Metabolic Disease News and Research

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Drug increases melanin production in some people with albinism

A small pilot clinical study at the National Eye Institute suggests that the drug nitisinone increases melanin production in some people with oculocutaneous albinism type 1B, a rare genetic disease that causes pale skin and hair and poor vision.

21 Feb 2019

Researchers use integrated data analysis to classify liver cancer

Liver cancer remains a major problem in healthcare globally, being the second most common cause of cancer-related death globally.

3 Feb 2019

Standard method for ranking liver transplant waitlists may not prioritize the sickest candidates

A new study has uncovered that the standard method for ranking patients on the waitlist for lifesaving liver transplantation may not prioritize some of the sickest candidates for the top of the list.

25 Jan 2019

Synthetic compound from flaxseed can improve heart function in mice with sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening systemic inflammatory condition that develops in response to infection. One of its major complications is cardiovascular dysfunction, in which deterioration of the heart muscle, driven by decreased energy production resulting from reduced oxygen and nutrient supplies, frequently ends in organ failure.

23 Jan 2019

Yeast model may pave way for development of novel therapies for metabolic disorders

There are hundreds of metabolic disorders -- including phenylketonuria, tyrosinemia, maple syrup urine disease and homocystinuria.

17 Jan 2019

Researchers launch clinical trial to develop breath test for multiple cancers

Researchers have launched a clinical trial to develop a breath test, analyzing molecules that could indicate the presence of cancer at an early stage.

2 Jan 2019

How physical activity decreases belly fat in humans

Some of you may have made a New Year's resolution to hit the gym to tackle that annoying belly fat. But have you ever wondered how physical activity produces this desired effect? A signaling molecule called interleukin-6 plays a critical role in this process, researchers report December 27 in the journal Cell Metabolism.

28 Dec 2018

New research examines cancer metabolism at multiple scales

No matter what form cancer takes in the body, it starts at the cellular level and grows via metabolism run amok.

21 Dec 2018

Stress related pathway instrumental in controlling function of immune cells

The immune system is composed of a wide range of different immune cells each with dedicated functions. Natural killer T cells form a specialized immune cell that protects against a variety of diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, metabolic disease or certain infections such as Lyme disease.

20 Dec 2018

Gut protein mutations protect against spikes in blood glucose levels

Why is it that, despite consuming the same number of calories, sodium and sugar, some people face little risk of diabetes or obesity while others are at higher risk? A new study by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital has uncovered mutations in a gene that appear to help drive this difference.

21 Nov 2018

Research team identifies Ashkenazi Jewish founder mutation for Leigh syndrome

Over 30 years ago, Marsha and Allen Barnett lost their sons to a puzzling childhood disease that relentlessly attacked their nervous systems and sapped their energy.

15 Nov 2018

UT Southwestern scientists selected to receive 2019 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards

Two UT Southwestern faculty members have been selected to receive 2019 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards from The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas.

15 Nov 2018

TAMEST recognizes UT Southwestern’s Ralph DeBerardinis for changing our understanding of cancer

Ralph DeBerardinis, M.D., Ph.D., professor at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern is the recipient of the 2019 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Medicine from TAMEST.

14 Nov 2018

Researchers identify epigenetic changes that increase risk of type 2 diabetes

Small chemical changes in the DNA building blocks, which may be influenceable by lifestyle factors, can reduce the amount of IGFBP2. A DIfE / DZD research team has now reported in the journal Diabetes that these epigenetic changes increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

8 Nov 2018

Circadian clock could play key role in the fight against liver cancer

The body's internal clock could play a critical role in the fight against certain types of liver cancer, according to a preclinical study by scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The results were published recently in the journal Nature Communications.

8 Nov 2018

Regenerative medicine scientist receives $1.3 million to study stem cell therapy for liver failure

Currently, the only therapy for metabolic liver disease is an organ transplant. Tracy Grikscheit, MD, an attending physician and regenerative medicine scientist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, hopes to change that reality.

7 Nov 2018

Genetic factors linked to obesity may lower metabolic risk

Experts believe that where on the body people store surplus fat, whether round their middle or round the liver, may be genetically determined.

2 Nov 2018

Physician-scientists treat first patient in the U.S. with focused ultrasound for neuropathic leg pain

University of Maryland physician-scientists have treated the first patient in the United States with MRI-guided focused ultrasound for neuropathic leg pain as part of a pilot clinical trial.

30 Oct 2018

Carnegie scientist awarded NIH grant to identify novel medicines for cardiovascular disease

Carnegie's Department of Embryology scientist Steven Farber and team have been awarded a 5-year $3.3-million NIH grant to identify novel pharmaceuticals for combatting a host of diseases associated with altered levels of lipoproteins like LDL ("bad cholesterol").

11 Oct 2018

Ethicon demonstrates commitment to improve access to life-changing obesity treatment

Ethicon, part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, demonstrates its commitment to improving access to life-changing obesity treatment and putting the most appropriate surgical tools in surgeons hands at the 23rd World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Diseases.

29 Sep 2018