Cell Signaling News and Research

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Cell signaling is vital for cells to communicate and coordinate their activities, not just in the human body, but in all organisms. There are thousands of signaling pathways, ranging from protein homeostasis to carcinogenesis and biofilm formation.

Baylor University researchers awarded grant to research and test new compounds for cancer

The National Institutes of Health has awarded two Baylor University researchers a $1.46 million grant to research and test new compounds that could help fight cancerous tumors.

18 Jun 2010

Possible mechanism identified for how lithium treats bipolar disorder

Lithium has been established for more than 50 years as one of the most effective treatments for manic depression, clinically termed bipolar disorder. However, scientists have never been entirely sure exactly why it is beneficial.

18 Jun 2010

Biological mechanism associated with remission during pregnancy

During pregnancy, many women experience remission of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and uveitis. Now, scientists have described a biological mechanism responsible for changes in the immune system that helps to explain the remission.

17 Jun 2010

BD Biosciences further expands Research Grant program to support promising stem cell research

BD Biosciences, a segment of BD, announced today a further expansion of its Research Grant program, adding $100,000 worth of reagents, cell culture tools and labware to support promising stem cell research.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 17 Jun 2010

Stress-related psychiatric disorders more common among women: Study

There may be a biological reason why depression and other stress-related psychiatric disorders are more common among women compared to men. Studying stress signaling systems in animal brains, neuroscience researchers found that females are more sensitive to low levels of an important stress hormone and less able to adapt to high levels than males.

16 Jun 2010

Clinical trial to examine use of biomarkers to advance treatment of malignant gliomas launched

The Brain Tumor Unit at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, is launching a clinical trial that will examine the use of biomarkers to advance the treatment of malignant gliomas, brain tumors that start in the brain or spinal cord tissue. Annually, about 17,000 Americans are diagnosed with gliomas, which are difficult to treat and often fatal.

16 Jun 2010

Depression and other stress-related psychiatric disorders in women may have biological basis: Research

15 Jun 2010

Pediatric oncologist describes current state of science in combating neuroblastoma

Pediatric oncologist John M. Maris, M.D., describes the current state of the science in combating neuroblastoma, the most common solid cancer of early childhood. In his article in the June 10, 2010 New England Journal of Medicine, "Recent Advances in Neuroblastoma," Maris reviews the field's latest research knowledge—much of it based on efforts by Maris and his colleagues at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

15 Jun 2010

Genetic variation can predict how people infected with hepatitis C react to treatment: Scientists

A small genetic change can predict how people infected with hepatitis C react to treatment, paving the way to personalised therapy for this difficult to treat disease, the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics will hear today (Sunday 13 June). Dr. Zoltan Kutalik, from the Department of Medical Genetics, University of Lausanne, Switzerland, will tell delegates that individuals with this change, in a gene encoding for the antiviral cytokine (cell-signalling molecule) interferon lamda, reacts less well to treatment.

14 Jun 2010

Scientists discover how polyphenols present in red wine and green tea inhibit prostate cancer growth

In what could lead to a major advance in the treatment of prostate cancer, scientists now know exactly why polyphenols in red wine and green tea inhibit cancer growth. This new discovery, published online in The FASEB Journal, explains how antioxidants in red wine and green tea produce a combined effect to disrupt an important cell signaling pathway necessary for prostate cancer growth.

10 Jun 2010

Scientists develop algorithm to predict gene sequence of kinases

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation, a world-leader in molecular communications research, announced major advancements in its PhosphoNET KnowledgeBase for the study of cell signalling systems. This free resource to the scientific community now features data on more than 92,000 human phosphorylation sites, including their occurrence in over 20 other diverse species, and identification of the protein kinases that target these regulatory sites.

9 Jun 2010

John Theurer Cancer Center to showcase treatment advancements for cancer at ASCO 2010

The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center announced today important research findings that will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting taking place June 4 - 8, 2010 in Chicago. Research highlights include a comparison of first-line treatments for an aggressive form of lymphoma, the efficacy and safety of a new genetically engineered cancer therapy, and the value of a commonly used tool for staging lymphoma.

5 Jun 2010

Infectious diseases specialist from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute receives Frank Fenner Award

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Marc Pellegrini from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute will today receive the Frank Fenner Award from the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases, recognising Dr Pellegrini's efforts to understand human responses to chronic infections.

28 May 2010

Scientists study interaction between Notch signaling pathway and BCL6 gene to understand how cancer forms

A Florida State University College of Medicine researcher has discovered a new interaction between a cell signaling system and a specific gene that may be the cause of B-cell lymphoma. The finding suggests a similar interaction could be occurring during the development of other types of cancer, leading to further understanding of how cancer works — and how it might be stopped.

28 May 2010

Patients with transformed lymphoma show positive response to lenalidomide: Research

New research illustrates that some patients with transformed lymphoma showed "remarkable" response to lenalidomide, an oral drug with few side effects.

27 May 2010

Highlights from June 2010 issue of American Journal of Pathology

Dr. Kanneboyina Nagaraju and colleagues at the Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC demonstrate that affected muscle may directly contribute to inflammation in muscular dystrophy. Their report can be found in the June 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

26 May 2010

New marker may be the significant breakthrough in allergy testing for newborn babies

A simple blood test can now predict whether newborn babies are at high risk of developing allergies as they grow older, thanks to research involving the University of Adelaide.

21 May 2010

Australian doctors identify new disease and devise its cure

A team of Australian doctors have identified a new disease and its cure. In their report published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases the doctors from The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) report a case of a young NSW woman ill for almost a decade with repeated hospitalizations. She is now said to be suffering from a diseases that disabled the signaling processes of her immune system. The diseases is not named yet. Dr Maher Gandhi, head of QIMR's Immunohemotology Laboratory believes there are more cases of this disease. He said this Monday, “I haven't got a name for it other than T-cell signaling defect of which I assume there are quite a few different types… There are no recorded cases of this in the literature. Katie is unique ... I think we're at the tip of the iceberg here.”

17 May 2010

Female sex hormones may work with estrogen in reducing airway constriction: Research

Female sex hormones may work with beta-agonists in reducing airway constriction, according to new bench research from the Mayo Clinic.