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New project aims to develop technologies for quantifying cancer and viral biomarkers

Liquid biopsy, the detection of circulating disease biomarkers in bodily fluids such as blood, is a non-invasive method, alternative to tissue removal, which has taken important strides toward the implementation of personalized medicine, especially in the case of tumors and RNA-viruses.

1 Jun 2021

NIH starts Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules

The National Institutes of Health has started a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in which adult volunteers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive booster doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to determine the safety and immunogenicity of mixed boosted regimens.

1 Jun 2021

Scientists use an original approach to resolve the 3D structure of flaviviruses

In a recent study, Australian scientists used an original approach to resolve the 3D structure of flaviviruses with an unprecedented level of detail, identifying small molecules known as 'pocket factors' as new therapeutic targets.

1 Jun 2021

IP6 molecules are key to stabilizing and protecting retroviruses

A newly discovered molecule central to the assembly of HIV may provide valuable insight into the development and function of viruses and how to combat them.

28 May 2021

Researchers discover cross-reactive coronavirus antibody triggered during COVID-19 infection

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, most people in the United States already had been sick with a coronavirus, albeit a far less dangerous one.

28 May 2021

Proteomics technology shows how exercise improves the efficiency of muscle energy production

Mitochondria are the cell's power plants and produce the majority of a cell's energy needs through an electrochemical process called electron transport chain coupled to another process known as oxidative phosphorylation.

27 May 2021

Salmonella bacteria colonize the gut using intestinal epithelial cells

The immune system's attempt to eliminate Salmonella bacteria from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract instead facilitates colonization of the intestinal tract and fecal shedding, according to National Institutes of Health scientists.

26 May 2021

Study reveals how harmless skin microbes become deadly pathogens

The bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidisis primarily a harmless microbe found on the skin and in the noses of humans.

25 May 2021

Potent antibody with unique genetic signature and spike recognition mechanism neutralizes SARS-CoV-2

In a new study, researchers used an antibody discovery technology to identify a new potently neutralizing antibody with a unique mode of SARS-CoV-2 recognition. They reported their results on the bioRxiv preprint server.

18 May 2021

Study reveals the first complete 3D molecular structure of immature flavivirus

Better designed vaccines for insect-spread viruses like dengue and Zika are likely after researchers discovered models of immature flavivirus particles were originally misinterpreted.

17 May 2021

New framework could help manage COVID-19, deal with other major stresses

A new analysis of the effects of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the current pandemic, on the human body has provided novel insights into the nature of resilience and how we deal with stressful situations.

17 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Nsp2 structure revealed by cryo-EM and AI

Researchers in the United States analyzed the non-structural protein 2 (Nsp2) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in order to better understand its function and to guide future drug discovery. The research paper is currently available on bioRxiv* preprint server.

16 May 2021

Unique pre-clinical model enables study of HIV infection and testing of new therapies

A team led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Children's National Hospital has developed a unique pre-clinical model that enables the study of long-term HIV infection, and the testing of new therapies aimed at curing the disease.

14 May 2021

A SARS-CoV-2 ferritin nanoparticle vaccine elicits broad immunity

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint research paper, M. Gordon Joyce et al. designed engineered nanoparticle immunogens that recapitulate the structural and antigenic properties of prefusion Spike (S), S1 and receptor-binding domain (RBD). They demonstrated that these immunogens induced robust S-binding, ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme)-inhibition, and authentic and pseudovirus neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mice.

13 May 2021

Phosphatidic acid is a key common substrate for hepatitis C and SARS-CoV-2 replication

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, focuses on the lipid molecule called phosphatidic acid (PA), showing its crucial role in the replication of this virus, and thus its potential as a target for therapeutic intervention.

13 May 2021

Study reports new monoclonal antibodies with broad neutralizing capabilities against betacoronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2)

In a paper published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers report new monoclonal antibodies that target the S2 subunit and that have broad neutralization activity against several betacoronaviruses.

13 May 2021

New findings challenge the decades-old working mechanism of the hearing organ

Researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, have made several discoveries on the functioning mechanisms of the inner hair cells of the ear, which convert sounds into nerve signals that are processed in the brain.

10 May 2021

A new method for producing faster and more efficient vaccines

Vaccines are currently a great source of hope for many people, as it is believed they will help to protect society against COVID-19 and pave the way back to a normal life. The current focus is clearly on coronavirus — but vaccines are also fundamental to combating other pathogens.

7 May 2021

Cryptic pocket on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 may be a promising treatment target

In a new study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a multinational group of researchers modeled an entire membrane-embedded spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and highlighted the potential of a specific mapping approach for unveiling cryptic, potentially druggable pockets on the viral surface.

7 May 2021

Study reports vitamin C inhibits SARS-CoV-2 virus main protease

Based on structural analysis, researchers found that vitamin C binds to 3CLpro, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease essential in viral replication. In vitro cell inhibition studies also showed vitamin C could inhibit 3CLpro, indicating a possible new antiviral treatment method.

6 May 2021