What is telomerase?

What is telomerase?

Telomerase is an enzyme whose main function is the maintenance of telomeres. Here we examine what the purpose of telomerase is and the impact when it doesn’t work as it should. What is telomerase? Telomeres are the protective caps found at the end of our chromosomes and they act by preventing damage or fusion with […]

Why order a telomere test?

Why order a telomere test?

With research and clinical applications for telomere length measurements increasing we discuss some situations when it may be helpful for physicians or researchers to order a telomere test. There are many situations in which telomere length measurements can be helpful, both in clinical care and in research settings. For the former, telomere test results can […]

What is a telomere biology disorder (or telomeropathy)?

What is Telomere Biology Disorder word cloud

There are multiple different terms for telomere biology disorders, here we explain what they are and what conditions they can encompass. Telomere biology disorders Telomere biology disorders (TBDs) are a complex set of conditions defined by genetic deficits affecting telomere maintenance and by the presence of very short telomeres. These disorders can also be referred […]

Guest blog: Mike shares his experience with dyskeratosis congenita for Rare Disease Day

Mike shares his story with dyskeratosis congenita to mark Rare Disease Day

To mark Rare Disease Day, we have a guest blog from Mike who is kindly willing to share his experience with familial dyskeratosis congenita.  Hello, my name is Mike and I have a rare disease. It is called Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC) and it runs in my family. My father and my uncle (his twin) had […]