Molecular Biology News and Research

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Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis as well as learning how these interactions are regulated.

SGC releases 1000th high resolution protein structure

The Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC), an international public private partnership that aims to determine three dimensional structures of medically important proteins, announced today the release into the public domain of its 1000th high resolution protein structure.

29 Sep 2010

UGA researcher receives NIH award for high-risk, high-reward carbohydrate research

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a prestigious EUREKA award to Robert Woods, a professor at the University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, to develop a new method for understanding how antibodies interact with large molecules known as glycans that are a major component of all cell surfaces.

27 Sep 2010

Researchers identify mechanism that makes bacteria to resist antibiotics

A research team led by Edward Yu of Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory has discovered the crystal structures of pumps that remove heavy metal toxins from bacteria, making them resistant to antibiotics.

24 Sep 2010

AJMS journal provides research update on new infectious pathogens

Newly recognized disease-causing viruses, bacteria, and other infections are continually emerging around the world, posing difficult challenges for patient diagnosis and treatment and for public health responses. A special symposium section of the September issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, provides a research update on important new infectious pathogens.

24 Sep 2010

Golden Helix refactors HSPH's software for studying disease heritability in families

Today, Golden Helix, Inc., a global leader in genetic analysis solutions, announced a collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) under which Golden Helix is refactoring PBAT, HSPH's software for studying disease heritability in families.

23 Sep 2010

New analytical technique to improve personalized medicine

In the future, even before the start of the treatment, physicians will be able to establish how patient's blood binds a given medicine and what doze should be applied in order to obtain the concentration in the body that would be optimal for the treatment. A new simple method of analysis of chemical reactions proceeding in solutions has been developed in the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

23 Sep 2010

NIGMS director wins 2011 ASBMB Public Service Award

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has named Jeremy M. Berg, director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the winner of the nonprofit's 2011 ASBMB Howard K. Schachman Public Service Award. Berg will receive the award this evening at an ASBMB Public Affairs Advisory Committee meeting in Arlington, Va.

21 Sep 2010

Enzo Biochem streamlines operations, expects gross margin improvements

Enzo Biochem, Inc., announced today that it has streamlined its operations, which is anticipated to result in a reduction in annualized operating expenses of more than $4 million beginning in the fiscal 2011 first quarter. These initiatives are also expected to result in increased gross margins. The Company believes that the operating cost reductions, which affect all of its operating businesses as well as corporate overhead, will result in Enzo generating positive cash flow from operations in 2011.

21 Sep 2010

Discovery could lead to new treatment methods for toxoplasmosis

The parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis requires a stress response system that helps it survive the move to infect new cells, Indiana University School of Medicine scientists have reported, a discovery that could lead to new treatments to control the disease.

21 Sep 2010

Clemson biochemist receives grants to study DNA repair pathways

A Clemson biochemist has received grants totaling $787,000 to study how cells repair damaged DNA, which can cause cancer and genetic illnesses. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded Weiguo Cao three-year funding to investigate two DNA repair pathways.

21 Sep 2010

Researchers discover HIV-1 resists AZT drug

Rutgers researchers have discovered how HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, resists AZT, a drug widely used to treat AIDS. The scientists, who report their findings in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, believe their discovery helps researchers understand how important anti-AIDS treatments can fail and could help AIDS researchers develop more effective treatment for the disease.

20 Sep 2010

CMB initiates first human trial for plant-produced H1N1 influenza vaccine

Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology (CMB) announced today it has initiated the first human trial of plant-produced H1N1 influenza vaccine at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Clinical Trials Center (WRAIR-CTC).

18 Sep 2010

Researchers find bariatric surgery reduces cardiovascular disease risk

Significant weight loss not only improves daily life of morbidly obese woman but also decreases the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, many people can not lose weight or can not maintain weight loss without help. Bariatric surgery is emerging as a valuable procedure to help morbidly obese individuals lose weight, as studies have shown; it can improve many health profiles and lower mortality. Now, researchers have found another positive impact of significant weight loss after bariatric surgery, it can significantly improve the lipoprotein profiles of women within a year following surgery.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers identify bacteria responsible for chronic intestinal inflammation

Certain bacteria that inhabit the intestine provide the environmental trigger that initiates and perpetuates chronic intestinal inflammation in individuals who are genetically susceptible to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a study led by Harvard School of Public Health researchers has found.

17 Sep 2010

NEB receives SBIR funding to develop novel enzymatic reagents for epigenetic studies

New England Biolabs (NEB) has announced that it has received fast track SBIR funding of $1.22 million to fund the research and development of novel enzymatic reagents for epigenetic studies.

From New England Biolabs 16 Sep 2010

Molecule microRNA-21 enhances growth and survival of existing lung cancer

A tiny molecule that spurs the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer could become a player in fighting the disease, say researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, who published a study on how the molecule behaves in mice in the Sept. 14 issue of Cancer Cell.

14 Sep 2010

Discovery shows how cells decide what to recycle, unlocking debilitating disease's secret

Our bodies recycle proteins, the fundamental building blocks that enable cell growth and development. Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids, and scientists have known since the 1980s that first one in the chain determines the lifetime of a protein. McGill researchers have finally discovered how the cell identifies this first amino acid - and caught it on camera.

13 Sep 2010

AB SCIEX, University of Melbourne join to develop drug metabolism studies of biopharmaceuticals

AB SCIEX, a global leader in life science analytical technologies, and the University of Melbourne today announced a joint technology development project to improve drug metabolism studies of biopharmaceuticals.

13 Sep 2010

LabCorp acquires Genzyme Genetics for $925 million

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which LabCorp will acquire Genzyme Genetics, a business unit of Genzyme Corp., in an all cash transaction valued at $925 million. Net of expected income tax benefits, less acquisition related expenses, the acquisition has a net cash cost to LabCorp of approximately $795 million.

13 Sep 2010

Wisdom teeth contain reservoir of tissues to create stem cells: Study

For most people, wisdom teeth are not much more than an annoyance that eventually needs to be removed. However, a new study appearing in the September 17 Journal of Biological Chemistry shows that wisdom teeth contain a valuable reservoir of tissue for the creation of stem cells; thus, everyone might be carrying around his or her own personal stem-cell repository should he or she ever need some.

13 Sep 2010