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NIH researchers identify a second gene that causes melorheostosis

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a second gene that causes melorheostosis, a rare group of conditions involving an often painful and disfiguring overgrowth of bone tissue.

31 Mar 2020

Eight strains of coronavirus afflicting the world

Scientists around the world are racing to study the novel coronavirus strain severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Now, it appears that there are eight strains of SARS-CoV-2 circulating the globe. The good news is that according to infectious disease physician and clinical microbiologist Charles Chiu, “The virus mutates so slowly that the virus strains are fundamentally very similar to each other.”

31 Mar 2020

Origins of SARS-CoV-2 – natural or man-made?

With over 780,000 individuals across the world infected and over 37,000 dead, the world is gripped by the pandemic caused by the novel strain of coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

30 Mar 2020

Zebrafish can provide genetic clues to human nicotine addiction

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have shown that zebrafish can provide genetic clues to smoking, a complex human behavior.

30 Mar 2020

How long to a coronavirus vaccine?

The whole world is waiting for one. A vaccine is the only thing that could conceivably save the world from a horrifying cascade of deaths, other than a miracle, it seems.

29 Mar 2020

Gene that could affect the progress of ALS discovered

Researchers from the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University have successfully found a gene that could work towards accelerating the progression of ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study titled, "The loss of TBK1 kinase activity in motor neurons or in all cell types differentially impacts ALS disease progression in SOD1 mice," was published in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.

29 Mar 2020

New in vivo priming strategy can be an effective means to enhance cardiac repair

Human stem cells have been regarded as one of the promising cell sources for cardiac regeneration therapy.

27 Mar 2020

Genetic mutation found to improve cognitive flexibility in mice

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered in mice what they believe is the first known genetic mutation to improve cognitive flexibility--the ability to adapt to changing situations.

27 Mar 2020

Adverse childhood experiences associated with executive dysfunction post-surgical menopause

Assessing adverse childhood experiences and current anxiety and depression symptoms may help ease cognitive distress in women who have undergone a surgical menopause for cancer risk-reduction, or RRSO, according to a new study published in Menopause.

26 Mar 2020

Coronavirus is not mutating rapidly, hope for vaccine development

Despite the coronavirus infection numbers skyrocketing, there is still good news. A team of scientists found that the novel coronavirus is not mutating significantly, suggesting any vaccine developed to fight SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) would remain effective in the long term.

25 Mar 2020

Lung cancer medication may have benefits for patients with metastatic brain cancers

A medication commonly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer that has spread, or metastasized, may have benefits for patients with metastatic brain cancers, suggests a new review and analysis led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto and Harvard Medical School.

25 Mar 2020

YAP signal pathway plays a vital role in the onset of head-and-neck cancer

Joint research between Kobe University and National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center has revealed that mice with mutations in the YAP signal pathway develop head-and-neck cancer over an extremely short period of time (world's fastest cancer onset mouse model), indicating that this pathway plays a crucial role in the onset of these cancers.

25 Mar 2020

Penn State engineers model genetic mutations causing drug resistance

Whether it is a drug-resistant strain of bacteria, or cancer cells that no longer react to the drugs intended to kill them, diverse mutations make cells resistant to chemicals, and "second generation" approaches are needed.

24 Mar 2020

The COVID-19 vaccine pipeline

Major nations are in a race to make an effective vaccine that could help treat the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. As hundreds of thousands are infected across the world and over sixteen thousand killed, the pandemic shows no signs of relenting.

23 Mar 2020

OncoMX knowledgebase improves exploration of cancer biomarkers and related evidence

The OncoMX knowledgebase will improve the exploration and research of cancer biomarkers in the context of related evidence, according to a recent article from the George Washington University.

23 Mar 2020

Study identifies ancestral fragments of DNA associated with hereditary prostate cancer

Vanderbilt researchers have identified haplotypes, ancestral fragments of DNA, that are associated with hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) in a first-of-its-kind genomic study made possible by the study of prostate cancer patients with family histories of the disease.

23 Mar 2020