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Pregnant women at risk for pregnancy problems caused by oral bacteria

Even healthy pregnant women can be at risk for pregnancy problems caused by oral bacteria. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University began to understand which bacteria from the 700 species living in the mouth are responsible for the growing health problem of preterm and stillbirths.

11 May 2010

CrystalGenomics completes European Phase I SAD study of CG400549 antibiotic candidate

CrystalGenomics, Inc., a novel drug R&D company announced today that the Phase I SAD (Single Ascending Dose) study for its novel antibiotic candidate, CG400549, has been successfully completed in Europe.

11 May 2010

Chemical changes in genetic material regulate activity of many genes

Chemical changes in the genetic material, known as epigenetic modifications, regulate the activity of many genes. Thus, attachment of methyl groups to DNA often inactivates important cellular growth brakes. Therefore, this process called methylation is believed to be a major cause of uncontrolled division of cancer cells. Specific enzymes, the DNA methyltransferases, are responsible for methylation.

7 May 2010

Neurons' complicated tree-like structure formation unravelled

A breakthrough about the formation and maintenance of tree-like nerve cell structures could have future applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the repair of injuries in which neurons are damaged. The findings by the international team led by Prof. Benjamin Podbilewicz of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Faculty of Biology are published in the May 6th issue of Science Express.

7 May 2010

New measurement technique can lead to better treatment strategies for malaria and sickle-cell disease

Thanks to an interdisciplinary team of researchers, scientists now have a more complete understanding of one of the human body's most vital structures: the red blood cell.

7 May 2010

Peptides: A new clue on the origins of life

Emory University scientists have discovered that simple peptides can organize into bi-layer membranes. The finding suggests a "missing link" between the pre-biotic Earth's chemical inventory and the organizational scaffolding essential to life.

7 May 2010

New study may help design better vaccines for dengue fever

Some of the human immune system's defences against the virus that causes dengue fever actually help the virus to infect more cells, according to new research published today in the journal Science.

7 May 2010

Cryo-EM images shed light on virus structure, function

UCLA researchers report in the April 30 edition of the journal Cell that they have imaged a virus structure at a resolution high enough to effectively "see" atoms, the first published instance of imaging biological complexes at such a resolution.

5 May 2010

Medication used to treat heart arrhythmias also reduces myotonic dystrophy: Researchers

A medication most often used to treat heart arrhythmias also reduces a central symptom of myotonic dystrophy, the most common type of muscular dystrophy in adults.

5 May 2010

New data on salt-sensitive hypertension to be presented at ASH 2010 conference

With governmental authorities, academicians, healthcare providers and industry grappling with the level of salt in the diet in an effort to reduce its impact on high blood pressure, new data evaluating a potential genetic component to salt-sensitive hypertension will be presented at the American Society of Hypertension, Inc.'s 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2010).

4 May 2010

New research suggests tumor-secreted exosomes inhibit immune response, enhance tumor metastasis

Current research suggests that tumor-secreted exosomes inhibit the immune response, enhancing tumor metastasis. The related report by Liu et al, "Contribution of MyD88 to the tumor exosome-mediated induction of myeloid derived suppressor cells," appears in the May 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

3 May 2010

Tamiflu and two other drugs used to treat influenza appear safe for pregnant women and babies: Study

Tamiflu and two other drugs used to treat influenza appear safe for pregnant women and their babies, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in a retrospective study of 239 cases of women who received the medications during pregnancy.

28 Apr 2010

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals to demonstrate three presentations at Antibacterial Drug Development Conference

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development-stage antibiotics company with a broad product pipeline based on its innovative discovery platform, today announced that it will be presenting three separate presentations at the Cambridge Healthtech Institute's 4th Annual Antibacterial Drug Development Conference, Resistance is Futile: The Challenge of Antibacterial Drug Development, April 27 - 28, in San Diego, CA.

27 Apr 2010

Pharmacological suppression of nonsense mutations effective in treating genetic defects

Genetic mutation can disrupt the way human cells make proteins, which in turn leads to inherited disease. David Bedwell, a professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Microbiology, says scientists are closer than ever to producing drugs that fix this disrupted-protein pathway and drastically improving treatment of genetic disease.

27 Apr 2010

Scientists now closer to produce drugs to fix disease-causing mutations, spare healthy genes

Inherited diseases such as cystic fibrosis can be caused by genetic "nonsense mutations" that disrupt the way human cells make proteins. David Bedwell, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Microbiology, says scientists are now closer to producing drugs that will fix this disruption and drastically improve treatment of genetic disease.

27 Apr 2010

Pericytes may use mechanical forces to initiate angiogenesis: Researchers

Pericytes, the contractile cells surrounding capillaries, may use mechanical forces to initiate angiogenesis, the "sprouting" of new blood vessels, according to researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

27 Apr 2010

Phase 1/2 clinical trial of TRC105 therapy initiated for patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer

TRACON Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company that develops targeted therapies for oncology and ophthalmology, announced today that the National Cancer Institute has initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of TRC105 therapy for patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

26 Apr 2010

New method helps study interactions needed for formation of lipopolysaccharides

Scientists have combined chemistry and biology research techniques to explain how certain bacteria grow structures on their surfaces that allow them to simultaneously cause illness and protect themselves from the body's defenses.

26 Apr 2010

Temperature-sensing ability in proteins remain a mystery

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) have shed new light on the molecular mechanism that enables us to sense temperature, such as the heat from a sizzling stove. In addition to contributing to our knowledge of basic biology, the findings could one day lead to new therapies for conditions such as acute or chronic inflammatory pain.

24 Apr 2010

Colorcon acquires NP Pharm

Colorcon, Inc. today announced the acquisition of the full-service pharmaceutical excipient company, NP Pharm, a Division of Ethypharm. This acquisition expands Colorcon's global excipient product offerings in the pharmaceutical and nutritional markets.

23 Apr 2010

Membrane News and Research

Pregnant women at risk for pregnancy problems caused by oral bacteria

CrystalGenomics completes European Phase I SAD study of CG400549 antibiotic candidate

Chemical changes in genetic material regulate activity of many genes

Neurons' complicated tree-like structure formation unravelled

New measurement technique can lead to better treatment strategies for malaria and sickle-cell disease

Peptides: A new clue on the origins of life

New study may help design better vaccines for dengue fever

Cryo-EM images shed light on virus structure, function

Medication used to treat heart arrhythmias also reduces myotonic dystrophy: Researchers

New data on salt-sensitive hypertension to be presented at ASH 2010 conference

New research suggests tumor-secreted exosomes inhibit immune response, enhance tumor metastasis

Tamiflu and two other drugs used to treat influenza appear safe for pregnant women and babies: Study

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals to demonstrate three presentations at Antibacterial Drug Development Conference

Pharmacological suppression of nonsense mutations effective in treating genetic defects

Scientists now closer to produce drugs to fix disease-causing mutations, spare healthy genes

Pericytes may use mechanical forces to initiate angiogenesis: Researchers

Phase 1/2 clinical trial of TRC105 therapy initiated for patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer

New method helps study interactions needed for formation of lipopolysaccharides

Temperature-sensing ability in proteins remain a mystery

Colorcon acquires NP Pharm

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