Small Molecules News and Research

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Glowing mice could mark major step forward for new gene therapy

Timothy Blake, a postdoctoral fellow in the Waymouth lab, was hard at work on a fantastical interdisciplinary experiment. He and his fellow researchers were refining compounds that would carry instructions for assembling the protein that makes fireflies light up and deliver them into the cells of an anesthetized mouse. If their technique worked, the mouse would glow in the dark.

16 Feb 2017

Children born of fathers exposed to nicotine inherit enhanced chemical tolerance, study shows

A father's nicotine use may have a significant impact on children's risk of some diseases. In a study published in the online biomedical sciences journal eLife, Oliver J. Rando, MD, PhD, and colleagues at UMass Medical School, demonstrate that mice born of fathers who are habitually exposed to nicotine inherit enhanced chemical tolerance and drug clearance abilities.

14 Feb 2017

Professor aims to develop shortcuts for targeted and effective cancer therapy

The aim is to identify precisely the one drug, or the correct combination of drugs, that are most effective against the specific tumor present in each patient. Professor hopes that new tools will come into use in the next five years.

13 Feb 2017

Single Molecule Detection of Proteins in Single Cells

We developed this technology almost 10 years ago. It was developed after a key experiment was carried out by David Rissin, who was a PhD candidate in my laboratory at the time.

From Pittcon 3 Feb 2017

Spanish scientists introduce new UVA and UVB filters based on natural sunscreen substances

The ideal sunscreen should block UVB and UVA radiation while being safe and stable. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Spanish scientists have introduced a new family of UVA and UVB filters based on natural sunscreen substances found in algae and cyanobacteria. They are highly stable and enhance the effectivity of commercial sunscreens.

31 Jan 2017

Single-molecule compounds may become basis for new antioxidant therapies

Treated particles of graphene derived from carbon nanotubes have demonstrated remarkable potential as life-saving antioxidants, but as small as they are, something even smaller had to be created to figure out why they work so well.

28 Jan 2017

Scientists define working mechanism of promising anti-cancer molecules

An international team of scientists, including MIPT researchers, has defined the way their promising anti-cancer molecules work.

25 Jan 2017

IU study shows how fruit fly growth shares biochemical similarities with cancer cells

Scientists who study a molecule known to play a role in certain types of cancers and neurodegenerative disorders have a powerful new tool to study this compound due to research conducted at Indiana University.

25 Jan 2017

Advanced NMR-based methods for studying RNPs and drug design

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful analytical tool widely used in chemical research to investigate the structure and dynamics of molecules.

From Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging 24 Jan 2017

Characterizing the Brain - Cell by Cell

My group develops approaches to study cell-to-cell signaling in the brain – how the cells of the brain talk to each other. The brain is heterogeneous, probably more so than any other organ in our body, and many of its functions depend on the unique characteristics of these cells.

From Pittcon 23 Jan 2017

Study finds viruses communicating with one another

Viruses may be stealthy invaders, but a study at the Weizmann Institute of Science reveals a new, chatty side of some: for the first time, viruses have been found communicating with one another.

20 Jan 2017

TSRI scientists develop new method to enhance drug discovery and protein research

A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has developed a versatile new method that should enhance the discovery of new drugs and the study of proteins.

20 Jan 2017

Researchers uncover structure of cancer cell receptor protein that paves way for drug development

A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has helped uncover the elusive structure of a cancer cell receptor protein that can be leveraged to fight disease progression.

19 Jan 2017

Penn researchers discover antimicrobial that thwarts Zika viral entry into human cells

A panel of small molecules that inhibit Zika virus infection, including one that stands out as a potent inhibitor of Zika viral entry into relevant human cell types, was discovered by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

17 Jan 2017

MGH researchers identify protein that may protect tumor-initiating cells in breast cancer

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have identified a protein that may play an essential role in maintaining a population of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) -- treatment-resistant cells responsible for cancer recurrence and metastasis -- in breast cancer, as well as a compound that appears to reduce the molecule's ability to protect TICs from the effects of chemotherapy.

17 Jan 2017

Researchers finding way to manipulate signals in bacteria to reduce infections

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy has received a five-year, $1.25 million federal grant to continue its research into how bacteria that cause streptococcal infections can be manipulated.

12 Jan 2017

VTCRI scientist receives $2.1 million grant for research to combat heart disease

Steven Poelzing, an associate professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, has received a $2.1 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for research to combat the nation's No. 1 killer — heart disease.

11 Jan 2017

Mediterranean plants may become source for 'elixir of life'

The Mediterranean is a haven for lovers of crystal-clear seas and sun-kissed landscapes. Now, thanks to the work of scientists from the University of Malta and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, it has the added appeal of being an actual fountain of youth.

9 Jan 2017

Researchers discover new natural tooth repair method using Alzheimer's drug

A new method of stimulating the renewal of living stem cells in tooth pulp using an Alzheimer's drug has been discovered by a team of researchers at King's College London.