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Yerkes researchers develop first transgenic nonhuman primate model of Huntington's disease

In the first study of its kind, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Human Genetics at Emory's School of Medicine, have developed the first transgenic nonhuman primate model of Huntington's disease (HD), one of the most devastating human neurodegenerative diseases.

22 May 2008

Advaxis files investigational new drug application for Lovaxin C

Advaxis Inc. completed its filing of a new investigational new drug ("IND") application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). This filing follows the successful completion of a Phase I study overseas.

20 May 2008

VCU research team awarded NIH grant to study asthma, allergic disease

A team of Virginia Commonwealth University researchers has received a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant totaling nearly $7.3 million for a Cooperative Research Center to study various aspects of asthma and allergic disease.

20 May 2008

Investigational smallpox drug may treat adenovirus infections in humans

Scientists at Saint Louis University have made two key discoveries that could lead to the first-ever human testing of a drug to target the adenovirus, which causes a number of severe upper-respiratory infections and is one of many viruses that causes the common cold.

19 May 2008

Rochester vaccine triggers immune response, prevents Alzheimer's

A vaccine created by University of Rochester Medical Center scientists prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in mice without causing inflammation or significant side effects.

19 May 2008

Nasal gel to fight superbug MRSA

British scientists are well on the way to developing a new drug to fight the 'superbug' Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

19 May 2008

Scientists discover why plague is so lethal

Bacteria that cause the bubonic plague may be more virulent than their close relatives because of a single genetic mutation, according to research published in the May issue of the journal Microbiology.

19 May 2008

Bacterial slime helps cause Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a serious but neglected emerging disease that infects humans through contaminated water. Now research published in the May issue of the journal Microbiology shows for the first time how bacteria that cause the disease survive in the environment.

19 May 2008

Scientists publish guidelines for the improved description of genomes and metagenomes

The Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC), an international initiative including representatives from a range of major sequencing and bioinformatics centres, has created a new guideline for describing genomes and metagenomes. The guideline, 'Minimum Information about a Genome Sequence' (MIGS), is published in the May issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

12 May 2008

Starpharma reports positive VivaGel clinical study results

Starpharma Holdings Limited today announced positive results of a clinical trial that achieved all its objectives demonstrating that 3% SPL7013 Gel (VivaGel) was safe and well-tolerated in sexually abstinent women when administered vaginally, twice daily for 14 days.

11 May 2008

microRNAs appear essential for retinal health

Retinas in newborn mice appear perfectly fine without any help from tiny bits of genetic material called microRNAs except for one thing - the retinas do not work.

7 May 2008

Cholera study provides exciting new way of looking at infectious disease

Scientists in Italy have discovered a new perspective in the study of infectious disease. Normally, such studies are based upon laboratory work looking at an organism and how it works within the human body.

2 May 2008

Turning on cell-cell communication wipes out staph biofilms

University of Iowa researchers have succeeded in wiping out established biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (staph) by hijacking one of the bacteria's own regulatory systems.

30 Apr 2008

Monkey malaria - the next bird flu?

An expert at the NIH has highlighted the threat of an emergent highly virulent form of malaria, questioning whether the disease has made the jump from animal to man.

22 Apr 2008

Scientists create monoclonal antibody libraries against avian influenza

An international group of American and Turkish research scientists, led by Sea Lane Biotechnologies, has created the first comprehensive monoclonal antibody libraries against avian influenza (H5N1) using samples from survivors of the 2005/2006 "bird flu" outbreak in Turkey.

15 Apr 2008

New mucosal vaccine against anthrax effective in early tests

Early studies show that a new mucosal vaccine against anthrax has the potential to provide military personnel with more effective and efficient protection against a "popular" bioweapon, according to a study published in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology (CVI).

13 Apr 2008

Solving the Z ring's mysteries may lead to new antibiotics

A team led by Johns Hopkins researchers has solved important puzzles concerning how certain proteins guide the reproduction of bacteria, discoveries that could lead to a new type of antibiotics.

9 Apr 2008

Stress worsens symptoms of endometriosis

Endometriosis is a poorly understood condition that incapacitates and affects the productivity and lifestyle of millions of women around the world.

8 Apr 2008

UK takes action against PVL-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus

Lots of work is being done to recognise and control infections such as community acquired MRSA and the UK is learning from situations in community and healthcare settings both here and abroad to stay ahead of the game, scientists will be told today at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting being held this week at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

8 Apr 2008

Problem superbugs resistant to everything

Doctors are running out of treatments for today's trauma victims and critically ill patients because of infections due to drug resistant microbes - even after resorting to using medicines thrown out 20 years ago because of severe side effects, scientists heard at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting being held this week at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

8 Apr 2008