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Defect in one of nature's oldest proteins may be an underlying cause in human miscarriages

University of Rochester scientists studying a vital protein called Serum Response Factor (SRF) in mice have learned new and unexpected facts about SRF's role in early cardiovascular development, and how a defect in this gene may be an underlying cause in human miscarriages.

8 Dec 2004

Scientist develops way to deliver promising genetic tool into living cells

By exploiting an HIV protein that readily traverses cell membranes, Carnegie Mellon University scientists have developed a new way to introduce a gene-like molecule called a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) directly into live mammalian cells, including human embryonic stem (ES) cells.

6 Dec 2004

Rifampicin can prevent the formation of protein fibrils associated with Parkinson's disease

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have shown that rifampicin, an antibiotic used to treat leprosy and tuberculosis, can prevent the formation of protein fibrils associated with the death of brain cells in people with Parkinson's disease. The drug also dissolved existing fibrils in laboratory tests.

29 Nov 2004

Scientists have given blind nerve cells the ability to detect light

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have given "blind" nerve cells the ability to detect light, paving the way for an innovative therapy that could restore sight to those who have lost it through disease.

24 Nov 2004

Fluorescent protein tool may speed identification of molecular changes that reveal cells' inner workings

Scientists at Johns Hopkins and the University of Texas Medical Branch have created a new tool that easily reveals when and where a key cellular signal is active.

16 Nov 2004

The first test in humans of a bioartificial kidney

The first test in humans of a bioartificial kidney offers hope of the device's potential to save the lives of people with acute renal failure, researchers at the University of Michigan Health System report.

4 Nov 2004

Scientists identify crucial elements necessary for repairing damaged DNA

A team of University of Sussex-led scientists has identified crucial elements necessary for repairing damaged DNA - the blueprint for all living cells.

25 Oct 2004

Flu vaccine shortage highlights need to accelerate the approval of affordable generic biopharmaceuticals and vaccines

Following the announcement that the nation is facing a flu vaccine shortage this year, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) renewed its call for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Congress to move forward to accelerate the approval of affordable generic biopharmaceuticals and vaccines.

8 Oct 2004

$10 million to establish a multidisciplinary research program in cancer nanotechnology

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded scientists from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology two new collaborative research grants, totaling nearly $10 million, to establish a multidisciplinary research program in cancer nanotechnology and to develop a new class of nanoparticles for molecular and cellular imaging.

6 Oct 2004

RiboNovix secures license to novel anti-infective discovery technology from Wayne State University

New biotechnology company, RiboNovix, Inc., is addressing the worsening problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by developing new anti-infectives that are less susceptible to drug resistance.

5 Oct 2004

Berkeley searches for AIDS cure in a Samoan indigenous tree

The University of California, Berkeley, has signed an agreement with the Samoan government to isolate from an indigenous tree the gene for a promising anti-AIDS drug and to share any royalties from sale of a gene-derived drug with the people of Samoa.

30 Sep 2004

Scientists develop rapid-fire tests for botulinum toxin

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a pair of rapid-fire tests for botulinum toxin, a feat that could underpin new technologies to thwart bioterrorism and spur the development of agents to blunt the toxic action of the world's most poisonous substance.

29 Sep 2004

Study provides insight on how DNA code is turned into instructions for protein construction

A team of scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science has revealed the structure of a cellular editor that “cuts and pastes” the first draft of RNA straight after it is formed from its DNA template.

9 Sep 2004

New type of artificial hip - ceramic-on-metal

A new type of artificial hip, more robust and longer lasting than conventional artificial joints, is to undergo clinical trials and could be available for patients within five years.

20 Aug 2004

Positron emission tomography offers a better way to observe the damage that strokes and neurodegenerative diseases wreak on brain cells

A laser-based microscopy technique may have settled a long-standing debate among neuroscientists about how brain cells process energy

2 Jul 2004

Grow your own breast implants

Breast implants could one day be a thing of the past, as a new technology that allows patients to grow their own begins to take shape at the University of Melbourne.

29 Jun 2004

New gene found in genetic wasteland

In a region of DNA long considered a genetic wasteland, Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered a new class of gene.

20 Jun 2004

New clues into the mystery of the brain’s ultra-complicated cells known as neurons

Researchers from USC and the Technion Medical School in Israel have uncovered new clues into the mystery of the brain’s ultra-complicated cells known as neurons.

16 Jun 2004

Conflicting views on embryonic and adult stem cells complicate research in stem cell therapeutics

Though there has been considerable biological and political debate over the use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) vs. adult stem cells (ASCs) as therapies for tissue engineering and organ transplants, inherent benefits and drawbacks in both techniques compel them to coexist and complement each other.

10 Jun 2004

Suprising discovery in the retinas of colorblind people may help understanding of a number of eye disorders

The discovery of a surprise lurking in the retinas of colorblind people may have ramifications for understanding a number of eye disorders. Using a technique called “adaptive optics,” which was originally developed to help astronomers see more clearly through the Earth’s atmosphere.

2 Jun 2004