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UT Southwestern researcher wins prestigious award from International Atherosclerosis Society

Dr. Helen Hobbs, a preeminent researcher on the genetics of cholesterol metabolism at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has won a prestigious award from the International Atherosclerosis Society.

28 Mar 2012

Starfruit-shaped nanorods for medical imaging, chemical sensing

They look like fruit, and indeed the nanoscale stars of new research at Rice University have tasty implications for medical imaging and chemical sensing.

28 Mar 2012

New microfluidic chip more effective in detecting flu outbreaks

The H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009 underscored weaknesses in methods widely used to diagnose the flu, from frequent false negatives to long wait times for results. Now Boston University researchers have developed a prototype of a rapid, low-cost, accurate, point-of-care device that promises to provide clinicians with an effective tool to quickly diagnose both seasonal and pandemic strains of influenza, and thus limit the spread of infection.

28 Mar 2012

CRG, Illumina partner for large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) has recently signed a year-long collaboration agreement with Illumina, a leading developer and manufacturer of life sciences tools and integrated systems for large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function.

From Illumina, Inc. 28 Mar 2012

Gold nanoparticles used to introduce chemical residues into the immune system

Developing a drug or vaccine requires a delicate balancing act with the immune system. On one hand, medications need to escape detection by the immune system in order to perform their function. But vaccinations - de-activated versions of a disease or virus - need to do the reverse. They prompt the immune system to create protective antibodies.

27 Mar 2012

Previously unknown mechanism helps intestinal bacteria to affect formation of blood vessels

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a previously unknown mechanism which helps intestinal bacteria to affect the formation of blood vessels. The results, which are presented in Nature, may provide future treatments of intestinal diseases and obesity.

27 Mar 2012

Structural adaptations found in short-track speed skaters' brains

Specialized training of complex motor skills may induce sports-specific structural changes in the human brain

27 Mar 2012

Pfizer to present data on ADCs at AACR 2012

Pfizer Oncology will present data from a variety of preclinical and clinical studies of Pfizer's early-stage compounds, including data from Pfizer's investigational antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio and research evaluating several molecules targeting novel pathways that play a crucial role in basic cellular functions, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago, IL, from March 31-April 4.

27 Mar 2012

New method uses E. coli bacteria to engineer human therapeutic glycoproteins

Escherichia coli - a bacteria considered the food safety bane of restaurateurs, grocers and consumers - is a friend. Cornell University biomolecular engineers have learned to use E. coli to produce sugar-modified proteins for making pharmaceuticals cheaper and faster.

27 Mar 2012

Simple placebo pill can track footprints of prior antidepressant use

Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) often undergo multiple courses of antidepressant treatment during their lives. This is because the disorder can recur despite treatment and because finding the right medication for a specific individual can take time.

27 Mar 2012

UC professor to show new anticancer agent at ACS Spring 2012 meeting

Advances in chemotherapy have dramatically improved the outlook for many cancer patients, but the side effects of this treatment are daunting. A new generation of chemotherapy drugs with fewer side effects is the goal of Edward J. Merino, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Cincinnati.

27 Mar 2012

Obese youths with particular genetic variants may be more prone to fatty liver disease

Obese youths with particular genetic variants may be more prone to fatty liver disease, a leading cause of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents in industrialized countries, according to new findings by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

27 Mar 2012

Study reconfirms specific genetic risks associated with PTSD

A new study released by Geisinger Health System researchers and appearing in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment reconfirms specific genetic risks associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and hopes to identify better screening and treatment options for the condition.

27 Mar 2012

IU biologist to genetically modify variants of chlamydia

An Indiana University biologist has been awarded over $2.3 million from the National Institutes of Health to genetically modify variants of the human pathogen chlamydia in hopes of finding a vaccine for the most commonly reported bacterial infectious disease in the United States.

27 Mar 2012

Researchers use skin cells from MND patient to create motor neurones

A breakthrough using cutting-edge stem cell research could speed up the discovery of new treatments for motor neurone disease (MND).

27 Mar 2012

Protein precursors destined for spiny extensions of neurons travel single file

Protein precursors destined for the spiny extensions of neurons travel single file, according to a study by Sanjay Tyagi, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

27 Mar 2012

Defects in schizophrenia-risk genes and environmental stress lead to abnormal brain development

Working with genetically engineered mice and the genomes of thousands of people with schizophrenia, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they now better understand how both nature and nurture can affect one's risks for schizophrenia and abnormal brain development in general.

27 Mar 2012

Intravenous immune globulin effective treatment for GBS, CIDP

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIg) is an effective treatment for certain disorders of the nerve and muscles, including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and a form of neuropathy called chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), according to a guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Mar 2012

Scientists create first full 3-D images of vitamin B12

In a paper published recently in the journal Nature, scientists from the University of Michigan Health System and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology report they have created the first full 3-D images of B12 and its partner molecules twisting and contorting as part of a crucial reaction called methyltransfer.

27 Mar 2012

Nanoscale sensor can conduct individual DNA sequencing

Researchers have devised a nanoscale sensor to electronically read the sequence of a single DNA molecule, a technique that is fast and inexpensive and could make DNA sequencing widely available.

27 Mar 2012