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Discovery of a broad-spectrum antiviral activity in self-assembling immunostimulatory duplex RNAs

A new study, published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, has discovered a class of new immunostimulatory RNAs while studying influenza infection-associated host genes in human lung epithelial cells using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Scientists revealed that these short duplex RNAs could induce type I and type III interferons (IFN-I/III) in a wide variety of cells.

23 Nov 2021

Cryo-EM reveals how the DNA replication machinery assembles at DNA damage sites

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has enabled researchers to study how the DNA replication machinery assembles at sites where DNA is damaged.

22 Nov 2021

Impact of ultraviolet disinfection on nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases

A new review article determines the role of UV disinfection for nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

22 Nov 2021

Proposed acquisition of Life Sciences manufacturer Adaptas Solutions for $271m

IMI plc (“IMI” or the “Group”) announces the proposed acquisition of Adaptas Solutions (“Adaptas”) for an enterprise value of $271m (£202m1).

From Norgren Life Science 17 Nov 2021

Game animals as potential drivers of disease emergence

A study characterized the total virome of game animals from five mammalian orders using the total RNA sequencing technique.

17 Nov 2021

California plans for a post-roe world as abortion access shrinks elsewhere

With access to abortion at stake across America, California is preparing to become the nation's abortion provider.

17 Nov 2021

New study offers genetic insight into why we look the way we do

Which genes control the defining features that make us look as we do? And how do they make it happen?

11 Nov 2021

Highly-sensitive PCR-based method to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants

A team of UK-based scientists has recently developed an allele-specific probe polymerase chain reaction method that can accurately detect different variants/lineages of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in respiratory samples. Furthermore, the method can detect viral variants even in samples with low viral RNA or degraded viral RNA. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

7 Nov 2021

Study paves the way for development of new therapeutic strategies to treat addiction

Drug addiction is a psychiatric disorder for which no pharmacological treatment with long-term efficacy currently exists. All addictive substances share the property of raising concentrations of the neurotransmitter dopamine within brain regions forming the neural reward circuit.

21 Oct 2021

Understanding how brain cells talk could help find new treatments for neurological, psychiatric conditions

Experts from the University of Nottingham have discovered that reversing the modification of molecular messages at synapses in the human brain, may contribute to reversible mental health conditions such as anxiety, and memory diseases such as dementia.

20 Oct 2021

The military as a disease vector and COVID-19

A recent systematic review aimed to study existing evidence for the military being a historically relevant disease vector that has been overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

15 Oct 2021

International meeting focuses on screening, early and personalized treatment for atrial fibrillation

Screening, early treatment, and personalized therapy for atrial fibrillation are on the agenda of an international meeting starting today.

12 Oct 2021

NRG Oncology launches highly anticipated colorectal cancer prevention study

Today, NRG Oncology activated the highly anticipated colorectal cancer prevention trial, FORTE, NRG-CC005. FORTE (Five or Ten Year Colonoscopy for 1-2 Non-Advanced Adenomatous Polyps) is a large, randomized trial of surveillance colonoscopy for participants with a first-time diagnosis of 1 or 2 small benign polyps, called adenomas.

6 Oct 2021

Researchers detect two types of RNA base modifications simultaneously using a quantum sequencer

After a gene is transcribed into RNA, modifications can occur to the subunits or "bases" that make up the RNA molecule, which can affect its structure and function. The study of these changes is known as "epitranscriptomics." These base modifications can occur to most types of RNA molecules, including microRNAs.

29 Sep 2021

Researchers compare transcriptomic and cytokine responses of colorectal cancer cells

Oncotarget published "Pan-drug and drug-specific mechanisms of 5-FU, irinotecan (CPT-11), oxaliplatin, and cisplatin identified by comparison of transcriptomic and cytokine responses of colorectal cancer cells" which reported that there was an increase in IL-8 by oxaliplatin and increase in ferritin by cisplatin which may contribute to cancer cell survival.

29 Sep 2021

Supercoiling and looping can transmit mechanical stress along the DNA backbone, research shows

When people think of DNA, they visualize a string-like double helix structure. In reality, the DNA double helix in cells is supercoiled and constrained into loops. This supercoiling and looping are known to influence every aspect of DNA activity, but how this happens has not been clear.

28 Sep 2021

Research reveals new evolutive mechanism of bacteria that expands pathogenic potential

A group of nine researchers has just published new findings on the mechanisms that regulate how bacteria from the Staphylococcus aureus genus transfer genetic material, awarding them greater pathogenic virulence and resistance to antibiotics.

27 Sep 2021

Researchers describe a novel role for hnRNP E1 protein in binding DNA in the nucleus

Cancer is a devastating disease and is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. One of the hallmarks of cancer is genomic instability, or the tendency to accumulate mutations and damage to the DNA that leads to genome alterations during cell division.

25 Sep 2021

Design of mRNA vaccines to combat COVID-19

A recent review study discusses fundamental concepts in the successful delivery of nucleic acids in therapeutics.

23 Sep 2021

SARS-CoV-2 NSP1 protein suppresses host genes while enhancing viral RNA expression

In a recent study, researchers study the molecular aspects of SARS-CoV-2 host cell entry and inhibition of host-specific cellular mechanisms.

20 Sep 2021