emily Bray at the University of Arizona.

Over the course of domestication, from wolf to dog, theres been a clear selection for these social skills, she says. Its something thats ingrained in them and that emerges at a really young age even before theyve had much experience with humans.

Bray and her colleagues tested these types of skills in 375 8-week-old Golden retriever and Labrador puppies that were destined to become service dogs. It was the earliest age they could carry out such experiments because the puppies were only just old enough to be motivated by food rewards, Bray says.

The researchers found that pointing at food hidden under a cup helped the puppies to find it nearly 70 per cent of the time. The success rate was that high from the start, meaning they werent learning to follow pointing, but already knew to do so, Bray says. In a control test, the puppies couldnt find food hidden under one of two cups at a rate better than random chance, indicating that they werent simply smelling it.

Much of the variation in different puppies ability to follow finger-pointing is explained by genetics, Bray says. Using statistical analyses based on the puppies parents and other relatives, the researchers found that genetic factors were responsible for 43 per cent of these variations.

The team also ran another experiment in which researchers spoke baby talk to the puppies and found that the dogs fixed their gaze on the person for more than 6 seconds on average representing an understanding that they were communicating with them. Again, genetic factors accounted for about 40 per cent of the differences among puppies here as well, says Bray.

However, when the puppies couldnt open a box filled with food in a third experiment, they only gazed at the researchers face for about a second, meaning they werent seeking human assistance. The results suggest that, like young children, most domestic puppies are naturally good at understanding and responding to people talking to them. But at 8 weeks old they havent yet developed the social skills necessary for asking people for help.

The findings also have important implications for breeders and buyers, adds Bray. People can choose to breed dogs with good social skills, knowing this is a heritable trait. And they can also select puppies that gaze at peoples faces when they talk to them as a start to a good interspecies bond. If your dog is able to read your communication, thats likely just going to be a more harmonious relationship, she says.

Journal reference: Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.055

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Puppies are born with the genetic ability to understand humans - New Scientist News

There's no doubt that the genetics industry is full of investment opportunities. In thisFool Live video clip,recorded on May 21,Fool.com contributor Brian Orelli, PhD, and healthcare bureau chief Corinne Cardina discuss why Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA) should be on investors' radar.

Corinne Cardina: All right, so Intellia, in the clinic, has an in vivo program. It is called, let's see if I can say this, transthyretin amyloidosis, it is shortened as ATTR. This is caused by the accumulation of misfolded protein, and that's what TTR is, that's the protein. The disease affects your nerves, your heart, your kidneys, and your eyes. There is a current treatment, but it requires chronic dosing. Of course, as with most of these in vivo programs, it has the potential to be a one-and-done dose, cure with one. Again, we're going to talk more about partnerships later on, but this particular program is in partnership with Regeneron (NASDAQ:REGN). They also are testing in the clinic in ex vivo program for sickle cell, and that is in partnership with Novartis (NYSE:NVS). Further out, Intellia is also testing an in vivo program for hereditary angioedema, which is the swelling. They're also testing hemophilia A and B in vivo. Then ex vivo, they are testing acute myeloid leukemia as well as solid tumors. They are also looking at immuno-oncology, although of course these are much earlier on than their in-the-clinic programs. The ATTR market for that main in vivo candidate. There are 50,000 patients who have the hATTR indication.

Brian Orelli: H is for hereditary.

Cardina: Thank you. What is wATTR, Brian?

Orelli: I'm not actually sure what wA is, but it happens spontaneously. Presumably, the other that's more common is that it happens spontaneously.

Cardina: Okay.

Orelli: Tends to be in older patients, but I don't actually know what wA is.

Cardina: I got this from the company site, 200,000 to 500,000, which tracks what they're saying much more common wATTR patients, and that is a worldwide market. It's very interesting, it's not a disease that I have really heard of before, but Brian, did you have anything to add on the indications Intellia's targeting?

Orelli: No. There are a couple of treatments for ATTR. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has one and then so does Alnylam (NASDAQ:ALNY) and Honest Pharmaceuticals all have treatments. Then it comes in two forms, so it comes in a narrow form, where the TTR protein tends to barge into the nerve cells and that causes those neurological side effects. Then it also comes in the heart form, where it lodges in the heart and then that causes problems with heart. Some people have both types of symptoms.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

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This Genetics Stock Could Have a Bright Future - The Motley Fool

NEW YORK Oncocyte said this week that it has signed an agreement with Qiagen to support the launch of sotorasib (Amgen's Lumakras)through Qiagen's "Day One" lab readiness program, which is designed to expedite patient access to Qiagen companion diagnostic tests following regulatory approval of the tests and associated drugs. Last week, sotorasib received US Food and Drug Administration approval for previously treated, locally advanced, or metastaticnon-small cell lung cancerpatients whose tumors harbor a KRAS G12C mutation. It was approved alongside Qiagen's Therascreen KRAS RGQ PCR kit, a tissue-based companion diagnostic, and Qiagen selected Oncocyte as a "Day One" lab that will offer the assay. Oncocyte noted that the Qiagen tissue test complements its own DetermaRx assay for early-stage NSCLC patients, as well as its DetermaTx and DetermaIO tests for later-stage patients, which the company plans to launch in the second half of this year.

Myriad Genetics this week said it has completed the sale of its myPath melanoma test and the lab in which the test is performed to Castle Biosciences. Utah-based Myriad had announced in April that it planned to sell these assets to Castle for $32.5 million in cash, as part of a broader restructuring plan. The sale was finalized on May 28.

The US Food and Drug Administration this week issued an update to Mesa Biotechs Accula SARS-CoV-2 test, saying the assay could be affected by a genetic mutation at positions 28877-28878 (AG to TC) in patient samples. The FDA provided the update out of an abundance of caution as the impact does not appear to be significant. It previously published information about an impact to the tests performance resulting from a genetic mutation at positions 28881-28883 (GGG to AAC).

Vienna, Austria-based omics firm Lexogen said this week it has received ISO 9001:2015 certification from TV Austria CERT for its quality-management system, which encompasses the research, development, and production of RNA analysis solutions, and the provision of bioinformatics products and services for RNA analysis. ISO 9001:2015 is a globally recognized quality management standard developed and published by theInternational Organization for Standardization.

PamGene International said this week that it has received an extension of its ISO 13485:2016 certification. The company said that the extension, which includes manufacturing, is an important component of its provision of in vitro diagnostic assay services for the prediction of immunotherapy response in oncological diseases using its IOpener kinome-activity profiling liquid biopsy tests. PamGene obtained its initial ISO certification in January 2019.

In Brief This Week is a selection of news items that may be of interest to our readers but had not previously appeared on 360Dx.

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In Brief This Week: Qiagen, Oncocyte, Myriad Genetics, Mesa Biotech, and More - 360Dx

Have you ever been to the hospital for probably a check-up or to collect your card? And then, the doctor asks about the medical history of your family. As you tell him about it, you smile while doing so, and then before you know it, your doctor tells you that your genes affect every part of you, including your smile. The fact is, genes have a high impact on the way you walk, the way you act, and yes, even the way you smile. Just the way you look like your siblings and your parents, thats how you could have inherited smiles from one of your ancestors. We know a lot of people with smiles they inherited straight from their grandparents. So dont be surprised.

Let us list out some other factors that impact the way we smile, shall we?

Your smile has affected your facial appearance a lot. Everyone wants to have a healthy-looking, beautiful smile. If you dont like your smile, you would not want to publicly show your smile, which could tamper with your level of self-esteem.

Luckily for you, many of these issues that stress your smile could be effectively and efficiently corrected using clear braces from ALIGNERCO.

List of things that affect your smile other than Genetics

Heres a list of other things that affect your smile.

A common nuisance to the appearance of your smile is teeth stains. These stains could develop on your teeth, and whenever you try your best to keep your teeth healthy and try to get rid of the disease, these strains would not want to leave. These stains are gotten from colorful food molecules that would stick to your teeth for a long time. If you want to get rid of these tooth stains, you could order a package of clear braces from alignerco.com. It comes with free whitening kits. Before you know it, youll get back your beautiful white teeth all from the comfort of your home.

Your teeth could be aligned wrongly, and this could have a considerable impact on your oral health. This makes things a little bit harder for your biting to function correctly. Having crooked teeth also reduces the rate at which you would generally have beautiful teeth. With clear braces from ALIGNERCO, you get to correct these misalignments, and before you know it, in six months, you get to enjoy that beautiful smile.

If you have a cracked or chipped tooth, you would have a weaker tooth structurally, and they would not look so beautiful when you smile. If you have a tooth thats sustainably damaged, you need to cap it using a dental crown for its integrity and strength to return.

When it comes to your smile not looking as beautiful as you desire, please dont blame your parents, grandparents, and ancestors. Theres a way you could correct your teeth that your kids and grandkids would be glad you did. Let us list out some of these teeth straightening options.

List of Tooth Straightening Options

It is pretty easy these days to straighten your teeth and get yourself that perfect smile. Seriously, there are several ways this could become a reality. These options vary according to the amount of money youve got in your wallet. A lot of these options are pretty painful too. Lets list them out so you can take a look.

Clear braces from ALIGNERCO make use of clear aligners. You could get these braces from their website for less than a thousand dollars. You dont need to go to the dentist to make use of these clear braces. They are created, developed, and designed remotely, and you get to straighten your teeth at home wherever you like. It is easy. It is simple. You would love it.

These are also quite popular for young adults that want to have beautiful smiles. They are not like braces. They are created using unique plastic materials which are organized to fit your teeth perfectly. They resemble clear retainers. Some people mistake them for clear retainers, but theres a difference. ALIGNERCO also has traditional clear aligners, which would help you with the issues you face with your teeth. For less than $1,000, your teeth can look like that of Leonardo DiCaprio.

These days, not many people make use of traditional braces because of the problems and issues that come with making use of them. Though they effectively straighten your teeth, they are challenging to clean, difficult to eat with, and quite challenging to live your everyday life. Plus, it would be best if you always visit your dentist, and braces are pretty expensive compared to clear aligners, you know.

These ceramic braces are just like traditional braces. The only difference between the two is that these are transparent in color, and there are colored tooth brackets used instead of metal ones. The wires used to make ceramic braces are available in off-white shades. But the problems of braces are still there. It is expensive, difficult to clean, hard to live with, and people know youre wearing something to correct your teeth. Paying in between $4000 to $8000 is no joke.

This is a treatment option that is no so popular. It is on this list because it is pretty affordable. But it is costly. It makes use of resin materials, and you get your cavities filled. It changes your smile bit by bit. It is used to correct teeth that are not shaped correctly. The treatment takes an hour, and you need to visit your dentist once.

One of the best, most affordable, stress-free ways you could use to straighten your teeth and get out of that genetic funk is to make use of clear aligners brought to you by ALIGNERCO. Check out their website for your clear aligners today, and soon, youll have that smile youve always desired.

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SMILE AND ITS RELATION TO GENETICS - L.A. Weekly

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Genetic Testing Market 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The genetic testing market is poised to grow by $5.39 billion during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of about 12%.

The market is driven by the rising prevalence of genetic diseases and disorders, rising approval of advanced genetic testing products, and increasing affordability due to reduction in the cost of genetic testing.

The report on the genetic testing market provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The genetic testing market analysis includes product segment and geographic landscape.

This study identifies the advancements in next-generation sequencing as one of the prime reasons driving the genetic testing market growth during the next few years. Also, the growing adoption of direct-to-consumer genetic tests in early disease diagnosis and the growing adoption of pharmacogenetic testing in reducing adverse drug events will lead to sizable demand in the market.

The publisher's robust vendor analysis is designed to help clients improve their market position, and in line with this, this report provides a detailed analysis of several leading genetic testing market vendors that include Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies Inc., bioMerieux SA, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Illumina Inc., Myriad Genetics Inc., QIAGEN NV, Quest Diagnostics Inc., and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Also, the genetic testing market analysis report includes information on upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. This is to help companies strategize and leverage all forthcoming growth opportunities.

The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation by Product

Segmentation by Application

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pwg97i

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Global Genetic Testing (Equipment & Consumables) Market 2021-2025: Rising Approval of Advanced Genetic Testing Products and Increasing...

A Scottish Hereford herd has seen bull sales grow four-fold since introducing line-bred US genetics selected for high yearling weights on the Montana rangelands.

The Douglas family at Ervie Herefords, Mains of Airies, Stranraer, first imported Line One Hereford (see What are Line One Herefords?) embryos in 2005.

Back then, the farm would typically sell 15-20 bulls a year, mainly to dairy farms looking for short-gestation, easy-calving bulls that were good on their feet.

See also:5 tips on selecting and breeding beef replacements

John, Ellen, Olivia, Alexandra and Ellen Dougals MAG/Michael Priestley

But now Ervie Herefords sells about 25 bulls into commercial and pedigree suckler herds and more than 50 to dairy farms.

John and Alexandra Douglas believe Line One genetics, as well as the farms unwavering focus on low-input, forage-fed cows, have caught breeders attention.

The familys interest in Line One genetics started back in 2004, when Mr Douglas attended the World Hereford Conference in Australia and saw several large herds with Line One influence.

After doing some reading and going to the 2005 Denver stock show, he got to know Jack Holden of Holden Herefords, who marketed his cattle as Line One-bred.

By working with US ranchers who bought cattle from the Line One sale in Montana, Mr Douglas imported the closely bred cattle to breed easy-fleshing cows that achieved good performance from low birthweights.

Since then, Mr Douglas has imported embryos three times from Holden Herefords (2005, 2008 and 2021), three times from Gerald Beran and Vince Dolecheck, Kansas (2007, 2009 and 2014), and once from the Cooper Hereford ranch in 2008.

All three herds have been influenced by Line One genetics.

Travelling to Montana and viewing the Holden and Cooper herds motivated me to replicate how they operated, but in our temperate British climate, explains Mr Douglas.

I was also convinced to operate and market my cattle completely unconnected to and unaffected by the show ring, with selection traits in line with commercial, low-cost beef production.

Line One genetics have increased herd uniformity and eradicated any occasionally large calves and difficult calvings.

Most calves are born weighing 39-42kg, with 45kg typically being the heaviest the farm sees.

Before, when we used artificial insemination to introduce bloodlines, we would find that many bulls would produce some big calves requiring assistance and that they were not reliable for that trait, says Mr Douglas.

Unless a cow has a breach presentation, we do not expect to have to assist her.

They are genetically so different to other Herefords, US ranchers can use them as an outcross on pure Herefords or use them in a cross-breeding programme for more heterosis (hybrid vigour) such as with Angus for a Black Baldy.

Because the line-bred genetics are 32% inbred, this tends to suppress growth and yearling weight slightly on individuals in the Ervie herd.

However, the end goal is for customers to buy Line One stock and capitalise on it by increasing heterosis on their own farms.

That is what we rely on for sustained support from our repeat customers and it is what has brought us the customer base we have. We are not in it for a quick profit: our business must be long-term.

MAG/Michael Priestley

MAG/Michael Priestley

Line One Herefords are extensively managed line-bred cattle that have been selected for yearling weight in a low-input system in a research herd in Montana since 1934.

The herd is managed by the US Department of Agriculture at Fort Keogh, Montana.

Line One was one of 10 lines to be studied in the 1930s and 1940s, with the original idea of crossing inbred lines for commercial production coming from hybrid corn.

The result has been extremely hardy and fertile cattle offered for sale to commercial US ranches.

The herd currently numbers 70 cows plus followers and is about 32% inbred.

Line breeding is highly strategic inbreedingwith a goal of maintaining a high relationship to an outstanding ancestor while keeping inbreeding as low as possible.

To manage risk of deleterious recessives (birth defects etc), inbreeding is calculated through a computer system to limit the generational increase in inbreeding to less than 5% per generation. Importantly, the line proved to be very safe for recessives and genetic abnormalities over time.

The Line One foundation sires were Advance Domino 20 and 54, both sons of Advance Domino 13, who was a son of Prince Domino, a noted Hereford sire from the early 1900s.

The initial crossing was of daughtersof AdvanceDomino 20 with his half-brother Advance Domino 54 and vice versa.

Source: Dr Tom Geary, USDA, and Dr Michael MacNeil, Delta Genetics

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Hereford herd grows demand with line-bred US genetics - FarmersWeekly

While Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLGT) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NASDAQGM, rising to highs of US$121 and falling to the lows of US$66.80. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Fulgent Genetics' current trading price of US$71.27 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Fulgent Geneticss outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for Fulgent Genetics

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. Its trading around 18% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Fulgent Genetics today, youd be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe the companys true value is $86.47, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Fulgent Geneticss beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the companys shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Though in the case of Fulgent Genetics, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, which doesnt help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

Are you a shareholder? FLGT seems fairly priced right now, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to de-risk your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock optimal for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on the stock, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on FLGT for a while, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. The price seems to be trading at fair value, which means theres less benefit from mispricing. Furthermore, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we havent considered today, which can help crystalize your views on FLGT should the price fluctuate below its true value.

If you'd like to know more about Fulgent Genetics as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Be aware that Fulgent Genetics is showing 5 warning signs in our investment analysis and 2 of those don't sit too well with us...

If you are no longer interested in Fulgent Genetics, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

PromotedWhen trading Fulgent Genetics or any other investment, use the platform considered by many to be the Professional's Gateway to the Worlds Market, Interactive Brokers. You get the lowest-cost* trading on stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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Why Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLGT) Could Be Worth Watching - Simply Wall St

The role genetics play in atrial fibrillation (AF) complications such as heart failure and stroke will be investigated as part of new research involving UNSW researchers.

Led by Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institutes scientist and UNSW Conjoint Professor Diane Fatkin, the multicentre research team were awarded $1 million by The Heart Foundation to gain new knowledge about genetic causes of AF.

The condition is a major public health problem with one in three individuals at risk of developing it in their lifetime.

Prof. Fatkin said the research being done by her team is breaking fresh ground, and further advancement would not be possible without the recent financial boost.

This will really allow us to do in-depth genetic analyses on our patients, and we already have a large cohort of [those] available. This will enable us to do these genetic analyses for the first time in Australia, so it really is a major new initiative, she said.

We will use cutting-edge tools for rapid low-cost genetic analyses of AF patient cohorts that will enable us, for the first time, to look at single-gene mutations, genetic risk scores, and genetic effects on anti-arrhythmic drug metabolism. The cost and outcomes of genetic testing, and patient preferences for testing, will also be assessed.

AF is a disorder of the hearts electrical activity that can lead to stroke, heart failure and even early death.

A persons genetic make-up is an important determinant of AF susceptibility, but genetic information is not part of current patient care.

Scientists at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and UNSW would like that to change.

Prof. Fatkin said those facing choices about their treatment may really benefit from knowledge about genetic influences when selecting appropriate drug therapies or interventions, such as ablation therapy.

Genetics, we are thinking, may also be important for predicting the risk of recurrence of atrial fibrillation after the ablation procedures, she said.

Our data will define high-risk patient subsets and have direct implications for the screening and clinical management of family members.

Prof. Fatkin is looking at different types of patients across the research. Some have a family history of AF and the collated data will help identify family members also at risk of developing AF in the future.

Another group that is part of the research includes those without a clear family history of AF but who still have the condition.

A third group being studied is athletes who have developed AF after a lifetime of competitive sporting activity.

Prof. Fatkin hopes this research will lead to the ability to predict which athletes are likely to have heart problems in the future.

This may inform sports choices even in young kids, and we can advise those who are at high genetic risk to potentially change the type of sport that they participate in, she said.

The Heart Foundations Strategic Grants are awarded with the aim to generate innovative and collaborative research projects in the areas where identified gaps in cardiovascular health exist.

The 2020 Predictive Modelling Grant was awarded to Prof. Fatkin to investigate the role of genetics for risk stratification in AF.

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Genetic links to be investigated in ground-breaking heart rhythm research - UNSW Newsroom