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New research offers fresh insights to drug designers searching for better pain treatments

In a technical tour de force, UC San Francisco scientists have determined, at near-atomic resolution, the structure of a protein that plays a central role in the perception of pain and heat.

5 Dec 2013

C. difficile doesn’t harm infants, but serves as a reservoir to affect adults

Infants and toddlers frequently carry toxigenic Clostridium difficile, usually with no harm to themselves, but can serve as a reservoir and spread the bacteria to adults in whom it can cause severe disease, according to a study by a team of Swedish researchers published ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

4 Dec 2013

TSRI scientists discover natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria, the tiny but essential "power plants" that provide chemical energy for cells throughout the body. Damage to mitochondria is thought to be a significant factor in common neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and even the aging process. The TSRI researchers' discovery could lead to new methods for protecting mitochondria from such damage, thereby improving human health.

4 Dec 2013

Nanosponge vaccine blocks adverse effects of alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA

Nanosponges that soak up a dangerous pore-forming toxin produced by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) could serve as a safe and effective vaccine against this toxin. This "nanosponge vaccine" enabled the immune systems of mice to block the adverse effects of the alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA-both within the bloodstream and on the skin. Nanoengineers from the University of California, San Diego described the safety and efficacy of this nanosponge vaccine in the December 1 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

2 Dec 2013

PCBs banned by the US 3 decades ago hurt seniors' cognitive performance

Although PCBs have been banned in the United States since 1979, University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine researcher Maryse Bouchard has found that higher levels of the toxin was associated with lower cognitive performance in seniors.

25 Nov 2013

Advanced cytotoxins help bacteria survive antibiotics treatment

In spite of the fact that the first antibiotics were discovered almost a century ago, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, encephalitis and meningitis are still serious diseases for humans in the twenty-first century. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are more than 8 million new cases of tuberculosis per year on a global scale, and that more than 300,000 of these are due to multidrug-resistant strains that are not only difficult to treat, but are also emerging rapidly in regions such as Eastern Europe.

20 Nov 2013

MGH investigators identify molecule that plays key role in the breakdown of kidney filter

One of the most devastating side effects of diabetes is kidney failure, and one of the earliest signs of kidney damage is a disruption of the organ's filtering capacity. Diabetes patients who develop kidney failure must go on dialysis, seriously limiting their quality of life and placing them at significantly increased risk of death. The incidence of kidney disease is increasing with rising rates of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes, but very little progress has been made towards protecting the kidney's filter barrier during the past 50 years.

16 Nov 2013

Researchers exploit power of evolution to create new drug for use against heart disease

An international team of researchers led by the University of Leicester has "harnessed the power of evolution" to create a new drug for possible use against heart disease, inflammation and other illnesses.

15 Nov 2013

Interaction between fat cells and bacterial toxins can lead to chronic inflammation

Making fat cells immortal might seem like a bad idea to most people, but for a team of University of Iowa scientists it was the ideal way to study how the interaction between bacteria and fat cells might contribute to diabetes.

31 Oct 2013

Scientists identify new toxic entity associated with dementia and motor neuron disease

A new toxic entity associated with genetically inherited forms of dementia and motor neuron disease has been identified by scientists at the UCL Institute of Neurology. The toxin is the result of a genetic mutation that leads to the production of RNA molecules which could be responsible for the diseases. The findings are published in the journal Acta Neuropathologica.

31 Oct 2013

New finding could help lead to better treatments for eczema

For the millions of people suffering from the intensely red, horribly itchy skin condition known as eczema, the only thing more maddening than their disease is the lack of understanding of what causes it, or makes it flare up from time to time.

31 Oct 2013

Canadian researchers contribute to the science of verotoxigenic E. coli and associated infections

Many Canadian scientists and clinicians were unsung heroes during the early years (1977-1983) of research unfolding around verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC).

30 Oct 2013

Dialysis while sleeping improves kidney health and decreases risk of heart disease

Montreal- Receiving dialysis at home while sleeping not only improves kidney health and quality of life for people with kidney disease, it could also decrease their risk of heart disease, says new study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress.

18 Oct 2013

Researchers identify C. perfringens type B bacteria believed to trigger multiple sclerosis

A research team from Weill Cornell Medical College and The Rockefeller University has identified a bacterium it believes may trigger multiple sclerosis, a chronic, debilitating disorder that damages myelin forming cells in the brain and spinal cord.

18 Oct 2013

Scientists identify recessive gene mutation that reduces certain protein affecting brain development

Though worlds apart, four unrelated families have been united in a medical mystery over the source of a rare inherited disorder that results in their children being born with abnormal brain growth and severe functional impairments.

17 Oct 2013

Research findings point the way to new class of antibiotics for skin and heart infections

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a new mechanism by which the deadly Staphylococcus aureus bacteria attack and kill off immune cells. Their findings, published today in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, explain a critical survival tactic of a pathogen that causes more skin and heart infections than any other microbe, and kills more than 100,000 Americans every year.

17 Oct 2013

Scientists decode key molecular gateway for toxin that causes botulism

U.S. and German scientists have decoded a key molecular gateway for the toxin that causes botulism, pointing the way to treatments that can keep the food-borne poison out of the bloodstream.

12 Oct 2013

Molecular Templates secures $8.5M series C financing plus $10.6M grant from CPRIT

Molecular Templates, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of a new class of biologic therapeutics, announced today that it recently secured an $8.5M series C financing led by Excel Venture Management. Santé Ventures, an existing investor, also participated in the round.

9 Oct 2013

Using Botox as weight loss tool in rats

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have had promising experimental results from using Botox as a weight loss tool in rats. The research group hopes to win approval for human testing in the near future.

5 Oct 2013

Mexican scientists reveal aflatoxins relationship with cervical and liver cancer in humans

Mexican scientists identified and quantified the amount of aflatoxins (carcinogenic) in food such as corn tortilla, rice, chili pepper, processed sauces, chicken breast and eggs, and revealed its relationship with cervical and liver cancer in humans.

1 Oct 2013

Toxin News and Research

New research offers fresh insights to drug designers searching for better pain treatments

C. difficile doesn’t harm infants, but serves as a reservoir to affect adults

TSRI scientists discover natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria

Nanosponge vaccine blocks adverse effects of alpha-haemolysin toxin from MRSA

PCBs banned by the US 3 decades ago hurt seniors' cognitive performance

Advanced cytotoxins help bacteria survive antibiotics treatment

MGH investigators identify molecule that plays key role in the breakdown of kidney filter

Researchers exploit power of evolution to create new drug for use against heart disease

Interaction between fat cells and bacterial toxins can lead to chronic inflammation

Scientists identify new toxic entity associated with dementia and motor neuron disease

New finding could help lead to better treatments for eczema

Canadian researchers contribute to the science of verotoxigenic E. coli and associated infections

Dialysis while sleeping improves kidney health and decreases risk of heart disease

Researchers identify C. perfringens type B bacteria believed to trigger multiple sclerosis

Scientists identify recessive gene mutation that reduces certain protein affecting brain development

Research findings point the way to new class of antibiotics for skin and heart infections

Scientists decode key molecular gateway for toxin that causes botulism

Molecular Templates secures $8.5M series C financing plus $10.6M grant from CPRIT

Using Botox as weight loss tool in rats

Mexican scientists reveal aflatoxins relationship with cervical and liver cancer in humans

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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