Biochemistry News and Research

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University of Houston and Texas Instruments collaborate to simplify development of new portable applications

From smart phones to medical equipment, embedded processors are everywhere and getting increasingly more powerful. One University of Houston (UH) professor's work with Texas Instruments (TI) is making it easier to develop these types of systems.

7 Aug 2010

Scientists identify role of PNPASE in regulating RNA import into mitochondria

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine have uncovered a role for an essential cell protein in shuttling RNA into the mitochondria, the energy-producing "power plant" of the cell. The import of nucleus-encoded small RNAs into mitochondria is essential for the replication, transcription and translation of the mitochondrial genome, but the mechanisms that deliver RNA into mitochondria remain poorly understood.

7 Aug 2010

Scientists find new way to make beating heart cells from body's own cells

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease have found a new way to make beating heart cells from the body's own cells that could help regenerate damaged hearts. Over 5 million Americans suffer from heart failure because the heart has virtually no ability to repair itself after a heart attack.

6 Aug 2010

Foldit players to focus on designing novel proteins

Computer scientists and biochemists at the University of Washington two years ago launched an ambitious project harnessing the brainpower of computer gamers to solve medical problems. The game, Foldit, turns one of the hardest problems in molecular biology into a game a bit reminiscent of Tetris. Thousands of people have now played a game that asks them to fold a protein rather than stack colored blocks or rescue a princess.

5 Aug 2010

Ferroportin levels are strong predictors of propensity for breast cancer recurrence: Study

A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center (WFUBMC) may soon help to spare some women with breast cancer from having to undergo invasive and toxic treatments for their disease.

5 Aug 2010

New MIC platform measures cell-signaling pathways in brain tumor samples at single-cell level

New technologies for the diagnosis of cancer are rapidly changing the clinical practice of oncology. As scientists learn more about the molecular basis of cancer, the development of new tools capable of multiple, inexpensive biomarker measurements on small samples of clinical tissue will become essential to the success of genetically informed and personalized cancer therapies.

4 Aug 2010

Research findings could lead to new drugs that reduce severity of blood infections leading to sepsis

Scientists have made an important discovery that could lead to new drugs that reduce the severity of blood infections leading to sepsis. Research presented in the August 2010 issue of Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows how interfering with the function of the cell membrane protein called "Programmed Death 1" (PD-1) improves survival in a clinically relevant model of severe infection.

2 Aug 2010

Thymosin beta 4 is essential to healthy heart development, embryonic survival: Research

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that a research team from the Molecular Medicine Unit at UCL-Institute of Child Health in London reported preclinical findings that Thymosin beta 4, is essential to healthy heart development and embryonic survival.

2 Aug 2010

Researchers discover mechanism linking H. pylori infection and stomach cancer

Researchers have discovered a mechanism by which Helicobacter pylori, the only known cancer-causing bacterium, disables a tumor suppressor protein in host cells.The new study, in the journal Oncogene, reports the discovery of a previously unknown mechanism linking H. pylori infection and stomach cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.

2 Aug 2010

Galangin mediates apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through mitochondrial pathway: Study

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, particularly in China. However, HCC remains one of the more difficult cancers to treat. It is important to screen for new anti-cancer drugs. A number of dietary compounds possess anti-cancer properties. These dietary compounds may modify the activity of specific targets that control cell proliferation and apoptosis. Galangin could inhibit the methoxyresorufin O-demethylase activity of CYP1A2, CYP1A1 and P-form phenolsulfotransferase.

31 Jul 2010

Researchers find new pathway that leads to brain cell death in neurodegenerative disorders

Although their genetic underpinnings differ, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease are all characterized by the untimely death of brain cells. What triggers cell death in the brain? According to a new study published by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in the July 30 issue of Molecular Cell, the answer in some cases is the untimely transfer of a gaseous molecule (known as nitric oxide, or NO) from one protein to another.

30 Jul 2010

New findings on snake venom toxin hold promise for developing heart disease, cancer therapies

Researchers seeking to learn more about stroke by studying how the body responds to toxins in snake venom are this week releasing new findings that they hope will aid in the development of therapies for heart disease and, surprisingly, cancer. The Japanese team is reporting in a Journal of Biological Chemistry "Paper of the Week" that they are optimistic that inhibiting a protein found on the surface of blood cells known as platelets may combat both irregular blood clotting and the spread of certain cancers throughout the body.

30 Jul 2010

Two middle school students join scientists to research on key bacterial enzyme

Grown-ups aren't the only ones making exciting scientific discoveries these days. Two middle school students from Wisconsin joined a team of scientists who are reporting the first glimpse of the innermost structure of a key bacterial enzyme. It helps activate certain antibiotics and anti-cancer agents so that those substances do their job. Their study appears in ACS' weekly journal Biochemistry.

29 Jul 2010

Advanced Protein Systems is now APS BioGroup

APS BioGroup, formerly Advanced Protein Systems, the world's largest producer of colostrum products, announces its new company name and expanded focus to include advancements in private label contract manufacturing for health supplements and the introduction of Immulox®, an immune support product and supplement ingredient derived from colostrum.

29 Jul 2010

Scientists study mutant protein lump formation process to control brain cell death

Australian scientists have identified the behaviour of the mutant protein 'huntingtin' which leads to the fatal Huntington's disease providing potential targets to treat the disease, a University of Melbourne study reveals.

29 Jul 2010

CPRIT awards UH $2.4 million for new multidisciplinary research

The University of Houston (UH) received a $2.4 million grant to fund the most promising young cancer researchers who are working at the cutting-edge of a new multidisciplinary approach to fighting cancer.The award is part of the latest round of grant disbursements from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), which oversees the state's new billion-dollar war on cancer. It is UH's second CPRIT grant, and the first in the science and engineering fields.

28 Jul 2010

Teenage boys more likely to develop high blood pressure in early adulthood, researchers reveal

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers reveal in a new, large-scale study that "normal" blood pressure at age 17 can still predict hypertension at early adulthood and that teenage boys are three to four times more likely to develop high blood pressure in early adulthood than girls.

28 Jul 2010

Waters to present MassTrak solutions at American Association of Clinical Chemistry annual meeting

Waters Corporation is showcasing its portfolio of MassTrak solutions at the American Association of Clinical Chemistry annual meeting and Clinical Lab Expo July 25 - 29, 2010 in Anaheim in exhibit booth #4447. Waters portfolio of MassTrak Solutions for the clinical laboratory combines the power of separations science, tandem mass spectrometry, specialized chemistries, software, and support services in ways designed to optimize laboratory processes.

27 Jul 2010

Johns Hopkins scientist wins $2.5M NIH Director's Pioneer Award

A Johns Hopkins scientist who proposes to design and create an all-new series of novel drugs is one of 17 winners of a special grant known as a Director's Pioneer Award from the National Institutes of Health.

27 Jul 2010

NIH awards BU $1.6M grant to target protein-protein interactions with synthetic organic drugs

An interdisciplinary team of Boston University professors is launching a project to develop new ways to target protein-protein interactions with synthetic organic drugs. Financed by a four-year $1.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the goal is to develop new approaches for discovering "drug-like" small molecule inhibitors against challenging protein-protein interaction (PPI) interfaces.

27 Jul 2010

Biochemistry News and Research

University of Houston and Texas Instruments collaborate to simplify development of new portable applications

Scientists identify role of PNPASE in regulating RNA import into mitochondria

Scientists find new way to make beating heart cells from body's own cells

Foldit players to focus on designing novel proteins

Ferroportin levels are strong predictors of propensity for breast cancer recurrence: Study

New MIC platform measures cell-signaling pathways in brain tumor samples at single-cell level

Research findings could lead to new drugs that reduce severity of blood infections leading to sepsis

Thymosin beta 4 is essential to healthy heart development, embryonic survival: Research

Researchers discover mechanism linking H. pylori infection and stomach cancer

Galangin mediates apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through mitochondrial pathway: Study

Researchers find new pathway that leads to brain cell death in neurodegenerative disorders

New findings on snake venom toxin hold promise for developing heart disease, cancer therapies

Two middle school students join scientists to research on key bacterial enzyme

Advanced Protein Systems is now APS BioGroup

Scientists study mutant protein lump formation process to control brain cell death

CPRIT awards UH $2.4 million for new multidisciplinary research

Teenage boys more likely to develop high blood pressure in early adulthood, researchers reveal

Waters to present MassTrak solutions at American Association of Clinical Chemistry annual meeting

Johns Hopkins scientist wins $2.5M NIH Director's Pioneer Award

NIH awards BU $1.6M grant to target protein-protein interactions with synthetic organic drugs

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