Laboratory News and Research

RSS

Test of universal influenza vaccine

A universal influenza vaccine that has been pioneered by researchers from VIB and Ghent University is being tested for the first time on humans by the British-American biotech company Acambis.

18 Jul 2007

HIV-infected children may require repeat measles vaccination

The researchers found that only half of the HIV-infected children who survived without antiretroviral therapy maintained protective antibody levels 27 months after receiving measles vaccine.

18 Jul 2007

Essential to devise new control strategies against malaria vectors resistant to insecticides

The mosquitoes responsible for malaria transmission to humans belong to the Anopheles genus.

18 Jul 2007

Growth hormone for idiopathic short stature in children and adolescents

Growth hormone injections appear to boost height in extremely short, healthy children, according to a recent systematic review, but height gain appears to peak at about three inches - and those inches are expensive.

18 Jul 2007

New medical device to treat cervical degenerative disc disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for marketing the Prestige Cervical Disc, made by Medtronic Sofamor Danek of Memphis - the first artificial cervical (neck) disc for the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease, one of the most common causes of neck and arm pain.

18 Jul 2007

Heart patches that stimulate regeneration

When human hearts are injured, as during a heart attack, healthy tissue normally can't regrow.

18 Jul 2007

Insights into side effects of HIV protease inhibitors

UCLA scientists, along with collaborators from Purdue University, have demonstrated that HIV protease inhibitors, crucial drugs for HIV treatment block a cellular enzyme important for generating the structural scaffolding for the cell nucleus.

17 Jul 2007

Fast market penetration for Roche HIV viral load monitoring test

One-third of Roche Diagnostics' molecular customer base has already purchased or ordered the COBAS AmpliPrep /COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assay, just eight weeks after the assay received approval from the Food & Drug Administration to go to market.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 17 Jul 2007

FDA approves gene test to detect spread of breast cancer into lymph nodes

Veridex, LLC, a Johnson & Johnson company, has announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the first intra-operative and gene-based test to detect the spread of breast cancer into the lymph nodes.

17 Jul 2007

Novel type of communication between nerve cells in the brain discovered

The findings may have relevance for the prevention and treatment of epilepsy, and possibly in the exploration of other aspects of brain functions, from creative thought processes to mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

17 Jul 2007

A challenge to the ancient origin of SIVagm based on African Green Monkey mitochondrial genomes

Monkey viruses related to HIV may have swept across Africa more recently than previously thought, according to new research from The University of Arizona in Tucson.

17 Jul 2007

Brain theory researchers to convene at University of California, San Diego

Already a global center for neuroscience research, the University of California, San Diego will host top scholars working on theoretical and quantitative approaches to issues in neurobiology during the 13th annual summer meeting of The Sloan-Swartz Centers for Theoretical Neurobiology on the UCSD campus July 28-31.

17 Jul 2007

Scientists link brain function to knee injuries

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is among an athlete's most-dreaded injuries, often requiring surgery and months of rehab, as has been the case with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

17 Jul 2007

FDA approves new test which detects breast cancer spread

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. has given approval for a new test to be used which can detect if breast cancer has spread to a patient's lymph nodes.

16 Jul 2007

Hundreds thought to be affected by outbreak of salmonella in Chicago

An outbreak of salmonella in Chicago is now thought to have affected almost 500 people.

16 Jul 2007

Paint helps surgeons see where a tumor begins and ends

A tumor paint developed by researchers at Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will help surgeons see where a tumor begins and ends more precisely by illuminating the cancerous cells.

16 Jul 2007

Natural polymer Chitin shows great healing properties

Chitin is a polymer very common in nature as part of animals' and plants' physical structures.

16 Jul 2007

Breakthough in understanding of how mutations occur in genes

For the first time, it can now be shown what enzyme copies the genetic make-up of cells.

13 Jul 2007

Neoprene sleeve equal to knee brace during recovery from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Users of functional knee braces and neoprene sleeves have similar recoveries from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, according to new research presented at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center (July 12-15).

13 Jul 2007

High-tech dental lasers eliminate bacteria in root canals

High-tech dental lasers used mainly to prepare cavities for restoration now can help eliminate bacteria in root canals, according to research published in the July issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

13 Jul 2007