Biochemistry

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New generation of drugs targets cancer cells’ vulnerability with broken genes

In recent years, new cancer treatments have brought hope to people who once had limited options. But for others, the wait for an effective drug continues.

12 Oct 2017

Scientists manipulate living cells to produce fluorinated bioplastics

Natural organic compounds that contain fluorine are rare because living organisms—with a few exceptions—do not produce them.

4 Oct 2017

Zinc may help stop growth of esophageal cancer

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have discovered that zinc targets and blocks a specific calcium channel in esophageal cancer cells, preventing them from proliferating.

2 Oct 2017

Benefits of Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer Treatment

Biomarkers fall into different categories: diagnostic biomarkers, are used to identify a disease; prognostic biomarkers, help clinicians to determine, for example, whether you're more likely to die or have problems with a disease; and there are some that can be used to inform treatment, to determine whether one therapy would be more successful than another.

2 Oct 2017

High-speed method generates mini-protein binders with potential to become new class of drugs

Scientists have created a high-speed method to generate thousands of different, small, stable proteins from scratch that can be custom-designed to bind to specific therapeutic targets.

27 Sep 2017

Advanced technique could pave way for cascade of new steroidal therapeutics

Researchers at Dartmouth College have developed a technique to produce synthetic steroids that could pave the way for a cascade of new drug discoveries. The process, published in the journal Nature Chemistry, facilitates access to rare, mirror-image isomers of naturally occurring steroid structures.

26 Sep 2017

Analytical Science in Precision Medicine

Pittcon is an analytical conference, so naturally my talk will be about analytical chemistry and how analytical chemistry will become increasingly important in delivering healthcare solutions, not only for rich people, but also, hopefully, for poor people across the world.

From Pittcon 19 Sep 2017

Research: The body's fat-metabolism causes detoxification of harmful substances from blood sugar

For several years, medical researchers, doctors, and dieticians have known that a low carbohydrate diet and plentiful fat can prevent a range of lifestyle and age-related diseases and thus promote healthy aging. But researchers from around the world have not been able to explain why this is the case.

18 Sep 2017

Research reveals sugary secrets of protein important for development and cancer progression

The proteins in human cells are extensively decorated with different types of sugars, a phenomenon called glycosylation. These modifications greatly increase the diversity of protein structure and function, affecting how proteins fold, how they behave, and where they go in cells.

15 Sep 2017

Heidelberg researchers gain new insights into formation of blood vessels

New insights into the development of the vascular system: researchers in the team of Dr Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar of the Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center have discovered a crucial biological step that regulates the formation of blood vessels.

15 Sep 2017

Nanoparticle bling could increase sensitivity of test strips for better cancer detection

The most common test strip people might think of for diagnosis is a home pregnancy test. Pregnant women have steadily increasing levels of the biomarker human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is easily detectable in urine and a thin, colorful strip of antibodies will appear when hCG is present.

13 Sep 2017

Virginia Tech research provides new mechanistic insights into health benefits of olives and olive oil

The health benefits of olives-- and associated natural products such as olive oil--have long been recognized and touted by proponents of the Mediterranean diet.

13 Sep 2017

ARL researchers identify hydrogen-producing power of urine

Scientists at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory observed an unexpected result when combining urine with a newly engineered nano-powder based on aluminum. It instantly releases hydrogen from the urine at much higher rate than with ordinary water.

12 Sep 2017

Compounds in fermented fish paste inhibit enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis

Compounds in a fermented fish paste used as a condiment in Indonesia efficiently inhibit an enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis, reports a study published in the Pertanika journal Tropical Agricultural Science.

11 Sep 2017

New discovery reveals gut bacteria and human cells speak the same chemical language

We have a symbiotic relationship with the trillions of bacteria that live in our bodies--they help us, we help them. It turns out that they even speak the same language.

30 Aug 2017

Researchers develop new approach to efficiently produce versatile antibody therapies

A group of researchers has developed an approach to efficiently produce antibodies that can bind to two different target molecules simultaneously, a long-desired innovation in the field of cancer immunotherapy.

29 Aug 2017

UMass Amherst chemist receives NSF funding to set up new center for autonomous chemistry

University of Massachusetts Amherst chemist Sankaran "Thai" Thayumanavan has received a three-year, $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a multi-university Center for Autonomous Chemistry, where he and colleagues, including chemist Vince Rotello, will seek to design artificial self-activating systems, or "automatic control as nature does it," in Thayumanavan's words.

23 Aug 2017

Counteracting premature aging

Aging is the continuing process of such stress exposures, and with advancing age (normal aging), we must carry lots of senescent cells within our bodies. Senescent cells also often provide some ‘bad influences’ to surrounding healthy cells; such as chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis

14 Aug 2017

Ants can adapt their chemical profile over short evolutionary periods, say biologists

The bodies of ants and other insects are covered with a thin, wax-like layer that protects them from desiccation and enables them to exchange information, in social insects, for instance, to differentiate between enemies and nestmates.