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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

Rochester Institute of Technology showcases landmark medical imaging project

Using revolutionary medical imaging technology, researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are providing a better understanding of the human body and its many secrets.

11 Aug 2005

Protein that protects the body from tissue damage also increases the risk of tumors

You win some, you lose some. A protein that protects the body from tissue damage also increases the risk of tumors, according to a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Moderate reduction of the protein level protects against tumor formation but increases susceptibility to tissue injury.

11 Aug 2005

Key step in the production of beta-amyloid

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have defined a key step in the production of beta-amyloid, a short protein that is thought to be responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Understanding this step may aid in the discovery of drugs that could help block the disease from developing.

11 Aug 2005

Researchers find drug targets for treating metabolic syndrome

Ongoing studies by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and other institutions have uncovered the biochemical basis of many of the factors contributing to what is known as the metabolic syndrome, suggesting potential new drug targets for treating the condition.

11 Aug 2005

Defect in the gene that makes YAP might contribute to cancer

Johns Hopkins scientists have identified a protein in fruit flies whose counterpart product in humans may help cause cancer.

11 Aug 2005

Early detection of Alzheimer's coming soon?

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of old-age dementia and has become the fourth most common cause of death in the USA. The cause of the disease is protein deposits, called amyloid plaques, in the brain.

11 Aug 2005

Alternative to Cox II inhibitors

After the failure of cox II inhibitors such as Vioxx, osteoarthritis patients and their doctors are faced with a lack of alternative therapies. The Orthokine-therapy means knee-injections of IL-1Ra protein, obtained from the patient's blood.

11 Aug 2005

Cells direct membrane traffic by channel width

For a glycerol molecule, a measly angstrom's difference in diameter is a road-closed sign: You can't squeeze through unless you are a sleek, water-molecule-sized sports car, say scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

11 Aug 2005

New study points to new treatments for some forms of Lou Gehrig's disease

A new study indicates that mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) enzymes that are associated with an inherited form of Lou Gehrig's disease cause the protein to become sticky in tissues. Partial unfolding of the mutant protein can expose hydrophobic residues that may promote abnormal interactions with other proteins or membranes in the cell.

11 Aug 2005

Ground-breaking discoveries that provide hope of an alternative treatment option for haemophilia sufferers

Haemophilia is a hereditary blood disease, primarily affecting males, where the blood fails to clot causing potentially life-threatening 'bleeds'. About one in 6000 Australian males is born with haemophilia in severe, moderate or mild form. People with haemophilia rely on intravenous infusion of recombinant Factor VIII clotting protein.

11 Aug 2005

Lifestyle changes may affect the progression of any type of cancer

Men with early stage prostate cancer who make intensive changes in diet and lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of their illness, according to a new study.

11 Aug 2005

FDA approval sought for Pfizer's new cancer drug

Drug company Pfizer has announced it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) for its cancer drug Sutent, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

11 Aug 2005

Blondes may have fun but redheads can take the pain

According to a new British study, blondes may have more fun, but redheads are less likely to feel the pain.

10 Aug 2005

Curry spice may help fight oesophageal cancer

Welsh researchers apparently believe a spice used in curry may possibly prevent people from developing cancer of the gullet.

10 Aug 2005

New prostate cancer test could save thousands from unnecessary surgery

Doctors at present lack a test that can distinguish fast-developing tumours that need urgent attention from slow-growing ones that are not a threat and need only watching, and as a result many men have operations that can leave them impotent and incontinent for prostate tumours that would never have killed them.

10 Aug 2005

Biochemists reveal the first structural details of microcompartments

UCLA biochemists reveal the first structural details of a family of mysterious objects called microcompartments that seem to be present in a variety of bacteria. The discovery was published Aug. 5 in the journal Science.

10 Aug 2005

High insulin levels increase inflammatory markers and beta-amyloids

Moderately elevated levels of insulin increase the levels of inflammatory markers and beta-amyloid in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid, and these markers may contribute to Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study posted online today from Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Aug 2005

Firefly protein lets researchers monitor molecule known as IKK (for IKappa kinase) linked to cancer

Scientists have used a glowing protein from fireflies to observe the activity of a molecule that is an important target for new drugs to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases and several other disorders.

9 Aug 2005

Researchers identify protein called EMP-1 that is present in the tumors of patients who fail to respond to treatment with gefitinib

By the time the human genome was mapped, cancer researchers had already begun investigating the proteins that were encoded by these newly identified genes.

9 Aug 2005

Drinking a cup of cocoa can prevent potentially fatal blood clots

Throughout history, cocoa has been described as a medicine for many ailments. New research suggests that cocoa may also have a beneficial effect on heart disease and stroke.

9 Aug 2005