Chickenpox is usually harmless, yet the same virus can cause severe brain infections in some individuals. This research shows that a genetic variant in an immune-system gene reduces antiviral defense, allowing greater viral replication. Identifying such variants helps explain individual vulnerability to severe viral disease.

Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of infant death from birth defects. This research develops a high-throughput method to test genetic mutations in key heart genes like TBX5, identifying which variants disrupt heart development. The approach improves diagnosis, informs gene therapy, and advances understanding of why hearts fail before birth.