Developmental Biology News and Research

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Study takes a new approach to looking at de novo genetic variants in autism

About 1 in 44 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by the age of 8, according to the 2018 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance. How a child's DNA contributes to the development of ASD has been more of a mystery.

15 Mar 2022

Scientists shed light on placenta's role in transferring vitamin D to fetus during pregnancy

Scientists have shed new light on the role of the placenta in managing the relationships between maternal vitamin D and fetal development, according to a study published today in eLife.

8 Mar 2022

Study finds booster shot did produce effective levels of neutralizing antibodies against omicron

A new study using serum from human blood samples suggests neutralizing antibody levels produced by two-dose mRNA vaccines against the original and early variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus wane substantially over time, and offer essentially no protection against the omicron variant.

2 Mar 2022

Intestinal cells can change specializations during their lives, finds study

Intestinal cells can change specializations during their lives. The BMP signaling pathway – an important communication mechanism between cells – appears to be the driver of these changes.

1 Mar 2022

Smartphone-based COVID-19 detection system

In this interview, we speak to Professor Michael Mahan about his latest research which aimed to bring low-cost, state-of-the-art diagnostics to resource-limited settings.

17 Feb 2022

Reducing mucin secretion provides a way to control chemoresistance of colorectal cancers

Drugs which are commonly-used as the first line of treatment for colorectal cancer cause the tumor cells to oversecrete proteins known as mucins, according to a new study published today in the journal eLife.

9 Feb 2022

New method decodes the role of DDX41 protein in preventing double-strand breaks in DNA

There are many different ways in which the genetic material DNA can be damaged, resulting in the development of diseases such as cancer. Certain forms of DNA damage are associated with so-called R-loops.

8 Feb 2022

‘Lefty’ protein pumps the brakes during initial stages of embryo differentiation

A protein known as Lefty pumps the brakes as human embryos begin to differentiate into the bones, soft tissues and organs that make us.

25 Jan 2022

Study sheds light on how melanoma primes nearby lymph nodes for tumor metastases

Melanoma cells release small extracellular packages containing the protein nerve growth factor receptor, which primes nearby lymph nodes for tumor metastases, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

21 Jan 2022

New method reverses insecticide resistance using CRISPR/Cas9 technology

Insecticides play a central role in efforts to counter global impacts of mosquito-spread malaria and other diseases, which cause an estimated 750,000 deaths each year. These insect-specific chemicals, which cost more than $100 million to develop and bring to market, also are critical to controlling insect-driven damage on crops that poses a challenge to food security.

18 Jan 2022

Discovery opens up the possibility of pursuing new therapies for FOP

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare disease characterized by extensive bone growth outside of the normal skeleton that pre-empts the body's normal responses to even minor injuries. It results in what some term a "second skeleton," which locks up joint movement and could make it hard to breathe.

16 Jan 2022

Using lab-grown stomachs to shed light on the symptoms of COVID-19

Could lab-grown 'mini-stomachs' be used to look at COVID-19 symptoms in children? In this interview, we speak to Paolo De Coppi to find out more.

13 Jan 2022

Researchers set the framework for improved colorectal cancer surveillance using precision medicine

A team of Vanderbilt researchers has revealed some of the mechanisms by which polyps develop into colorectal cancer, setting the framework for improved surveillance for the cancer utilizing precision medicine.

7 Jan 2022

Bacterial biofilms use a developmental patterning mechanism seen in plants and animals

Over the past several years, research from University of California San Diego biologist Gürol Süel's laboratory has uncovered a series of remarkable features exhibited by clusters of bacteria that live together in communities known as biofilms.

7 Jan 2022

Salk professor receives $1.2 million from Larry L. Hillblom Foundation for diabetes research

Professor Ronald Evans will receive $1.2 million over four years as part of a Network Grant from the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation to examine a molecular pathway that regulates blood sugar and fat independent of insulin.

6 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in pregnancy and fetal development

A review conducted by a team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the University of Colorado, and Active Motif, Incorporated compiles information on SARS-CoV-2 virology, in utero transmission from infected pregnant mothers to fetuses, new findings on possible methods of SARS-CoV-2 cellular trafficking through exosomes, and the transcriptomic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, in order to inform future studies aimed at a better understanding of COVID-19 and the development of therapeutic solutions against SARS-CoV-2.

30 Dec 2021

LJI researchers discover how loss of TET enzymes can lead to B cell lymphoma

Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have uncovered how loss of TET enzymes can lead to B cell lymphoma. Their research, published in Nature Immunology, could potentially open opportunities for designing drug treatment strategies to target malignant cells in many cancers.

24 Dec 2021

Researchers identify new mechanism that impairs cancer cell proliferation and induces death

UAB and Vall d'Hebron researchers identified the mechanism by which inhibitors of the ERK5 protein kinase impair the proliferation of cancer cells and induce their death. The results, obtained using human cancer cell lines, demonstrate that ERK5 inhibition activates cytotoxic autophagy, a process that triggers cancer cell death, without affecting healthy cells. A combination of ERK5 inhibitors and chemotherapy could improve cancer treatment.

22 Dec 2021

U-M scientists develop a cell-free artificial cortex to study how cells divide

Animal cells are bound by a structure called a cell cortex—and this structure, researchers say, is a bit like a tent.

20 Dec 2021

Major international research center may drive the development of future stem cell-based treatments

A grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation of up to 300 million euro now enables the establishment of a major international research center focused on stem cell medicine.

17 Dec 2021