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Metabolism drives the brain clock, reveals study

The rhythm of life is driven by the cycles of day and night, and most organisms carry in their cells a common, (roughly) 24-hour beat. In animals, this rhythm emerges from a tiny brain structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus. Take it out of the brain and keep it alive in a lab dish and this "brain clock" will keep on ticking, ramping up or gearing down production of certain proteins at specific times of the day, day after day.

29 Aug 2012

MMV390048 shows potent activity against multiple points in malaria parasite's lifecycle

A recently discovered compound from the aminopyridine class not only has the potential to become part of a single-dose cure for all strains of malaria, but might also be able to block transmission of the parasite from person to person, according to a research collaboration involving the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), based in Switzerland, and the Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3-D) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

29 Aug 2012

EphA4 receptor may be promising target for future ALS drug

Leuven scientists (VIB/KU Leuven) are using zebrafish as a model in their search for genes that play a role in the mechanism of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As a result, they have identified a molecule that could be the target for a future ALS treatment.

28 Aug 2012

Control of siRNA could aid regenerative medicine, cancer therapy

Some of the body's own genetic material, known as small interfering RNA (siRNA), can be packaged then unleashed as a precise and persistent technology to guide cell behavior, researchers at Case Western Reserve University report in the current issue of the journal, Acta Biomaterialia.

28 Aug 2012

Regulating microbes could help prevent diseases associated with obesity

Vaccines and antibiotics may someday join caloric restriction or bariatric surgery as a way to regulate weight gain, according to a new study focused on the interactions between diet, the bacteria that live in the bowel, and the immune system.

27 Aug 2012

New device can measure mass of individual molecules one at a time

A team led by scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have made the first-ever mechanical device that can measure the mass of individual molecules one at a time.

27 Aug 2012

Study demonstrates how DBP production is modulated by daily variations of temperature

Numerous processes in our body fluctuate in a regular pattern during the day. These circadian (or daily) variations can be driven by local oscillators present within our cells or by systemic signals controlled by the master pacemaker, located in the brain. Ueli Schibler, professor at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, unveils a molecular mechanism by which body temperature rhythms influence the expression of 'clock genes' and synchronize local oscillators.

24 Aug 2012

Nanoparticle may bring great benefits to emergency treatment of brain-injury victims

A nanoparticle developed at Rice University and tested in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) may bring great benefits to the emergency treatment of brain-injury victims, even those with mild injuries.

24 Aug 2012

Researcher describes structure and function of tuberculosis efflux pump regulator

Edward Yu took note of the facts - nearly 2 million deaths each year, 9 million infected each year, developments of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and now totally drug-resistant strains - and decided to shift his research focus to tuberculosis.

23 Aug 2012

New imaging technique reveals the brain's continuous renovation

Using bioluminescent proteins from a jellyfish, a team of scientists has lit up the inside of a neuron, capturing spectacular video footage that shows the movement of proteins throughout the cell.

23 Aug 2012

Newly discovered on/off switch in enzymes may help battle fat-related disease

Enzymes involved in breaking down fat can now be manipulated to work three times harder by turning on a molecular switch recently observed by chemists at the University of Copenhagen. Being able to control this chemical on/off button could have massive implications for curing diseases related to obesity including diabetes, cardio vascular disease, stroke and even skin problems like acne. But the implications may be wider.

23 Aug 2012

RNA switches can better equip and regulate viruses for many therapeutic applications

Numerous viruses are used in the service of science today. They serve as gene taxis to transfer therapeutic genes into body cells or as therapeutic viruses targeted to infect and destroy cancer cells. For such applications, the viruses are often equipped with additional genes, such as for immune mediators or for proteins inducing programmed cell death. However, these gene products can harm the body if they are released at the wrong moment or at excessive levels.

22 Aug 2012

Study identifies certain small molecule chemicals that can disrupt quorum sensing in A. baumanni

Acinetobacter baumanni, a pathogenic bacterium that is a poster child of deadly hospital acquired infections, is one tough customer.

22 Aug 2012

Study highlights Nek9 protein as decisive factor in cell division

A study by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Center for Genomic Regulation (acronym in Catalan CRG) highlights the protein Nek9 as a decisive factor in cell division, a fundamental process for both the development of an organism and tissue maintenance.

22 Aug 2012

MitoTarget Project and neurodegenerative diseases: an interview with Rebecca Pruss, Ph.D., CSO of Trophos

The MitoTarget Project was a project funded by the European Commission, under their FP7 programme. It was funding for a call published in 2007.

21 Aug 2012

Thiabendazole drug slows tumor growth and shows promise as chemotherapy for cancer

An inexpensive antifungal drug, thiabendazole, slows tumor growth and shows promise as a chemotherapy for cancer. Scientists in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin made this discovery by exploiting the evolutionary relatedness of yeast, frogs, mice and humans.

21 Aug 2012

Semen protein acts on the female brain to prompt ovulation

An international team of scientists led by Gregg Adams at the University of Saskatchewan has discovered that a protein in semen acts on the female brain to prompt ovulation, and is the same molecule that regulates the growth, maintenance, and survival of nerve cells.

21 Aug 2012

Molecule News and Research

Metabolism drives the brain clock, reveals study

MMV390048 shows potent activity against multiple points in malaria parasite's lifecycle

EphA4 receptor may be promising target for future ALS drug

Control of siRNA could aid regenerative medicine, cancer therapy

Regulating microbes could help prevent diseases associated with obesity

New device can measure mass of individual molecules one at a time

Study demonstrates how DBP production is modulated by daily variations of temperature

Nanoparticle may bring great benefits to emergency treatment of brain-injury victims

Researcher describes structure and function of tuberculosis efflux pump regulator

New imaging technique reveals the brain's continuous renovation

Newly discovered on/off switch in enzymes may help battle fat-related disease

RNA switches can better equip and regulate viruses for many therapeutic applications

Study identifies certain small molecule chemicals that can disrupt quorum sensing in A. baumanni

Study highlights Nek9 protein as decisive factor in cell division

MitoTarget Project and neurodegenerative diseases: an interview with Rebecca Pruss, Ph.D., CSO of Trophos

Thiabendazole drug slows tumor growth and shows promise as chemotherapy for cancer

Semen protein acts on the female brain to prompt ovulation

PPR proteins recognise RNA targets via easy-to-understand code

Resveratrol might help improve mobility and prevent life-threatening falls among older people

Peptide combinations might offer more effective cancer therapy

Revolutionizing Life Science: An Interview with SCIEX on ASMS, the SCIEX 7500+ System, and AI-Driven Quantitation

From Discovery Biology to ELRIG Chair

Breathing New Life into Diagnostics: Plasmion's SICRIT Technology

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