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Research provides new understanding of how heroin affects the brain

New research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health suggests that our understanding of how heroin affects the brain should be changed. A new report shows that heroin is metabolised to 6-MAM which then crosses the blood-brain barrier to cause the intoxicating effects that arise shortly after heroin administration.

27 May 2011

Leukemia, psoriasis drugs may treat vascular diseases

A drug that has been on the market for decades to treat leukemia and skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis may be a possible therapy for vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and hypertension, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.

27 May 2011

Exposure to pesticides near any workplace increases risk of Parkinson's disease

In April 2009, researchers at UCLA announced they had discovered a link between Parkinson's disease and two chemicals commonly sprayed on crops to fight pests.

27 May 2011

4SC to present pre-clinical data on vidofludimus in systemic lupus erythematosus at EULAR 2011

4SC AG, a discovery and development company of targeted small molecule drugs for autoimmune and cancer diseases, will present pre-clinical data on vidofludimus - its lead small-molecule drug candidate against autoimmune diseases - in systemic lupus erythematosus at EULAR 2011, Europe's largest scientific conference on rheumatic diseases, in London, UK, from May 25-28, 2011.

27 May 2011

Researchers find mechanism of action for cancer-killing peptides

Researchers from Aalto University have found the mechanism of action for cancer-cell-killing peptides. This breakthrough is expected to lead to better medication, in particular better treatments for leukemia, skin cancer, and infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria.

27 May 2011

Berkeley Lab researchers aim to create biological circuits for synthetic biology

Taking a page from the book of San Francisco radio legend Scoop Nisker, biologists who find themselves dissatisfied with the microbes nature has provided are going out and making some of their own. Members of the fast-growing "synthetic biology" research community are designing and constructing novel organisms and biologically-inspired systems - or redesigning existing organisms and systems - to solve problems that natural systems cannot.

27 May 2011

Longer looks: Stem cells, vaccinating against addictive drugs, the GOP's budget hatchet man

Krista and Tatiana are not like most other sets of twins. They are connected at their heads, where their skulls merge under a mass of shaggy brown bangs. The girls run and play and go down their backyard slide, but whatever they do, they do together, their heads forever inclined toward each other's, their neck muscles strong and sinuous from a never-ending workout. Twins joined at the head — the medical term is craniopagus — are extremely rare.

27 May 2011

ATA recognizes 4th Annual World Thyroid Day

The American Thyroid Association, in cooperation with sister international thyroid societies, the European Thyroid Association, the Asia & Oceania Thyroid Association, and the Latin American Thyroid Society, recognizes the 4th Annual World Thyroid Day, May 25, 2011.

26 May 2011

ImmunoGen's clinical data on IMGN901 and SAR3419 to be presented at ASCO 2011

ImmunoGen, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops targeted antibody-based anticancer products using its antibody expertise and Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology, today announced that favorable clinical data on two ImmunoGen-created TAP compounds - IMGN901 and SAR3419 - are being presented at the ASCO 2011 Annual Meeting taking place in Chicago, IL, June 4-8, 2011.

26 May 2011

Boehringer Ingelheim's new afatinib-cetuximab phase Ib data in NSCLC presented at ASCO 2011

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will present new phase Ib data at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago that indicates combining its investigational therapy afatinib with cetuximab at the maximum tested dose controlled disease in all (n=22) treated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutation positive patients with non-small cell lung cancer who developed acquired resistance to treatment with a reversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

26 May 2011

Scientists discover protein involved in nerve cell motor-cargo mechanism

With every bodily movement-from the blink of an eye to running a marathon-nerve cells transmit signals to muscle cells. To do that, nerve cells rely on tiny molecular motors to transport chemical messengers that excite muscles cells into action. It's a complex process, which scientists are still trying to understand. A new study by Syracuse University researchers has uncovered an important piece of the puzzle.

26 May 2011

New insight into how genes and proteins go awry in autism to alter the mind

For decades, autism researchers have faced a baffling riddle: how to unravel a disorder that leaves no known physical trace as it develops in the brain.

26 May 2011

Quantum sensors could aid in development of new drugs and nanomedicine

Groundbreaking research has shown a quantum atom has been tracked inside a living human cell and may lead to improvements in the testing and development of new drugs.

26 May 2011

Comprehensive insight into current neural stem cell research and therapies

A new article published by Cell Press in the May 26 issue of the journal Neuron provides comprehensive insight into the current status of neural stem cell research and the sometimes labyrinthine pathways leading to stem cell-based therapies.

26 May 2011

Low vitamin D could account for link between obesity and cancer, heart disease, diabetes

Overweight or obese women with less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D who lose more than 15 percent of their body weight experience significant increases in circulating levels of this fat-soluble nutrient, according to a new study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

26 May 2011

USC engineers to develop robot vision-based mobility aid for visually impaired people

For the visually impaired, navigating city streets or neighborhoods has constant challenges. And most such people still must rely on a very rudimentary technology-a simple cane-to help them make their way through a complex world.

26 May 2011

Non-invasive trigeminal nerve stimulation shows promise in controlling seizures

Medications are the mainstay of treatment for epilepsy, but for a considerable number of patients - estimated to be as many as 1 million in the U.S. - drugs don't work. These patients suffer from a type of epilepsy known as refractory or drug-resistant epilepsy, in which drugs can't control their seizures.

26 May 2011

Scientists discover new mechanism that controls inflammation

The molecular machines that defend our body against infection don't huff and puff, but some of them apparently operate on the same principle as a steam engine.

26 May 2011

Idera Pharmaceuticals' preclinical data on novel GSO technology presented at TIDES 2011

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of preclinical data of its novel gene-silencing oligonucleotide technology including observations that demonstrate GSOs exert gene-silencing activity through a similar cellular pathway as siRNA.

25 May 2011

BPD expands existing bioprocess and scale-up laboratory in Poway, CA

Biologics Process Development Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Viropro, will double the size of its existing bioprocess- and scale-up laboratory in Poway, CA.

25 May 2011