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New phylogenomic platform identifies increased recombination rates in SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States, Australia and the UK have developed a novel method that enables the evolutionary ancestry (phylogeny) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to be comprehensively searched for recombinant lineages.

8 Aug 2021

New study describes SARS-CoV-2 ExoN enzyme that promotes antiviral resistance

A new study describes the structure of a crucial enzyme present in SARS-CoV-2.

8 Aug 2021

New tabletop device can quickly detect SARS-CoV-2 from saliva samples

Engineers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a small tabletop device that can detect SARS-CoV-2 from a saliva sample in about an hour.

6 Aug 2021

Education and employment experiences in early adulthood play a role in later life cardiovascular health

New research published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has found that education and employment experiences in early adulthood contribute to cardiovascular health inequalities in later life, independent of occupation and family income in mid-adulthood.

6 Aug 2021

New CRISPR-based diagnostic test detects COVID-19 variants from saliva samples

With the Delta variant wreaking havoc on unvaccinated populations and COVID-19 cases spiking around the world, the pandemic is far from over.

6 Aug 2021

FDA approves an intravenous medication to treat patients with Pompe disease

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nexviazyme (avalglucosidase alfa-ngpt) for intravenous infusion to treat patients 1 year of age and older with late-onset Pompe disease.

6 Aug 2021

Researchers identify genetic markers linked to COVID-19 severity and susceptibility

In collaboration with Northwestern Medicine investigators, an international multi-center study has identified genetic factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity, according to findings published in Nature.

6 Aug 2021

PD1 gene deletions associated with worse prognoses of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas

Immunohistochemistry staining showing PD1 expression on tumor cells in a skin biopsy from a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patient.

5 Aug 2021

Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 to induce hyperinflammation

A new study has revealed the mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 N protein activates NLRP3 inflammasomes to induce hyperinflammation.

5 Aug 2021

Mutation in a single gene may be responsible for non-obstructive azoospermia in men

Mutation in a single gene appears to account for a form of male infertility in which men fail to produce sperm, according to an international study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

5 Aug 2021

New DNA writing technique can precisely and efficiently edit bacterial genomes

Biological engineers at MIT have devised a new way to efficiently edit bacterial genomes and program memories into bacterial cells by rewriting their DNA.

5 Aug 2021

New study examines B cell receptor repertoires in COVID-19 patients

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Kim et al. (August 2, 2021), the B cell receptor repertoire of 1,060 COVID-19 patients is compared to that of an equal number of healthy volunteers in a novel manner, utilizing computational deep-learning-based protein embedding techniques, which demonstrate a resolution capable of tracking the changes in immunity in an individual over the course of infection.

5 Aug 2021

Researchers use tiny worm to trace the development of human brain

Researchers at Sinai Health have used a tiny worm to track how an animal’s brain changes throughout its lifetime, shedding new light on how human brains develop.

5 Aug 2021

Bacteriophages named after Norfolk village of Colney could help combat C. difficile infections

Viruses have a menacing reputation for causing disease but some that target bacteria could actually benefit human health.

5 Aug 2021

Monoclonal antibody could inform development of pan-coronavirus vaccines

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the potential of a monoclonal antibody to inform the design of pan-coronavirus vaccines that could prevent the outbreak of future pandemics such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 Aug 2021

Researchers discover DNA signatures associated with heart disease risk

A new study identifies DNA signatures associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, a discovery that could lead to opportunities for clinical intervention years before symptoms manifest.

4 Aug 2021

Study offers genetic insights into the underlying biology of reproductive aging

The age at which women go through menopause is critical for fertility and impacts healthy ageing in women, but reproductive ageing has been difficult for scientists to study and insights into the underlying biology are limited.

4 Aug 2021

Scientists identify new therapeutic target for several aggressive cancers

A protein in tumor cells could be targeted to treat some types of aggressive cancer including brain, blood, skin, and kidney, new research has shown.

4 Aug 2021

Key protein linked to both physical fitness in youth and diseases of old age

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have added to evidence that a protein called CaMKII improves strength, endurance, muscle health and fitness in young animals.

4 Aug 2021

One billion doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine released

The University of Oxford's and our partners AstraZeneca have today announced that one billion doses of the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 coronavirus vaccine have been released, to more than 170 countries, marking a key milestone as part of the University and AstraZeneca's joint vision to make the available to the world, on a not-for-profit basis for the world during the pandemic, and in perpetuity for low- and middle-income countries.

4 Aug 2021