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UCLA-led scientists discover new clues to what goes wrong in the brains of people with autism

A team of UCLA-led scientists has discovered important clues to what goes wrong in the brains of people with autism -- a developmental disorder with no cure and for which scientists have no deep understanding of what causes it.

31 Jan 2019

Researchers identify major compounds that impart taste to pufferfish without harmful toxin

Some people consider pufferfish, also known as fugu, a delicacy because of its unique and exquisite flavor, which is perhaps seasoned by knowledge that consumption of the fish could be deadly.

24 Jan 2019

CRISPR-Cas9 circular permutants can sense and respond to viral proteases

Using a technique called circular permutation, researchers at the University of California Berkeley have created a new suite of Cas9 variants called Cas9-CPs, which will simplify design of Cas9-fusion proteins for diverse applications beyond simple DNA cutting, such as base editing and epigenetic modifications.

11 Jan 2019

New method to speed up genetic diagnosis of Huntington’s disease

Elongated segments of DNA cause Huntington's disease and certain other disorders of the brain. Researchers funded by the SNSF have developed a method to determine the length of the mutated genes quickly and easily.

10 Jan 2019

PAC1R mutation in children with autism may be linked to severity of social problems

A mutation of the gene PAC1R may be linked to the severity of social deficits experienced by kids with autism spectrum disorder, finds a study from a multi-institutional research team led by Children's faculty.

8 Jan 2019

Study elucidates how essential amino acid in humans acts as growth signal for cells

A recent study from the Laxman lab elucidates how a small metabolite and amino acid, methionine, acts as a growth signal for cells, by setting into motion a metabolic program for cell proliferation.

7 Jan 2019

New method for automation of DNA origami

Nature has made extravagant use of a simple molecule--DNA, the floorplan of all earthly life.

4 Jan 2019

Research illuminates abilities of ADAR1 to ‘hyper-mutate’ tumor suppressor RNAs in leukemia

Writing in the January 3 issue of Cancer Cell, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that detection of "copy editing" by a stem cell enzyme called ADAR1, which is active in more than 20 tumor types, may provide a kind of molecular radar for early detection of malignancies and represent a new therapeutic target for preventing cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy and radiation.

3 Jan 2019

New technique using microneedles may mean rapid diagnoses of major illnesses

When people are in the early stages of an undiagnosed disease, immediate tests that lead to treatment are the best first steps. But a blood draw -- usually performed by a medical professional armed with an uncomfortably large needle -- might not be quickest, least painful or most effective method, according to new research.

3 Jan 2019

Weakened metabolism of immune T cells may account for serious complications in elderly

The elderly suffer more serious complications from infections and benefit less from vaccination than the general population.

14 Dec 2018

New discovery will improve the safety and predictability of CRISPR

Scientists have discovered a simple set of rules that can be used to precisely predict how DNA will be modified by the CRISPR gene editing technique.

13 Dec 2018

Epigenetic maps of the inner ear could lead to development of therapeutics for hearing loss

Epigenetics is the expression and control of genes. The epigenetics involved in the inner ear is a critical part of the mystery of hearing.

3 Dec 2018

Research may pave way for development of potent weapons against cancer

Despite significant advances in cancer research, the disease continues to exact a devastating toll. Because cancer is a disease of the body's own cells, which mutate and develop under evolutionary pressure, conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation often leave behind a residue of resistant cells that go on to expand and wreak havoc.

27 Nov 2018

New method enhances efficiency and accuracy of single cell RNA sequencing

In the era of personalized medicine, scientists are using new genetic and genomic insights to help them determine the best treatment for a given patient. In the case of cancer, the first step toward these treatments is an investigation into how tumor cells behave in an effort to figure out the best drugs to use to attack them.

22 Nov 2018

Non-coding genetic variant plays key role in endothelial function and disease incidence

Atherosclerotic disease, the slow and silent hardening and narrowing of the arteries, is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. It is responsible for more than 15 million deaths each year, including an estimated 610,000 people in the United States.

15 Nov 2018

First bifacial molecule can invade double-stranded DNA or RNA

Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed a synthetic molecule that can recognize and bind to double-stranded DNA or RNA under normal physiological conditions. The molecule could provide a new platform for developing methods for the diagnosis and treatment of genetic conditions.

13 Nov 2018

Tracking down microRNA candidates linked to disease

What started as Ninad Oak's side project turned out into something much larger, his doctorate thesis. "The project started as my qualifying exam that I proposed at the end of my first year of graduate school," said Oak, a graduate student in molecular and human genetics in Dr. Sharon E. Plon's lab. "This was an off topic qualifying exam at the time, meaning the lab had not worked on this topic before."

7 Nov 2018

Study finds kill code mechanism embedded in every cell to extinguish cancer

A kill code is embedded in every cell in the body whose function may be to cause the self-destruction of cells that become cancerous, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. As soon as the cell's inner bodyguards sense it is mutating into cancer, they punch in the kill code to extinguish the mutating cell.

29 Oct 2018

Understanding of metal-free enzymes used by bacteria could lead to new effective antibiotics

Some bacterial pathogens, including those that cause strep throat and pneumonia, are able to create the components necessary to replicate their DNA without the usually required metal ions.

19 Oct 2018

Scientists obtain clearest ever image of Ebola virus protein

For the first time, researchers have managed to image the structure of a central component of the Ebola virus.

17 Oct 2018