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New breakthrough may help cure prion disease

A molecular biologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has for decades studied the nightmarish group of fatal diseases caused by prions - chronic wasting disease in deer, mad cow in cattle and its human analog - credits a middle-of-the-night dream for a crucial insight, a breakthrough she hopes could lead to a cure.

6 May 2020

Researchers discover gene variants that reduce the risk of glaucoma

An international research collaboration led by researchers from the University of Helsinki and Stanford University has identified rare changes in a gene called ANGPTL7 that lower intraocular pressure and significantly reduce the risk of glaucoma

6 May 2020

Scientists gain new insight into the pathological mechanisms behind two neurodegenerative diseases

An international team led by Emory scientists has gained insight into the pathological mechanisms behind two devastating neurodegenerative diseases.

6 May 2020

Study shows thinking and walking speed usually decline together

Do thinking and walking go hand in hand in determining the health course of senior adults? A study published by UT Health San Antonio researchers found that, indeed, the two functions often parallel each other in determining a person's health trajectory.

6 May 2020

SARS-CoV-2 genome shows mutation hotspots and type-specific distribution

Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv reports on a large scale analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genomes and reveals a clonal geo-distribution and rich genetic variations.

5 May 2020

COVID-19 infection risk and outcomes explained by the cell receptor genetic variability

Genetic variants in the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, utilized by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) for cell entry, are predicted to either encourage or inhibit interaction with viral proteins and subsequently contribute to genetic risk in coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This is the key finding of a new study available on the preprint server bioRxiv*.

5 May 2020

Cat coronavirus drug shows promise for treatment of COVID-19

“They are strong drug candidates for the treatment of human coronavirus infections because they have already been successful in animals (cats),” writes the team. “The work here lays the framework for their use in human trials for the treatment of COVID-19.”

5 May 2020

Growth hormone plays a key role in increasing survival rates following liver surgery

Growth hormone has been identified as playing a key role in reducing inflammation and increasing survival rates following liver surgery.

5 May 2020

Study finds two FDA-approved drugs are promising against COVID-19

Korean researchers have screened 48 FDA-approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2, and found that two, that are already FDA-approved for other illnesses, seem promising.

5 May 2020

Patients recently recovered from COVID-19 produce virus-specific antibodies

Most newly discharged patients who recently recovered from COVID-19 produce virus-specific antibodies and T cells, suggests a study published on May 3rd in the journal Immunity, but the responses of different patients are not all the same.

5 May 2020

Scientists receive $12-million grant to explore molecular mechanisms of heart injury and repair

Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. But significant disparities exist in the incidence and severity of heart disease, particularly between men and women, and major barriers remain for the successful long-term care of heart disease patients.

5 May 2020

COVID-19 progression linked to B cell activation

The disease course of COVID-19 is diverse, ranging from asymptomatic to fatal respiratory failure. Scientists have been working to uncover the immunological reasons behind this heterogeneity. A recent study on B cells, published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020, shows that extrafollicular B cells could be a marker of severe infection in the early stages, predicting the need for earlier immunomodulatory therapy.

4 May 2020

Researchers discover a new way to reduce implant rejection

The team from the University of Nottingham's Schools of Pharmacy and Life Sciences have found that the surface shape (topography) and chemical composition of polymer materials can be changed to create materials that control the body's immune response.

4 May 2020

Loss of smell may be related to neuroinvasive propensity of SARS-CoV-2

The novel coronavirus has rapidly infected millions over the world in over 187 countries and territories, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. One of the often-neglected and under-reported symptoms of the virus is the loss of the sense of smell or anosmia. Now, a new study out of Germany published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 provides a quantified estimate of the magnitude of anosmia as a symptom of the coronavirus.

4 May 2020

Uncovering immune cell reactions in COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 suggests that an overactive immune response is responsible for the more severe manifestations of the illness.

4 May 2020

New information on viral antigens could improve COVID-19 testing

Researchers in France and China have characterized antibody responses to a wide range of antigens present on severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

4 May 2020

Rice scientist wins federal grant for eye research

A Rice University researcher has won a prestigious federal grant to study how a recently identified protein in the cornea aids development, homeostasis and wound healing in the eye.

4 May 2020

Activation of estrogen receptor can impede growth of pancreatic cancer cells

Activating the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor - a receptor found on the surface of many normal and cancer tissues - has been shown to stop pancreatic cancer from growing, but may also make tumors more visible to the immune system and thus more susceptible to modern immunotherapy.

4 May 2020

ASU team identifies new, unique SARS-CoV-2 mutation

As the coronavirus pandemic has swept across the U.S., in addition to tracking the number of COVID daily cases, there is a worldwide scientific community engaged in tracking the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself.

4 May 2020

Study suggests ROBO2 pathway as therapeutic target for kidney diseases

Researchers have published a new study that suggests a signaling pathway called ROBO2 is a therapeutic target for kidney diseases, specifically kidney podocyte injury and glomerular diseases.

4 May 2020