Genes contain instructions for making proteins, and a central dogma of biology is that this information flows from DNA to RNA to proteins. But only two percent of the human genome actually encodes proteins; the function of the remaining 98 percent remains largely unknown.

One pressing problem in human genetics is to understand what these regions of the genome do—if anything at all. Historically, some have even referred to these regions as “junk.”

Now, a new study in Cell finds that some noncoding RNAs are not, in fact, junk—they are functional and play an important role in our cells, including in cancer and human development. Using CRISPR technology that targets RNA instead of DNA, researchers at New York University and the New York Genome Center searched across the genome and found nearly 800 noncoding RNAs important for the function of diverse human cells from different tissues.

The risks of adverse effects and complications from treatment for prostate cancer are substantial and continue for years after treatment ends, according to the largest comprehensive analysis reporting long-term risks from such treatment relative to the risks faced by a control group of untreated men, just published in JAMA Oncology. The report says those considering PSA screening need quantitative information on the risks and benefits of treatment and of screening if they are to make truly informed decisions.