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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Blocking viral-host interaction slows down flu virus replication, study shows

Influenza A (flu A) hijacks host proteins for viral RNA splicing and blocking these interactions caused replication of the virus to slow, according to new research published in Nature Communications by Kristin W. Lynch, PhD, chair of the department of Biochemistry and Biophysics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and doctoral student Matthew Thompson.

25 Jun 2018

ABPI associated with NHS for 70 years in pharmaceutical research

In this special year, both the NHS and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry are celebrating our respective 70th anniversaries. The histories of these two organizations have been inextricably linked since 1948 and our relationship with the NHS continues to go from strength to strength.

25 Jun 2018

Studying The Effects of Microgravity on Muscle Mass

Studying the effects of gravity on muscle cells can give us an insight into muscle wastage diseases, and potentially guide the development of new therapies. Professor Louis Yuge discusses his research and the cellular changes that occur in response to microgravity.

25 Jun 2018

Study explains methods for matrix decellularization to promote bone regeneration

To help prevent possible complications such as nonunion at large fracture sites, researchers have developed a cartilage matrix that mimics the early stages of repair and provides the essential structural and biological properties needed by bone-forming cells to divide and grow.

25 Jun 2018

DNA patterns in circulating blood cells can help identify spastic cerebral palsy

A Delaware team including Erin Crowgey, PhD, associate director of Bioinformatics with Nemours Biomedical Research, has published a study in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Bioinformatics, showing that DNA patterns in circulating blood cells can be used to help identify spastic cerebral palsy (CP) patients.

22 Jun 2018

Study: Inner nuclear envelope plays role in lipid metabolism

The cell nucleus is an organelle, in which the DNA of an organism is protected and duplicated. The nucleus of this organ-like structure in the cell plasma is surrounded by an outer and an inner nuclear envelope, which is penetrated by openings - so-called nuclear pores.

22 Jun 2018

Unusual cell-to-cell communication in glioblastoma promotes aggressiveness and therapy resistance

A surprising form of cell-to-cell communication in glioblastoma promotes global changes in recipient cells, including aggressiveness, motility, and resistance to radiation or chemotherapy.

22 Jun 2018

Researchers diagnose cerebral palsy using AI and next-generation sequencing

Researchers have shown that patients with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) can be identified using DNA methylation patterns in circulating blood cells.

22 Jun 2018

Researchers discover shared genetic basis for psychiatric disorders

A new study conducted by Spanish researchers has shown that psychiatric disorders, but not non-psychiatric neurological disorders have a shared genetic basis.

22 Jun 2018

Scientists identify gene that triggers senescence

Scientists seeking to unlock the secrets of cellular aging have identified a gene that triggers senescence, a phenomenon in which cells stop dividing.

22 Jun 2018

Lipid-scrambling DNA enzyme outperforms naturally occurring counterpart, say researchers

A new synthetic enzyme, crafted from DNA rather than protein, flips lipid molecules within the cell membrane, triggering a signal pathway that could be harnessed to induce cell death in cancer cells.

22 Jun 2018

Jumping genes or transposons and their role in the genetic code

Researchers have found that there a numerous transposons or “jumping genes” within the genetic code that is responsible for development of the embryo and its growth. These were earlier thought to be junk or useless parts of the genome.

22 Jun 2018

Study finds cell-free DNA profiling as versatile method to monitor UTIs

Using shotgun DNA sequencing, Cornell University researchers have demonstrated a new method for monitoring urinary tract infections that surpasses traditional methods in providing valuable information about the dynamics of the infection as well as the patient's biological response.

21 Jun 2018