Macromolecules News and Research

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Scientists develop first polymeric material that is sensitive to very low levels of NIR irradiation

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed what they believe to be the first polymeric material that is sensitive to biologically benign levels of near infrared (NIR) irradiation, enabling the material to disassemble in a highly controlled fashion.

4 Oct 2011

X-chromosome related microRNA may impact immunity and cancer

As anyone familiar with the phrase 'man-flu' will know women consider themselves to be the more robust side of the species when it comes to health and illness. Now new research, published in BioEssays, seems to support the idea. The research focuses on the role of MicroRNAs encoded on the X chromosome to explain why women have stronger immune systems to men and are less likely to develop cancer.

28 Sep 2011

Researchers may have solved 100-year-old puzzle to safely open and close the blood-brain barrier

Cornell University researchers may have solved a 100-year puzzle: How to safely open and close the blood-brain barrier so that therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and cancers of the central nervous system might effectively be delivered.

14 Sep 2011

Scientists discover nanoparticles can disrupt intracellular transport pathways

Scientists at the Centre of Cancer Biomedicine at the Norwegian Radium Hospital are the first to show that uptake and accumulation of nanoparticles in cells can disrupt important intracellular transport pathways.

24 Aug 2011

Pittsburgh researchers combine Viscotek GPC and Zetasizer Nano in work on novel polymers for drug delivery

Molecular weight and molecular weight distribution measurements are a basic necessity in studying the synthesis of the novel polymers being carried out by researchers at the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. For the Pittsburgh team, the applications and technical expertise provided by Malvern Panalytical is a significant factor in their use of the company’s Viscotek gel permeation chromatography (GPC) system to characterize polymer molecular weight, prior to applying the Zetasizer Nano for zeta potential measurements to study inter-molecular interactions.

From Malvern Panalytical 18 Aug 2011

New protein discovery could help develop intracellular biologic drugs

Permeon Biologics, a biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of intracellular protein biologics, today announced the discovery of an entirely new class of naturally occurring human supercharged proteins called Intraphilins-.

29 Jul 2011

Grapes help protect skin cells from sun's UV radiation

Some compounds found in grapes help to protect skin cells from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, according to a study by researchers from the University of Barcelona and the CSIC.

29 Jul 2011

DFG to form new collaborative research centers as of 1 July 2011

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish 21 new Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs) as of 1 July 2011. This was decided by the relevant Grants Committee at its spring meeting in Bonn.

4 Jun 2011

CytRx sells global rights of molecular chaperone assets to Orphazyme

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today announced that it has sold the worldwide rights to its molecular chaperone assets to privately-held, Copenhagen, Denmark-based Orphazyme ApS.

17 May 2011

Scientists develop new approach to accelerate evolution of biomolecules in lab

Scientists at Harvard University have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory.

11 Apr 2011

Scientists effectively combine two methods used as vehicles to carry DNA into cell nuclei

Scientists at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) and at the NYU College of Dentistry have discovered a biochemical version of a principle well known among confectioners. Call it the "peanut butter and chocolate" rule: Sometimes two things work better together than alone.

5 Apr 2011

BioTime to merge Glycosan with OrthoCyte

BioTime, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to merge Utah-based Glycosan BioSystems, Inc. (Glycosan) with BioTime's wholly-owned subsidiary, OrthoCyte Corporation. The acquisition is expected to close by March 18, 2011.

14 Feb 2011

New way to stabilize proteins

A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has discovered a new way to stabilize proteins — the workhorse biological macromolecules found in all organisms. Proteins serve as the functional basis of many types of biologic drugs used to treat everything from arthritis, anemia, and diabetes to cancer.

4 Feb 2011

Size exclusion chromatography illuminates protein crystallization

Understanding membrane protein crystallization is one of the main goals of molecular biology studies aimed at the structural characterization of proteins.

From Malvern Panalytical 7 Dec 2010

Marcus evans Summit highlights potential growth, innovation in drug discovery

Drug discovery scientists need to broaden their approaches to pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) and Medicinal Chemistry, to take advantage of untapped opportunities, says Torsten Hoffmann, Head Discovery Chemistry at F. Hoffmann La Roche, Basel, Switzerland. Chemical Biology allows room for innovation, but is often overlooked by scientists in the industry.

29 Nov 2010

BioNanomatrix nanoAnalyzer 1000 System to be introduced at ASHG Annual Meeting

BioNanomatrix, Inc., which is developing and commercializing breakthrough single-molecule genomic analysis technology, will introduce next month the nanoAnalyzer 1000 System at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting from November 2-6, 2010 in Washington, D.C.

28 Oct 2010

SAFC expands fermentation capabilities in Israel facility

SAFC, a member of the Sigma-Aldrich® Group (Nasdaq: SIAL), today announced the completion of its state-of-the-art expansion of its Jerusalem, Israel facility. The additional capacity expands SAFC's contract manufacturing capabilities in large molecule recombinant proteins and small molecule Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) through fermentation, including High Potent APIs (HPAPIs) and secondary metabolites.

6 Oct 2010

Generex Biotechnology receives new patent for buccal drug delivery system

Generex Biotechnology Corporation, the leader in drug delivery for metabolic diseases through the inner lining of the mouth, today announced that it has been awarded a new patent in Canada.

29 Sep 2010

Researchers identify new target for cystic fibrosis

The lab of Kevin Foskett, PhD, the Isaac Ott Professor of Physiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has found a possible new target for fighting cystic fibrosis (CF) that could compensate for the lack of a functioning ion channel in affected CF-related cells. Their finding appears in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

18 Sep 2010

Norgen Biotek launches three novel kits for urine sampling

Norgen Biotek Corp, a privately held Canadian biotechnology company focusing principally on advancing a powerful proprietary technology for application in sample preparation for nucleic acid (DNA, RNA and microRNA) and protein purification, today announced the expansion of its basket of urine-based sample preparation products by launching 3 new urine concentration, preservation and isolation kits.

15 Sep 2010