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New Parkinson's disease research points to serotonin

For most people with Parkinson's disease, the only relief from the tremors, rigidity and impaired movement associated with the progressive loss of their motor skills is a drug called L-DOPA. But as the disease progresses, L-DOPA can cause prominent side effects that counteract its effectiveness.

4 Feb 2008

Scientists recreate rhinovirus infection in mice - hope of new asthma treatments

Scientists have been able to recreate rhinovirus infection, which is behind most common colds, in a small animal for the first time.

4 Feb 2008

Event to address the effects of breast cancer on black women

Although the overall incidence of breast cancer in black women is lower than in white women, black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than their white counterparts.

4 Feb 2008

Neurogenesis plays an important role in the acquisition and storage of spatial memory

Boosted by physical and mental exercise, neural stem cells continue to sprout new neurons throughout life, but the exact function of these newcomers has been the topic of much debate.

4 Feb 2008

Enzyme released by mast cells in the lungs could be a new target for asthma

An enzyme released by mast cells in the lungs appears to play a key role in the tightening of airways that is a hallmark of asthma pointing to a potential new target for treatment against the illness.

4 Feb 2008

New target for flu prevention

Emerging subtypes of influenza A virus hold the potential to initiate a world-wide epidemic in the next few years, according to World Health Organization officials.

4 Feb 2008

Body fat protein adiponectin plays role in tumour growth

Scientists have discovered how low levels of a protein hormone found in body fat, plays a crucial role in tumour growth and spread. Their findings are published in a paper in the British Journal of Cancer.

31 Jan 2008

Potential cause of age differences in stimulant response identified

In young children, psychostimulants relieve symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder, yet in adolescents and adults, those same medications can cause euphoria and are often abused.

31 Jan 2008

Lungs' mast cells could provide new treatment target for asthma, other respiratory disease

30 Jan 2008

New target found for asthma

An enzyme released by mast cells in the lungs appears to play a key role in the tightening of airways that is a hallmark of asthma -- pointing to a potential new target for treatment against the illness.

29 Jan 2008

Genetic roots of obesity

A discovery by Queen's biologists and their students sheds new light on the genetic roots of obesity a condition that is increasing dramatically in North America and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

24 Jan 2008

Engineers use blood's hydrodynamics to manipulate stem, cancer cells

A tiny, implantable device has pulled adult stem cells out of a living rat with a far greater purity than any present technique.

24 Jan 2008

DNA sensors found to be an effective artificial nose

In designing artificial noses modeled after biological olfaction, the challenge has been to generate a similarly large sensor repertoire with the requisite combinatorial complexity to detect odors in the real world.

24 Jan 2008

Food peptides activate bitter taste receptors

Researchers from the Monell Center and Tokyo University of Agriculture have used a novel molecular method to identify chemical compounds from common foods that activate human bitter taste receptors.

23 Jan 2008

Genmab reaches milestones in Ofatumumab collaboration

The second milestone payment of the collaboration of DKK 87.2 million was triggered by treatment of the first patient in the Phase II study of ofatumumab in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), which occurred in 2007.

22 Jan 2008

Sleep plays a critical role in the brain's ability to learn

Most people know it from experience: After so many hours of being awake, your brain feels unable to absorb any more-and several hours of sleep will refresh it.

21 Jan 2008

Cancer stem cell marker also drives transcription in normal cells

New research links the recently discovered function of a multi-faceted transcriptional complex to control of gene expression in both normal cells and cancer stem cells.

18 Jan 2008

Altering brain's lipid metabolism reduces Alzheimer's plaques in mice

Increasing levels of a protein that helps the brain use cholesterol may slow the development of Alzheimer's disease changes in the brain, according to researchers studying a mouse model of the disease at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

18 Jan 2008