Macromolecules News and Research

RSS

Viroporins, membrane-permeabilizing proteins of the poliomyelitis virus

A research team from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid directed by Professor Luís Carrasco has published new discoveries concerning the membrane permeabilizing proteins of the polio virus.

16 Jan 2008

Research looks at how environment inside a living cell affects protein structure

The syrupy soup of proteins, ribosomes and membranes inside a living cell is so tightly packed it may increase the structural content of proteins by as much as 25 percent, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Houston (UH).

13 Nov 2007

Electricity - a new weapon for stalling the progression of cancer

Low-intensity electric fields can disrupt the division of cancer cells and slow the growth of brain tumors, suggest laboratory experiments and a small human trial, raising hopes that electric fields will become a new weapon for stalling the progression of cancer.

3 Aug 2007

Scientists create sheets of protein-gold arrays

In groundbreaking research, scientists have demonstrated the ability to strategically attach gold nanoparticles -- particles on the order of billionths of a meter -- to proteins so as to form sheets of protein-gold arrays.

28 Jun 2007

Antitumor vaccine

How can we induce the body to use its own weapon, the immune system, to battle cancer" In principle, by the same means used against infectious diseases: immunization.

18 Jun 2007

First online models of biological molecules

A University of Massachusetts Amherst biochemist is creating the first online models of biological molecules like enzymes and proteins customized to figures in scientific research articles.

26 Apr 2007

Use of computer-assisted drug design in drug discovery

Metabasis Therapeutics has announced that on March 27, 2007 at the American Chemical Society 233rd National Meeting and Exposition in Chicago, Dr. M. Rami Reddy presented, "Use of Computer-Assisted Drug Design in Drug Discovery: Limitations and Advantages of Available Computational Methods."

15 Apr 2007

Intarcia Therapeutics announces results from study of injectable Omega Interferon plus Ribavirin for treatment of hepatitis C genotype-1

Intarcia Therapeutics has announced final results from a Phase 2 study of omega interferon with or without ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

15 Apr 2007

Biobased alternative for critical component of many polymer products

Virginia Tech chemists are looking for biobased alternatives and environmentally friendly reaction pathways to replace a toxic intermediate that is a critical component of many polymer products.

3 Apr 2007

Polymers show promise for gene delivery

Virginia Tech polymer scientists have developed a new family of gene vectors , novel polymers that can ferry genetic material across the cell membrane so that it can be incorporated into the machinery of the cell.

3 Apr 2007

Link between growth of blood vessels critical to spread of cancer and copper in our bodies

Growing new blood vessels from existing ones - a process called angiogenesis - is important in growth, development and wound healing. But it also enables the spread of tumors throughout the body, so researchers have been scrambling for ways to stop angiogenesis in the fight against cancer.

28 Feb 2007

DNA 'cages' to deliver drugs

By combining DNA macromolecules with polymers containing iron, molecular 'cages' can be made: porous structures capable of carrying and delivering drugs or DNA-fragments.

26 Feb 2007

Anti-aging hormone called Klotho actions explained

Scientists recently discovered an anti-aging hormone called Klotho. Now, a new study shows that this protein acts by increasing the cell's ability to detoxify harmful reactive oxygen species.

7 Nov 2005

How cells use very slow biological flows to signal and organize

An EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) team led by professor Melody Swartz has demonstrated for the first time that the presence of very slow biological flows affects the extracellular environment in ways that are critical for tissue formation and cell migration.

25 Oct 2005

Pfizer acquires antibody discovery company Bioren

Pfizer and Bioren today announced the completion of a transaction in which Pfizer purchased all outstanding stock of Bioren for an undisclosed amount.

15 Aug 2005

Researchers characterize the proteome of the human cornea

In doing so, they have identified 141 distinct proteins, 99 of which had not been previously recognized in mammalian corneas. The details of their findings appear in the August/September issue of Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, an American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology journal.

1 Aug 2005

A new method for manipulating macromolecules

The technique uses double-stranded DNA to direct the behavior of other molecules. In previous DNA nanotechnology efforts, duplex DNA has been used as a static lattice to construct geometrical objects in three dimensions.

29 Jun 2005

Nanoscale mechanism to externally control the function and action of a protein

"We can switch a protein on and off, and while we have controlled a specific protein, we believe our approach will work with virtually any protein," said Giovanni Zocchi, assistant professor of physics at UCLA, member of the California NanoSystems Institute and leader of the research effort. "This research has the potential to start a new approach to protein engineering."

16 Feb 2005

Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) could help produce lead drugs for disease therapy

Structural changes in proteins can now be seen in increased detail, using a new application of an existing technique. The application, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, could help produce lead drugs for disease therapy.

8 Dec 2004

Transparent gel could soon become the first and best choice for sealing corneal incisions

The substance, known as a hydrogel, promises to be a useful tool in the kit used for the most common of ophthalmic surgeries: cataract removal. Currently, 11 million such surgeries are performed worldwide annually, a figure expected to increase as the world's population grows older.

12 Oct 2004