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New insights into actions of NSAIDs

Ibuprofen, naproxen, and related non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - the subjects of years of study - still have some secrets to reveal about how they work.

26 Sep 2011

Letrozole reduces risk of breast cancer recurrences and death in post-menopausal women

Results from the longest-running trial comparing tamoxifen with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole show unequivocally that letrozole has withstood the test of time and continues to prevent breast cancer recurrences and reduce the risk of death in post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.

26 Sep 2011

NIH honors Utah biochemist with Pioneer Award for dsRNA research

University of Utah biochemist Brenda L. Bass, Ph.D., has dedicated her career to following the path less traveled.

23 Sep 2011

Cyclin E plays a crucial role in the formation of nerve connections

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School have found that a common cancer protein leads a second, totally different life in normal adult brain cells: It helps regulates memory formation and may be implicated in Alzheimer's disease.

23 Sep 2011

Longevity research till date may be riddled with flaws: Study

Research over the last decade showing that proteins called sirtuins can increase lifespan is deeply flawed, according to a new study in Nature that debunks prior claims of a direct causal link.

22 Sep 2011

Acetylon initiates ACY-1215 Phase 1-2a clinical trial for multiple myeloma

Acetylon Pharmaceuticals today announced the initiation of patient treatments in a three-part Phase 1-2a clinical trial of ACY-1215, an oral Class II histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, in adults with relapsed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

22 Sep 2011

Three Johns Hopkins scientists receive NIH Director's New Innovator Awards

A pioneer in the field of epigenetics who has been spearheading the use of genome-wide technology for epigenetics research, a researcher who has revealed a weakness in the tuberculosis bacterium that makes it more susceptible to antibiotics, and a scientist who seeks to revolutionize new methods for toxicological testing to improve human health and reduce animal testing have received Director's Awards from the National Institutes of Health.

22 Sep 2011

Water plays a decisive role in biologically active enzyme substrate compounds

In biologically active enzyme substrate compounds, as can be found in medicines, water plays a more decisive role than has been imagined up to now. The surrounding water acts like an "adhesive", in order to keep the substrate at the right place on an enzyme.

20 Sep 2011

UNC researchers develop technique that can observe cellular intricacies of CF

When researchers discovered the primary genetic defect that causes cystic fibrosis (CF) back in 1989, they opened up a new realm of research into treatment and a cure for the disease. Since then, scientists have been able to clone the defective gene and study its effects in animals. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a technique for observing the defects at work in human tissue donated by patients with CF.

20 Sep 2011

Online gamers decipher 3D molecular structure that may help AIDS research

Online gamers have deciphered the structure of an enzyme of an AIDS-like virus that had thwarted scientists for a decade. The exploit was published in the journal, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, where - exceptionally in scientific publishing - both gamers and researchers are honored as co-authors.

19 Sep 2011

High dietary salt intake and obesity together trigger abnormal activation of cellular protein

Dietary salt intake and obesity are two important risk factors in the development of high blood pressure. Each packs its own punch, but when combined, they deliver more damage to the heart and kidneys than the sum of their individual contributions.

19 Sep 2011

Gamers solve molecular structure of retrovirus enzyme

Gamers have solved the structure of a retrovirus enzyme whose configuration had stumped scientists for more than a decade. The gamers achieved their discovery by playing Foldit, an online game that allows players to collaborate and compete in predicting the structure of protein molecules.

19 Sep 2011

Cornell researchers learn how helicase enzyme works to unzip two strands of DNA

With an eye toward understanding DNA replication, Cornell researchers have learned how a helicase enzyme works to actually unzip the two strands of DNA.

19 Sep 2011

Two newer Type 2 diabetes drugs could be linked to increased risk of pancreatic cancer

Two newer drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes could be linked to a significantly increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and one could also be linked to an increased risk of thyroid cancer, according to a new UCLA study.

19 Sep 2011

Novel therapies remove the brakes cancer puts on the immune system

Some of the newest therapies in the war on cancer remove the brakes cancer puts on the immune system, Georgia Health Sciences University researchers report.

17 Sep 2011

Study reveals altered digestive genes in children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances

Researchers at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and at the Harvard Medical School report that children with autism and gastrointestinal disturbances have altered expression of genes involved in digestion. These variations may contribute to changes in the types of bacteria in their intestines.

17 Sep 2011

New diabetes drugs linked to increased risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

17 Sep 2011

Novel imaging technique reveals new visual resolution of NK cell action

Scientists reveal in more detail than ever before how white blood cells kill diseased tissue using deadly granules, in research published today in PLoS Biology.

16 Sep 2011

Teva to invest in CDI for development of novel antiviral drugs

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that it has signed a collaboration option to license and share purchase agreements to invest in Cocrystal Discovery Inc. (CDI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of serious and chronic viral diseases.

16 Sep 2011

New computational method quickly predicts three-dimensional structure of protein

An Oak Ridge National Laboratory invention able to quickly predict three-dimensional structure of protein could have huge implications for drug discovery and human health.

15 Sep 2011