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Glycylation essential to keep sperm swimming in a straight line, shows study

One essential component of each eukaryotic cell is the cytoskeleton. Microtubules, tiny tubes consisting of a protein called tubulin, are part of this skeleton of cells.

7 Jan 2021

Potential treatment approach to new COVID-19 variant

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated a potential new approach to treating infection with the new variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

7 Jan 2021

Which strain should SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates target?

A researcher at Clemson University, USA, has recently explored how governments might effectively combat the pandemic through strategic vaccination as new variants and strains of the virus emerge. The study suggests that vaccine candidates should target the fast-spreading variant, even when the initial prevalence is much lower.

7 Jan 2021

ACE2 receptor is responsible for the wide host range of SARS-CoV-2

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is thought to have a zoonotic origin, perhaps originating in a bat coronavirus with an unknown intermediate host. It is not only very infectious but has been found to infect a wide range of mammals, including dogs, cats, ferrets, hamsters, and minks, besides non-human primates. This range may be still higher, claims a recent preprint that appeared in January 2021 on the bioRxiv server.

6 Jan 2021

More stringent measures may be needed to control new SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant in England

Researchers in the UK have conducted a comprehensive epidemiologic analysis of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant in an effort to learn more about the expanded range and frequency of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in England.

6 Jan 2021

Mount Sinai and Rumi Scientific join hands to initiate autism drug discovery pipeline

The Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Rumi Scientific announced today that they will team up to initiate a drug discovery pipeline for rare genetic disorders that carry a high risk of autism.

6 Jan 2021

Huntington’s disease mutant gene affects brain and body growth in childhood

There is growing evidence to support the hypothesis that there is a neurodevelopmental component to the late-onset neurodegeneration occurring in the brain of huntingtin gene (HTT gene) mutation carriers, and that this increased susceptibility to brain cell death begins during childhood.

6 Jan 2021

Researchers discover new metabolic vulnerability in a highly aggressive form of lung cancer

Researchers at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have discovered a new metabolic vulnerability in a highly aggressive form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

5 Jan 2021

FDA takes first steps in bringing clarity to emerging area of individualized drug development

Advances in scientific knowledge and drug development technology have provided an opportunity for new approaches to drug development, including the development of drugs for the treatment of rare diseases.

4 Jan 2021

Children’s hospitals are partly to blame as superbugs increasingly attack kids

A memory haunts Christina Fuhrman: the image of her toddler Pearl lying pale and listless in a hospital bed, tethered to an IV to keep her hydrated as she struggled against a superbug infection.

4 Jan 2021

Scientists trace genetic roots of Chiari 1 malformation

About one in 100 children has a common brain disorder called Chiari 1 malformation, but most of the time such children grow up normally and no one suspects a problem.

28 Dec 2020

Scientists identify distinct sub-types of angiosarcomas to allow for targeted treatment

A new study led by clinician-scientists from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, with collaborators from research institutions worldwide, has found that angiosarcomas have unique genomic and immune profiles which allow them to be classified into three different subtypes.

28 Dec 2020

Animal study suggests palmitoylation inhibitor reduces virulence of SARS-CoV-2

A new study preprint on the bioRxiv* server demonstrates the ability of a fatty acid synthase inhibitor to improve the survival of mice infected with murine hepatitis virus. In so doing, it adds to the sum of knowledge about the relationship of SARS-CoV-2 with cholesterol metabolism in the host cell.

24 Dec 2020

Researchers discover how shattered chromosomes make cancer cells more aggressive

Cancer is one of the world's greatest health afflictions because, unlike some diseases, it is a moving target, constantly evolving to evade and resist treatment.

23 Dec 2020

Researcher discovers seven DNA fingerprints that define cancer risk

Lifestyle, or put another way 'bad habits', is one of the textbook explanations for why some people are at higher risk for cancer.

23 Dec 2020

Study presents novel gene therapy for deafness

A new study from Tel Aviv University presents an innovative treatment for deafness, based on the delivery of genetic material into the cells of the inner ear.

23 Dec 2020

Forward genetics used to identify gene linked to autism spectrum disorder

UT Southwestern scientists have adapted a classic research technique called forward genetics to identify new genes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

23 Dec 2020

At risk of extinction, black-footed ferrets get experimental COVID vaccine

In late summer, as researchers accelerated the first clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines for humans, a group of scientists in Colorado worked to inoculate a far more fragile species.

23 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 mutations may evade T cell immunity

A potentially disturbing new study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may be undergoing strategic mutations that affect the host immune capacity to recognize and combat the pathogen via T effector cells.

23 Dec 2020

Researchers use fruit fly model to understand COVID-19-related neurological complications

Researchers claim to have reproduced disease mechanisms due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the fruit fly, Drosophila, while also providing proof of the efficacy of one drug against these disease processes. If validated, these findings represent a new understanding of how the virus causes neurological symptoms that could help develop more effective therapies.

23 Dec 2020