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Research on myosin II protein can lead to novel treatment for memory disorders

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a mechanism that plays a critical role in the formation of long-term memory. The findings shed substantial new light on aspects of how memory is formed, and could lead to novel treatments for memory disorders.

26 Aug 2010

Continuous boosting of natural painkiller shuts down brain cell receptor response

ERepeatedly boosting brain levels of one natural painkiller soon shuts down the brain cell receptors that respond to it, so that the painkilling effect is lost, according to a surprising new study led by Scripps Research Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University scientists. The study has important implications for drug development.

25 Aug 2010

Researchers find new way to study oncogene's role in DNA repair

A key step in understanding the origins of familial breast cancer has been made by two teams of scientists at the University of California, Davis. The researchers have purified, for the first time, the protein produced by the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 and used it to study the oncogene's role in DNA repair.

23 Aug 2010

New squeeze test for screening potential drugs for Alzheimer's

Brain cells exposed to a form of the amyloid beta protein, the molecule linked to Alzheimer's disease, become stiffer and bend less under pressure, researchers at UC Davis have found. The results reveal one mechanism by which the amyloid protein damages the brain, a finding that could lead to new ways to screen drugs for Alzheimer's and similar diseases.

21 Aug 2010

Cell-depleted lung used as natural growth matrix for generating new rat lung from embryonic stem cells

The first successful report of using cell-depleted lung as a natural growth matrix for generating new rat lung from embryonic stem cells is presented in a breakthrough article in Tissue Engineering, Part A, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..

20 Aug 2010

Tecan, Miltenyi Biotec partner to develop magnetic bead technology based automated solutions for cell biology

Tecan is working with Miltenyi Biotec, a leading provider of cell biology solutions, to develop a range of automated solutions for cell biology, based on the powerful MACS(R) Magnetic bead technology. This new agreement will allow customers to benefit from the advanced capabilities of Tecan's Freedom EVO(R) liquid handling platforms when performing a wide range of separation, cultivation and analysis processes for cells and biomolecules.

From Tecan 17 Aug 2010

German Virtual Liver Network aims to grasp whole organ and functions in computer model

The aim of this unique research consortium is to grasp the whole organ and its functions in a computer model

5 Aug 2010

Exercise, restricted-calorie diets help to stave off mental, physical degeneration of aging: Research

Harvard University researchers have uncovered a mechanism through which caloric restriction and exercise delay some of the debilitating effects of aging by rejuvenating connections between nerves and the muscles that they control.

3 Aug 2010

Body’s natural cell suicide program may trigger tumor development: Study

Cancer research springs a surprise. Researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne have found that programmed cell death (apoptosis) or cell suicide plays a role in tumor development. This process is an important phenomenon in our body as it helps remove damaged cells. Now apoptosis has been found to be protective against cancer formation and autoimmune diseases.

1 Aug 2010

Study implicates Fritz's role in human genetic disorders

Mutations in a gene known as "Fritz" may be responsible for causing human genetic disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome, University of Texas at Austin developmental biologist John Wallingford and Duke University human geneticist and cell biologist Nicholas Katsanis have found.

31 Jul 2010

Chemical compound provides new angle for developing drugs to treat seizures: Study

A chemical compound that boosts the action of a molecule normally produced in the brain may provide the starting point for a new line of therapies for the treatment of epileptic seizures, according to a new study by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute.

30 Jul 2010

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduces low evaporation plates for cell culture and high content analysis

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced the Thermo Scientific Nunc Edge 96-well Plates for cell-based assays.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 29 Jul 2010

Neurodegenerative disease-causing infectious protein can erupt from healthy brain tissue: Study

In a startling new study that involved research on both sides of the Atlantic, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute in Florida and the University College London Institute of Neurology in England have shown for the first time that abnormal prions, bits of infectious protein devoid of DNA or RNA that can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease, can suddenly erupt from healthy brain tissue.

27 Jul 2010

Scientists uncover new mechanism that reduces risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease

In a joint study, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard University have uncovered a novel mechanism that dramatically increases insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

22 Jul 2010

Thermo Fisher Scientific completes Fermentas acquisition

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has completed its previously announced acquisition of Fermentas International Inc. With Fermentas' broad range of high-quality molecular and cellular biology research tools, including reagents, enzymes and kits, Thermo Fisher can offer a complete workflow for genomics research while building on its platform of PCR and qPCR tools and resources.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 17 Jul 2010

Scientists awarded $2.3M grant to develop new treatments for drug addiction

A pair of scientists on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded a $2.3 million grant by the National Institutes of Health to conduct research relevant to developing new treatments for drug addiction.

15 Jul 2010

MicroRNA-212 plays key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction: Study

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have found that a particular type of genetic material plays a key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction and may offer an entirely new direction for the development of anti-addiction therapies. In animal studies, the scientists found that a molecule called microRNA-212 was increased in the brains of test animals that had extended access to cocaine.

8 Jul 2010

Florida Biomedical Research Program awards $2M in grants to Scripps Research Institute scientists

The Florida Biomedical Research Program has awarded $2 million in biomedical research grants to three scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute.

1 Jul 2010

MDS Nordion, Guerbet, Cyceron collaborate to develop new PET radiotracers for cancer diagnostics

MDS Nordion, a leading provider of products and services to the global health science market, Guerbet, a pharmaceutical group specialized in medical imaging, and Cyceron, a biomedical imaging centre in France, announced today they have entered into an agreement to develop new Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracers for cancer diagnostics.

24 Jun 2010

Effects of periodic constrictions on drift, diffusion in systems experiencing driving force

An understanding of particle diffusion in the presence of constrictions is essential in fields as diverse as drug delivery, cellular biology, nanotechnology, materials engineering, and spread of pollutants in the soil. When a driving force is applied, displacement of particles occurs as well as diffusion. A paper in the Journal of Chemical Physics, which is published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP), quantifies the effects of periodic constrictions on drift and diffusion in systems experiencing a driving force.

21 Jun 2010