Molecular Biology News and Research

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Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis as well as learning how these interactions are regulated.

New gene therapy restores dystrophin protein in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

UT Southwestern scientists successfully employed a new type of gene therapy to treat mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), uniquely utilizing CRISPR-Cas9-based tools to restore a large section of the dystrophin protein that is missing in many DMD patients.

3 May 2021

Researchers identify important factor in the development of dendritic cells

The human immune system comprises functionally specialized cellular defense mechanisms that protect the body against disease. These include the dendritic cells.

30 Apr 2021

New genetically encoded sensor helps detect drugs of abuse

A genetically encoded sensor to detect hallucinogenic compounds has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis. Named psychLight, the sensor could be used in discovering new treatments for mental illness, in neuroscience research and to detect drugs of abuse. The work is published April 28 in the journal Cell.

29 Apr 2021

New treatment reduces the severity of ARDS in influenza-infected mice

A new treatment is among the first known to reduce the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by the flu in animals, according to a new study.

27 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 suppresses the immune response in the gut

In an effort to determine the potential for COVID-19 to begin in a person's gut, and to better understand how human cells respond to SARS-CoV-2, the scientists used human intestinal cells to create organoids - 3D tissue cultures derived from human cells, which mimic the tissue or organ from which the cells originate.

27 Apr 2021

Experimental drug reverses key symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have designed an experimental drug that reversed key symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice.

22 Apr 2021

Ultrasonically oscillating needles could improve cancer management

The diagnosis of diseases like cancer almost always needs a biopsy - a procedure where a clinician removes a piece of suspect tissue from the body to examine it, typically under a microscope.

21 Apr 2021

Animal study shows how chemical compound in Indian Long Pepper works against glioblastoma

Piperlongumine, a chemical compound found in the Indian Long Pepper plant (Piper longum), is known to kill cancerous cells in many tumor types, including brain tumors.

21 Apr 2021

Inhibition of Meprin Β enzyme can trigger the development of Alzheimer's disease, cancer

Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona in Spain have discovered how the blood plasma protein fetuin-B binds to the enzyme meprin β and used a computer model to visualize their findings.

21 Apr 2021

Overgrowth of gut yeast in newborns associated with increased risk of asthma

An overgrowth of yeast in the gut within the first few months of life may cause changes to the immune system that increase the risk of asthma later on, shows a study published today in eLife.

20 Apr 2021

Scientists identify protein that operates closely with a genetic mutation to spur lung cancer growth

Scientists at VCU Massey Cancer Center have identified a protein that operates in tandem with a specific genetic mutation to spur lung cancer growth and could serve as a therapeutic target to treat the disease.

19 Apr 2021

USP7 inhibitors could increase the anticancer effects of CDK1 compounds in cancer patients

Understanding the components that control cell division is fundamental to understanding how life works and how alterations in this delicate process can cause diseases such as cancer.

19 Apr 2021

Study shows how proteins work in concert to resolve DNA double-strand breaks

From cancer treatment to sunlight, radiation and toxins can severely damage DNA in both harmful and healthy cells. While the body has evolved to efficiently treat and restore damaged cells, the mechanisms that allow this natural repair remain misunderstood.

16 Apr 2021

Series of reviews discuss key issues in chronic kidney disease and bone disorders

Metabolic bone disease is a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and involves a broad spectrum of disorders of mineral metabolism that result in both skeletal and extra-skeletal consequences.

15 Apr 2021

High recovery of top-quality purified RNA

Porvair Sciences has launched new kits for rapid extraction of total RNA from a wide range of biological samples. These proprietary kits enable extraction of up to 1000 µg of application-ready pure RNA in as little as 10 minutes.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 14 Apr 2021

Novel ultrasensitive assay to measure cathepsin B in the blood

Scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute for Research demonstrated the potential of a novel blood test for cathepsin B, a well-studied protein important to brain development and function, as an indicator for a range of disease states.

13 Apr 2021

Biology of single-celled organisms reveals potential treatment target for COPD

In a series of experiments that began with amoebas -- single-celled organisms that extend podlike appendages to move around -- Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have identified a genetic pathway that could be activated to help sweep out mucus from the lungs of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a widespread lung ailment.

13 Apr 2021

Study: Low fat diets reduce men’s testosterone levels

A new study conducted at the University of Worcester and published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has found low fat diets decrease men’s testosterone levels by 10-15%.

9 Apr 2021

Advancing the Diagnosis and Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Dr. Marcos Quintela Vasquez about the work he is conducting regarding the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer in partnership with Porvair Sciences.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 7 Apr 2021

$10.8 million grant from NIH helps establish Arkansas Integrative Metabolic Research Center

A $10.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will enable an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Arkansas and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to address the role of cell and tissue metabolism in rare and common diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity and mitochondrial disorders.

6 Apr 2021