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Neuroscientists discover novel mechanism of action behind schizophrenia

An international team of researchers led by a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine scientist has uncovered a novel mechanism in which a protein--neuregulin 3--controls how key neurotransmitters are released in the brain during schizophrenia.

21 Feb 2018

Zika virus could be alternative for treatment of aggressive brain cancer

Zika virus, feared for causing microcephaly in babies whose mothers were infected during pregnancy by attacking the cells that will give rise to the fetus's cerebral cortex, could be an alternative for treatment of glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive kind of malignant brain tumor in adults.

21 Feb 2018

Oncolytic virus alerts the immune system to attack tumors

A new UC San Francisco study has shown that a cancer-killing virus currently in clinical trials may function as a cancer vaccine - in addition to killing some cancer cells directly, the virus alerts the immune system to the presence of a tumor, triggering a powerful, widespread immune response that kills cancer cells far outside the virus-infected region.

14 Feb 2018

Cardiomyocytes fuse transiently during heart development and regeneration

Cardiomyocytes fuse during cardiac development and regeneration. A scientist of the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) discovered these previously unknown processes with the aid of genetically modified zebrafish in which fused cells fluoresce.

9 Feb 2018

Study adds more evidence that intestinal microbiome plays substantial role in obesity

A new Johns Hopkins study of mice with the rodent equivalent of metabolic syndrome has added to evidence that the intestinal microbiome - a "garden" of bacterial, viral and fungal genes - plays a substantial role in the development of obesity and insulin resistance in mammals, including humans.

6 Feb 2018

Next-generation ‘active genetics’ tool opens new horizons

In 2015, University of California San Diego biologists Ethan Bier and Valentino Gantz developed a breakthrough technology known as "active genetics," which results in parents transmitting a genetic trait to most of their offspring (instead of 50 percent receiving the trait under standard inheritance).

6 Feb 2018

Moffitt study identifies new drug target that may reduce GVHD risk

Stem cell transplants can cure patients with high-risk leukemia or lymphoma. Graft-versus-host disease is a potentially life-threatening side effect that occurs when the donor's immune cells attack the recipient's normal tissues.

5 Feb 2018

Researchers move closer to solving puzzle of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome

Researchers are closer to solving the puzzle of a complex neurological condition called 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Individuals with this condition are missing a small piece of chromosome 15 that usually contains six genes, but which one of the genes is responsible for the clinical characteristics of patients has not been clear.

2 Feb 2018

Scientists develop immune-stimulating injections against cancer

A team of researchers have developed two immune-stimulating injections, that removed all traces of cancer when injected directly into solid mouse tumors.

2 Feb 2018

Historic study involving Simmons Cancer Center shows effectiveness of CAR-T therapy

A historic study involving researchers from UT Southwestern's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center demonstrates the effectiveness of CAR-T therapy, which uses genetically modified immune cells to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children and young adults. The research appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.

1 Feb 2018

Researchers advance understanding of abnormal mineral accumulation in arteries

A team of researchers from McGill University has advanced the scientific understanding of abnormal mineral accumulation in arteries, a complication often seen in patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Mineralized arteries may affect heart functions, leading to death in some instances.

31 Jan 2018

Researchers win $6.5 million NIH grant to personalize diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis

An experienced interdisciplinary team of psoriasis and computational researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center has received a $6.5M, 5-year grant from the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

29 Jan 2018

Global effort toward HIV cure published in Special Issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses

Researchers have shown that despite effective combined antiretroviral therapy, HIV can hide in the spleen of patients with no detectable HIV in their blood.

27 Jan 2018

Artificial sweetener could lead to development of cancer therapies with less side effects

Artificial sweeteners are used in diet drinks and foods but also could someday be used as treatments targeting carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), a protein associated with aggressive cancers.

24 Jan 2018

Scientists discover new target for anti-angiogenic tumor therapy

Actively growing tumors have a high demand for oxygen and nutrients. Therefore, they stimulate the growth of blood vessels.

23 Jan 2018

Chinese researchers develop multifunctional vehicle to transport gene therapeutics

Gene editing is one of the hottest topics in cancer research. A Chinese research team has now developed a gold-nanoparticle-based multifunctional vehicle to transport the "gene scissors" to the tumor cell genome.

22 Jan 2018

Researchers discover potential target genes to halt thyroid cancer progression

Thyroid cancer is a disease with good cure rates in most cases. In 5% of patients, however, the tumor becomes refractory to the available therapies and may spread all over the body, causing death.

19 Jan 2018

Methods from optogenetics, machine learning should help improve treatment options for stroke patients

Methods from optogenetics and machine learning should help improve treatment options for stroke patients. Researchers from Heidelberg University have developed a computer vision technique to analyze the changes in motor skills that result from targeted stimulation of healthy areas of the brain.

17 Jan 2018

Scientists discover new enzyme that could help in the battle against obesity

Scientists have discovered a new enzyme in adipose tissue that helps regulate inflammation. The discovery could help in the battle against obesity.

15 Jan 2018

Caltech researchers develop new method to see neural connections in living flies

The human brain is composed of billions of neurons wired together in intricate webs and communicating through electrical pulses and chemical signals.

12 Jan 2018