Medical Research News

RSS

New information about the molecular pathway used by ubiquitin

Because ubiquitin plays a key role in cell survival, scientists have already begun to develop drugs to target parts of the ubiquitin pathway in treating diseases such as cancer.

28 Mar 2006

Mustard and garlic kick linked to single pain receptor

A single pain receptor is solely responsible for the kick delivered by mustard oil and garlic, according to research in the Cell. Mustard oil is the active ingredient in mustard and in the pungent green sushi condiment known as wasabi.

28 Mar 2006

RNAi-based inhibitors for created for nearly every human and mouse gene - available to all genetic researchers

An international public-private research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard announced today the construction and availability of an extensive library of molecular reagents to silence most human and mouse genes.

28 Mar 2006

Earlier onset of colorectal cancer associated with alcohol use, tobacco use and male gender

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States yet it is one of the most preventable forms of the disease.

28 Mar 2006

Researchers find environmentally friendly ways to produce more Taxol

As the effective cancer-treatment drug Taxol enters its next generation, Michigan State University announces discoveries which point to both environmentally friendly ways to produce more Taxol, and ultimately innovations to produce a more potent second-generation drug.

28 Mar 2006

Researchers find compound 10 times more effective than isoniazid, the leading anti-tuberculosis drug

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have synthesized chemicals that are up to 10 times more effective than isoniazid, the leading anti-tuberculosis drug.

28 Mar 2006

Depression treatment may require different drugs for different people

If a first antidepressant medication doesn't work, try a different one, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.

27 Mar 2006

Drug discoveries may be aided by formation of drug-target database

The latest issue of SCIENCE magazine features a brief about the work of UMBI scientists and their Binding Database (BindingDB) project.

27 Mar 2006

Study provides a boost for efforts to reverse type-1 diabetes

Researchers have been able to confirm most but not all of the results of a high-profile study that brought new hope to diabetes patients. This study provides a boost for efforts to reverse type-1 diabetes in recently diagnosed patients but not for efforts to grow new islets from spleens.

27 Mar 2006

Tobacco plants being used to produce human albumin

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the intravenous protein most commonly used in the world for therapeutic ends. It is employed to stabilise blood volume and to avoid risk of a heart attack, its administration in operating theatres being almost a daily occurrence.

27 Mar 2006

Medicinal properties in mahogany bark may hold colon cancer cure

U of So. Carolina cancer researcher Dr. Michael Wargovich is studying whether medicinal properties in the bark of mahogany trees may hold clues to understanding colon cancer.

27 Mar 2006

Light activated anticancer drug targeted to DNA using cisplatin like sub-units: Coupling light absorbers to reactive metal centers

One of the most effective chemotherapy drugs against cancer is cisplatin because it attaches to cancer DNA and disrupts repair. However, it also kills healthy tissue. Many scientists are creating alternative drugs or cisplatin analogs in attempts to find treatments without side effects.

27 Mar 2006

Evolutionary biology research predicts precancerous tumors

In diverse ecosystems, packed with wildly different species, evolution whizzes along. As different species accumulate mutations, some adapt particularly well to their environment and prosper.

27 Mar 2006

Will we ever eat pigs genetically engineered to give us healthy fats?

Researchers in the U.S. have created pigs that produce omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to improve heart function and help reduce the risks for heart disease.

26 Mar 2006

Benefit of fish oils under question

In a turn up for the books, experts are now saying that contrary to the widely held belief that the omega 3 fats found in oily fish help prevent heart disease, this has not been proven.

26 Mar 2006

Fish enzymes and gelatine may be the new treatment for psoriasis and eczema

A new skin cream has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The cream contains fish enzymes and gelatine and is under development by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University of Bergen, Norway.

23 Mar 2006

Sending tiny electric pulses to a part of the brain controlling motor function boosts stroke recovery

Sending tiny electric pulses to a part of the brain controlling motor function helps ischemic stroke survivors regain partial use of a weakened hand, new Oregon Health & Science University research shows.

23 Mar 2006

Successful cell engineering may prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

Researchers at Texas A&M University have successfully "knocked down" the expression of possible disease-causing genes in a cloned goat fetus, perhaps paving the way for breeding disease resistance in other animals, even those genes that might cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.

23 Mar 2006

Phagocytosis depends more on particle shape than size

The research, which has far-reaching implications for immunology, vaccine development and drug delivery, is published today online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Samir Mitragotri, a UCSB professor of chemical engineering, and graduate student Julie A. Champion. The paper will be published in print on March 28.

23 Mar 2006

Atopy can lead to adult-onset asthma

New research shows that hereditary predisposition to develop asthma (atopy) is a determining factor in new cases on adult-onset asthma and that avoiding allergens may help prevent adults from developing asthma.

23 Mar 2006