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Common catalyst cerium oxide opens door to nanochemistry for medicine

Scientists at Rice University are enhancing the natural antioxidant properties of an element found in a car's catalytic converter to make it useful for medical applications.

16 Oct 2013

Researchers create catalyst that alters chemical profiles of numerous types of small molecules

Researchers report that they have created a man-made catalyst that is an "enzyme mimic." Unlike most enzymes, which act on a single target, the new catalyst can alter the chemical profiles of numerous types of small molecules.

7 Oct 2013

Researchers reveals mechanism of sodium-potassium pump in cell

It's not visible to the naked eye and you can't feel it, but up to 40 per cent of your body's energy goes into supplying the microscopic sodium-potassium pump with the energy it needs. The pump is constantly doing its job in every cell of all animals and humans. It works much like a small battery which, among other things, maintains the sodium balance which is crucial to keep muscles and nerves working.

5 Oct 2013

Researchers discover new method for diagnosing disease faster, more accurate

The more accurately we can diagnose a disease, the greater the chance that the patient will survive. That is why many researchers are working to improve the quality of the diagnostic process.

4 Oct 2013

UCSB study demonstrates new tool to resolve structure of membrane proteins

Membrane proteins are responsible for transporting chemicals and messages between a cell and its environment. But determining their structure has proved challenging for scientists. A study by UC Santa Barbara's Han Research Group demonstrates a new tool to resolve the structure of membrane-embedded and membrane-associating proteins using the water dynamics gradient they found across and above the lipid bilayer as a unique ruler.

1 Oct 2013

Liquid biopsy: New device could help doctors diagnose and treat cancers

A microfluidic chip developed at the University of Michigan is among the best at capturing elusive circulating tumor cells from blood-and it can support the cells' growth for further analysis.

1 Oct 2013

Life science products from AXT to be exhibited at ComBio 2013

AXT, Australia’s leading supplier of analytical and sample preparation equipment will be exhibiting at the ComBio 2013 conference from September 29 to October 3, at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Western Australia, organised by the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

18 Sep 2013

Study reveals olive leaf extract can inhibit lead-induced brain injury

In recent years, neurotoxicity from exposure to low levels of lead in the environment has become increasingly prevalent. Therefore, the discovery of herbs that have lead-eliminating properties without harmful side effects is essential for the management of lead poisoning.

17 Sep 2013

Researchers take detailed images of morphing structure of Parkinson’s protein

Researchers have taken detailed images and measurements of the morphing structure of a brain protein thought to play a role in Parkinson's disease, information that could aid the development of medications to treat the condition.

7 Sep 2013

Study: Structural defect in skin cells can contribute to allergy development

In a new study published in Nature Genetics, Northwestern Medicine and Tel Aviv University scientists have found that a structural defect in skin cells can contribute to allergy development, including skin and food allergies, traditionally thought primarily to be a dysfunction of the immune system.

27 Aug 2013

Exo70 protein responsible for plasma membrane reshaping and cell movement

Both basic scientists and clinicians have an interest in how the cells of our body move. Cells must be mobile in order for organisms to grow, to heal, to transmit information internally, to mount immune responses and to conduct a host of other activities necessary for survival.

14 Aug 2013

Specialized endocytocis play a crucial role in shaping cells themselves

The process cells use to 'swallow' up nutrients, hormones and other signals from their environment - called endocytosis - can play a crucial role in shaping the cells themselves, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have found.

12 Aug 2013

ASU expert receives $1.6 million grant to advance microscopy imaging research

At Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute, Nongjian (NJ) Tao has been designing advanced microscopy methods with the ambitious aim of capturing molecular-scale phenomena in living systems. The new techniques, which combine multiple imaging modalities, are poised to revolutionize the study of biology and the development of new drugs.

8 Aug 2013

Wiring diagram of retinal neurons: The first step toward mapping the human brain

The human brain has 100 billion neurons, connected to each other in networks that allow us to interpret the world around us, plan for the future, and control our actions and movements. MIT neuroscientist Sebastian Seung wants to map those networks, creating a wiring diagram of the brain that could help scientists learn how we each become our unique selves.

8 Aug 2013

NIH-funded study of aquaporin proteins could hold clues to cataract

Researchers have achieved dynamic, atomic-scale views of a protein needed to maintain the transparency of the lens in the human eye. The work, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, could lead to new insights and drugs for treating cataract and a variety of other health conditions.

6 Aug 2013

Scientists solve structure of infection tool used by Yersinia bacterium

Abdominal pain, fever, diarrhoea -- these symptoms could point to an infection with the bacterium Yersinia. The bacterium's pathogenic potential is based on a syringe-like injection apparatus called injectisome.

1 Aug 2013

New version of RaySearch's RayStation treatment planning system released for clinical use

RaySearch Laboratories AB announces that version 4.0 of RaySearch's RayStation treatment planning system has been released for clinical use in several European countries, USA, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and is scheduled for market release in Canada, China, and South Korea.

23 Jul 2013

Gold nanofibers in engineered heart tissue can enhance electrical signalling, find researchers

Heart tissue sustains irreparable damage in the wake of a heart attack. Because cells in the heart cannot multiply and the cardiac muscle contains few stem cells, the tissue is unable to repair itself - it becomes fibrotic and cannot contract properly.

18 Jul 2013

Scientists discover new details of biochemical interactions necessary for cell division

Building on earlier work exploring the complex choreography by which intricate cellular proteins interact with and copy DNA prior to cell division, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and collaborators have captured a key step-molecular images showing how the enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix gets drawn to and wrapped around its target.

15 Jul 2013

Research: Sharp edged graphene sheets can easily pierce cell membranes

Researchers from Brown University have shown how tiny graphene microsheets - ultra-thin materials with a number of commercial applications - could be big trouble for human cells.

12 Jul 2013