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Scientists use toxin from rattlesnake venom for chronic pain

Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is the largest venomous snake in North America, reaching 8 feet and weighing up to 10 pounds. In the past, medical experts believe that the toxin in rattlesnake venom, crotoxin, is a promising compound for the treatment of chronic pain.

18 Feb 2020

Novel formulation allows use of toxin from rattlesnake venom to control neuropathic pain

Crotoxin, extracted from the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, has been studied for almost a century for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities and as an even more powerful muscle paralyzer than botulinum toxin.

16 Feb 2020

New laser-driven technology to detect toxins and pathogenic E. coli in food samples

Researchers at Purdue University have been working to develop new technologies to help stop the spread of foodborne illnesses, which kill 3,000 people a year, by detecting them more efficiently.

16 Feb 2020

UIC researchers discover unique organ-specific signatures for endothelial cells

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered that endothelial cells - those that create the inner lining of blood vessels - have unique genetic signatures based on their location in the body.

14 Feb 2020

Immune cells count each other in order to decide whether to attack

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications in February 2020 shows that immune cells consult and coordinate with each other at the site of activity to bring about a balanced but adequate reaction and stave off the threat.

13 Feb 2020

Minigenes produced by CRISPR combat liver disease in mice

A new gene-editing technique based on CRISPR was used to successfully avoid the development of a liver disease that can be caused by hundreds of mutations, as well as to ease the symptoms in mice. This proof-of-concept study was published online in the journal Science Advances in February 2020.

12 Feb 2020

Fly model could help lay the foundation for new therapies to fight 'difficult' pathogen

The Clostridium difficile pathogen takes its name from the French word for "difficult." A bacterium that is known to cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening colon damage, C. difficile is part of a growing epidemic of concern for the elderly and patients on antibiotics.

8 Feb 2020

Study reveals new strategies to prevent skin scarring

A new study in Burns & Trauma, published by Oxford University Press, reveals promising new strategies to prevent skin scarring after injuries.

4 Feb 2020

Scientists develop self-propelling chemical trap to corner and destroy pathogens

Antibiotics are more efficient when they can act on their target directly at the site of infestation, without dilution.

30 Jan 2020

UMD entomologists recognized by AAAS with 2019 Newcomb Cleveland Prize

The American Association for the Advancement of Science awarded its 2019 Newcomb Cleveland Prize to University of Maryland entomologists Raymond St. Leger, Brian Lovett and their seven West African collaborators.

24 Jan 2020

Taming pathogens with mucus and phages

Millions of people are treated with antibiotics each year for infections or as a preventative measure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that at least 2.8 million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, meaning the germs have found ways to overpower antibiotics and continue to grow.

24 Jan 2020

Researchers win 2019 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize for malaria-fighting technology

A team of nine researchers based in the United States and Burkina Faso will receive the 2019 Newcomb Cleveland Prize, presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for the development of a promising tool in the global fight against malaria and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, including dengue and Zika.

24 Jan 2020

Iron overload, variant gene and malaria resistance linked in African study

A new study shows that a rare genetic mutation giving rise to a variant of the TP53 gene called P47S causes several linked biological processes.

24 Jan 2020

Researchers grow venom-producing snake organoids in the lab

Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers at the Hubrecht Institute, in an international collaboration, have developed a method to grow snake venom gland cells as organoids.

23 Jan 2020

Study finds stress does whiten hair

In most cases, hair starts to gray in the thirties, and becomes pronounced in the fifties, at which time the head is typically crowned with a thatch of white, gray and perhaps some hair of the original color. A new study published January 2020 in the journal Nature, shows that this process is speeded up significantly by acute stress persisting over a period, or by severe trauma.

22 Jan 2020

Novel composite could help to reduce foodborne illness outbreaks

A novel composite film -- created by the bonding of an antimicrobial layer to conventional, clear polyethylene plastic typically used to vacuum-package foods such as meat and fish -- could help to decrease foodborne illness outbreaks, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

21 Jan 2020

Scientists break new ground with animal-free antibodies for diphtheria

A project taking the first steps towards ending the use of horses to treat diphtheria has succeeded.

21 Jan 2020

Researchers discover how bacterial pathogens switch into attack mode

Many bacterial pathogens excrete toxins as soon as they have entered the host in order to suppress its immune response.

21 Jan 2020

New method for detection of microcystins and nodularin in human urine

Blooms of toxin-producing algae exploded in both fresh and salt water ecosystems in southern Florida during the summer months of 2018, impacting wildlife and humans living in these marine environments.

16 Jan 2020

Parkinson’s disease could be prevented by gut microbes

One common gut organism that helps us digest food better could also be a powerful instrument in preventing or reversing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a recent study. The changes are due to the ability of this bacterium to delay the build-up of a toxic protein involved in this in the disease condition, or even to eliminate the toxin altogether.

14 Jan 2020