Biochemistry News and Research

RSS

Scientists uncover key factors for starting autophagy in cells

Recycling takes place in our cells at all times: in a process called autophagy, cell components that are no longer needed are enclosed by membranes and broken down into their basic building blocks.

8 Jan 2025

High blood pressure may not harm brains of 90-year-olds, study finds

A study led by the University of California, Irvine has found cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which are known to contribute to brain blood vessel damage in younger populations, not to be associated with an increased risk of such harm in individuals 90 and older.

8 Jan 2025

AI-based method predicts progression of autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy cells and tissues, often have a preclinical stage before diagnosis that's characterized by mild symptoms or certain antibodies in the blood.

7 Jan 2025

Study identifies how zinc deficiency can make drug-resistant bacteria vulnerable

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a critical vulnerability in drug-resistant bacteria: zinc - or a lack thereof.

6 Jan 2025

Breakthrough in protein homeostasis offers potential for preventing Alzheimer’s

Scientists have uncovered a powerful ally in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases: a nucleolar complex that plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular health through protein homeostasis (proteostasis), by which cells maintain the balance and proper functioning of their proteins.

3 Jan 2025

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Osmometry is a method to determine a sample´s osmolality. This is the total number of osmotically active particles solved in a solution. These particles influence the colligative properties of the solution, which include the boiling and freezing point but also the vapor pressure for instance.

From KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH 27 Dec 2024

Researchers identify key mechanism linking brain stress to Alzheimer's disease

Researchers with the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have unveiled a critical mechanism that links cellular stress in the brain to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

23 Dec 2024

New SIMPL2 platform revolutionizes the study of protein-protein interactions

A team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has created a platform, called SIMPL2, that revolutionizes the study of protein-protein interactions by simplifying detection while improving measurement accuracy.

23 Dec 2024

Microglial cells may hold key to Alzheimer's plaque removal

Immune cells in the brain called microglia can partially break down large amyloid plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease by latching on to them, forming a sort of external stomach and releasing digestive enzymes into the space, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

23 Dec 2024

New synthetic biology breakthrough improves genetic circuit integration

The research team led by Professor Jongmin Kim from the Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH, along with graduate students Hyunseop Goh and Seungdo Choi, has successfully developed the 'Synthetic Translational Coupling Element (SynTCE),' significantly enhancing the precision and integration density of genetic circuits in synthetic biology.

20 Dec 2024

The crucial role of 'chaperones' in maintaining neuronal function

A team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the first to show how proteins called "chaperones" are vital in ensuring that neurons can transmit signals to one another. When this neurotransmission breaks down, devastating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's along with many others, can occur.

20 Dec 2024

Unleashing the potential of biological timekeeping

Living organisms monitor time – and react to it – in many different ways, from detecting light and sound in microseconds to responding physiologically in pre-programmed ways, via their daily sleep cycle, monthly menstrual cycle, or to changes in the seasons.

19 Dec 2024

Vanderbilt researchers achieve milestone in Alzheimer's drug development

Researchers at the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, a clinical stage biotech within the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, have detailed the successful drug discovery of a phase I single ascending dose clinical trial of VU319, a drug for memory loss in people with Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

19 Dec 2024

Free cholesterol in HDL linked to increased cardiovascular disease risk

Houston Methodist researchers have discovered that certain components of so-called "good" cholesterol -- high-density lipoproteins (HDL) – may be associated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease.

19 Dec 2024

Chemogenetic activation reveals male-female differences in stress resistance neural circuits

Subtle activation of a small subset of neurons in one region of the brain can make male mice resilient to, and even reverse, the detrimental effects of chronic stress. The same is true for female mice, but in a totally different region of the brain.

19 Dec 2024

A novel approach to combatting prostate cancer

New research by a team of Indiana University School of Medicine scientists and their collaborators has uncovered a novel vulnerability in prostate cancer animal models that starves prostate tumors of critical nutrients and stunts their growth, which could lead to the development of new treatments for the deadly disease.

19 Dec 2024

Understanding metformin's mechanism in reducing blood sugar

Millions of people take metformin, a Type 2 diabetes medication that lowers blood sugar. The "wonder drug" has also been shown to slow cancer growth, improve COVID outcomes and reduce inflammation. But until now, scientists have been unable to determine how, exactly, the drug works.

18 Dec 2024