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New research project to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries

Dr Geoff Brown, from the University of Reading's Department of Chemistry, is beginning a £400,000 project that could prove vital for the developing world in its ongoing fight against malaria. His research aims to make anti-malarial drugs more affordable in Third World countries where more than 1.5 million people die of the disease every year.

24 Apr 2010

Crystal structures of key fluorescent proteins to "light up" molecules in cells

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have determined the crystal structures of two key fluorescent proteins - one blue, one red - used to "light up" molecules in cells.

23 Apr 2010

UDH to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID BPEP

Abbott today announced that the Utah Department of Health is one of five sites in the United States to participate in Abbott's new PLEX-ID Biopreparedness Evaluation Program, which involves Abbott, the Association of Public Health Laboratories and five state public health labs.

16 Apr 2010

Flavonoids of onion are natural alternative to artificial additives in food industry: Study

Some components of the onion have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making it possible to use this bulb for food preservation. This is demonstrated by researchers from the Polytechnic University of Catalu-a and the University of Barcelona in a study that has just been published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology.

16 Apr 2010

NIH awards Corgenix Medical $600,000 grant to develop diagnostic tests for Ebola and Marburg virus

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, including innovative products for emerging pathogens and lethal viruses, today announced a major extension of the collaborative effort to combat important viral diseases.

15 Apr 2010

Excessive cleanliness can cause allergies

Allergies have become a widespread in developed countries: hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma are all increasingly prevalent. The reason? Excessive cleanliness is to blame according to Dr. Guy Delespesse, a professor at the Universit- de Montr-al Faculty of Medicine.

15 Apr 2010

Researchers investigate effects of nanoparticles on yeast

Nanoparticles are already widely used in everyday products such as cosmetics, textiles, dyes, and paints. It is quite possible that these minute fragments of matter may in future not only come to play a crucial role in medicine and pharmacology, but also in the food and biotechnology industries. The latest research currently being conducted in India has shown that nanoparticles can promote the growth of fungi and even assist plant growth.

12 Apr 2010

Level of bacteria on fresh produce can vary according to income level: Study

No one wants a mixed salad tossed with extra bacteria, mold and yeast, but those are just what you might find when you try to eat a healthier diet in poorer neighborhoods. A new study shows that the level of bacteria found on the fresh produce can vary according to the income level of the neighborhoods where it is for sale.

9 Apr 2010

Microbes in polluted groundwater have simple genetic structures that help them overcome environmental stress

Microorganisms can indeed live in extreme environments, but the ones that do are highly adapted to survive and little else, according to a collaboration that includes Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the University of Oklahoma.

2 Apr 2010

Two scientific poster presentations on InVision-Plus connectors featured at SHEA meeting

Two scientific poster presentations that demonstrate the infection prevention capabilities of InVision-Plus® with Neutral Advantage™ technology were featured at the annual conference of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

22 Mar 2010

New device detects bacterial and fungal contamination

Microorganisms are everywhere and most of them are harmless, but they can do a lot of damage in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals or in tissue transplants. With the aid of a new device, germs can be detected in artificial cartilage within a few hours.

20 Mar 2010

Impact of plastics on human health and ecosystems

Plastics surround us. A vital manufacturing ingredient for nearly every existing industry, these materials appear in a high percentage of the products we use every day. Although modern life would be hard to imagine without this versatile chemistry, products composed of plastics also have a dark side, due in part to the very characteristics that make them so desirable-their durability and longevity.

20 Mar 2010

Genes allowing opium poppy to make codeine and morphine discovered

Researchers at the University of Calgary have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine, thus opening doors to alternate methods of producing these effective painkillers either by manufacturing them in a lab or controlling the production of these compounds in the plant.

18 Mar 2010

Eureka Genomics announces closing of $3.7M private financing round

Eureka Genomics today announced the closing of a $3.7 million private financing round whose participants included private individuals and undisclosed angel investors. The proceeds will further discovery research aimed at identifying novel microorganisms associated with specific cancers and other important diseases, as well as help grow Eureka Genomics’ high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics service business on a global basis.

11 Mar 2010

Nanoparticle growing in popularity as bactericidal agent shown to be toxic to fish: Study

A nanoparticle growing in popularity as a bactericidal agent has been shown to be toxic to fish, according to a Purdue University study.

4 Mar 2010

Chitosan put forward as effective alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics in the diet of ruminants

The natural-occurring biopolymer known as chitosan is being put forward as an effective alternative to growth-promoting antibiotics in the diet of ruminants, according to research carried out by scientists at the Basque technological centre, Neiker-Tecnalia.

1 Mar 2010

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals co-founder discovers new ribosomal structures of antibiotics

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development-stage antibiotics company with a broad product pipeline based on its innovative discovery platform, and Yale University today announced the discovery by Thomas Steitz, Ph.D., co-founder of Rib-X and Yale University professor, of important new ribosomal structures of antibiotics, enabling the potential creation of novel treatments for drug resistant infections, including resistant tuberculosis (TB).

19 Feb 2010

NRF and MOE fund support for SCELSE microbial biofilm research centre

The National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced today the funding support for a Research Centre of Excellence (RCE) called the Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) to be set up at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

15 Feb 2010

Veterinary antibiotics in manure fertilizers: Buffer strips of grasses may help limit spread

Research by scientists at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry suggests that buffer strips of grasses and other plants can trap and break down veterinary antibiotics in manure fertilizers.