Laboratory News and Research

RSS

New insights into structural stability of SARS-CoV-2 main protease

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, researchers from the US and Italy utilized molecular dynamics simulations and revealed that the conformational stability of the SARS-CoV-2 binding site, bound inhibitors, and the hydrogen bond networks of the viral main protease (Mpro) are highly sensitive to protonation assignments.

13 Sep 2020

Study finds cuttlebone’s microstructure to be lightweight, stiff, and damage-tolerant

Ling Li has a lesson in one of his mechanical engineering courses on how brittle materials like calcium carbonate behave under stress.

12 Sep 2020

Researchers develop highly scalable, accurate antibody test for COVID-19

An antibody test for the virus that causes COVID-19, developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with Houston Methodist and other institutions, is more accurate and can handle a much larger number of donor samples at lower overall cost than standard antibody tests currently in use.

12 Sep 2020

Mother's high-fat diet may lead to more sweet-taste receptors in offspring

Cornell food scientists show in animal studies that a mother's high-fat diet may lead to more sweet-taste receptors and a greater attraction to unhealthy food in their offspring - resulting in poor feeding behavior, obesity in adulthood.

12 Sep 2020

Study demonstrates new method to synthesize gold nanoparticles in cancer cells

Dipanjan Pan, professor of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering at UMBC, and collaborators published a seminal study in Nature Communications that demonstrates for the first time a method of biosynthesizing plasmonic gold nanoparticles within cancer cells, without the need for conventional bench-top lab methods.

12 Sep 2020

Scientists elucidate cause for Parkinson's disease and identify potential treatments

In a seven-year research effort, an international team of scientists has clarified the cause for certain genetic forms of Parkinson's disease, and has identified potential pharmacological treatments.

12 Sep 2020

Antiviral effects of honeysuckle decoction affected in SIDT1poly population

Previously, Chen-Yu Zhang's group have identified SID1 transmembrane family member 1 (SIDT1) as a critical membrane protein mediating dietary miRNAs absorption, which is abolished in SIDT1 deficient mice.

11 Sep 2020

Heat and gut microbiota promote stronger bones

Osteoporosis, a bone disease linked to ageing, is characterized by a loss of bone density, micro-architectural deterioration of the bones and an increased risk of fractures.

11 Sep 2020

Brief massage can significantly boost mental and physical relaxation

Allowing yourself a few minutes of downtime significantly boosts mental and physical relaxation. Research by psychologists at the University of Konstanz observed higher levels of psychological and physiological relaxation in people after only ten minutes of receiving a massage.

11 Sep 2020

New review explores the role of antibodies and T-cells towards an effective COVID vaccine

More than 100 companies have rushed into vaccine development against COVID-19 as the U.S. government pushes for a vaccine rollout at "warp speed" -- possibly by the end of the year -- but the bar set for an effective, long-lasting vaccine is far too low and may prove dangerous, according to Marc Hellerstein of the University of California, Berkeley.

11 Sep 2020

New antitumor vaccines control melanoma growth in preclinical models

Combining their expertise in protein engineering and synthetic DNA technology, scientists at The Wistar Institute successfully delivered nanoparticle antitumor vaccines that stimulated robust CD8 T cell immunity and controlled melanoma growth in preclinical models.

11 Sep 2020

National Eye Institute grant supports research initiatives in major vision- robbing conditions

A $3 million National Eye Institute grant is enabling the critical infrastructure necessary to grow research initiatives in major vision-robbing conditions at the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University.

11 Sep 2020

Study highlights the importance of considering strain differences when designing therapies

Interferon (IFN) responses are one of the first defenses the body mounts against viral infections, and research has shown that it plays a role controlling viral replication.

11 Sep 2020

New study brings researchers closer to a universal COVID-19 antibody test

A new study released by Houston Methodist takes researchers a significant step closer to developing a uniform, universal COVID-19 antibody test.

11 Sep 2020

Binge-drinkers have to put more effort to feel empathy for other people in pain

People who binge-drink show more extensive dysfunction across their brains than previously realized, a new study from the University of Sussex has shown.

10 Sep 2020

DLnano-vaccines may be a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy

Researchers designed DLnano-vaccines displaying 60 copies of protein parts derived from the melanoma-specific antigens Trp2 and Gp100 and tested these in mouse models of melanoma, observing prolonged survival that depended on CD8 T cell activation both in therapeutic and prophylactic settings.

10 Sep 2020

New radio-frequency-based system to monitor a person's sleep postures

MIT researchers have developed a wireless, private way to monitor a person's sleep postures -- whether snoozing on their back, stomach, or sides -- using reflected radio signals from a small device mounted on a bedroom wall.

10 Sep 2020

FAU receives $2.4 million NSF grant to train graduate students in data science

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science in collaboration with FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, have received a five-year, $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to train graduate students in data science technologies and applications.

10 Sep 2020

A novel gene involved in primary lymphedema identified

The Human Molecular Genetics laboratory of the de Duve Institute (UCLouvain), headed by Professor Miikka Vikkula, recently identified mutations in a novel gene, ANGPT2, responsible for primary lymphedema.

10 Sep 2020

Neuronal connections that trigger insomnia tied to stress-induced changes in the immune system

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Stanford University have pinpointed the circuit in the brain that is responsible for sleepless nights in times of stress--and it turns out that circuit does more than make you toss and turn.

10 Sep 2020