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Penn Medicine scientists identify stem-like 'progenitor' cell that produces heart muscle cells

Future therapies for failing hearts are likely to include stem-like cells and associated growth factors that regenerate heart muscle. Scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have just taken an important step towards that future by identifying a stem-like "progenitor" cell that produces only heart muscle cells.

26 Jun 2015

Errors on memory and thinking tests may signal Alzheimer's 18 years before diagnosis

A new study suggests that errors on memory and thinking tests may signal Alzheimer's up to 18 years before the disease can be diagnosed. The research is published in the June 24, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

26 Jun 2015

Wistar Institute researchers identify specific mutations responsible for ineffectiveness of flu vaccines

Viruses like influenza have the ability to mutate over time, and given that the flu vaccines administered during the 2014-2015 season were largely ineffective at preventing the spread of the flu, it appears the virus that recently circulated had taken on mutations not accounted for when last year's vaccine was developed.

26 Jun 2015

Lamont R Jones receives 2015 Research Scholar Award to study pathogenesis of keloids

Lamont R Jones, M.D., vice chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital, received the 2015 Research Scholar Award from the Educational and Research Foundation for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to continue his efforts to study the pathogenesis of keloids and improve understanding of how keloid scars develop.

26 Jun 2015

Study reveals differences in the way brain inflammation is expressed in people with Down syndrome, AD

Researchers at the University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging have completed a study that revealed differences in the way brain inflammation -- considered a key component of AD-- is expressed in different subsets of patients, in particular people with Down syndrome (DS) and AD.

26 Jun 2015

Study may help find strategies to control mosquito populations

Every time you put on bug spray this summer, you're launching a strike in the ongoing war between humans and mosquitoes -- one that is rapidly driving the evolution of the pests. Scientists studying mosquitoes in various types of environments in the United States and in Russia found that between 5 and 20 percent of a mosquito population's genome is subject to evolutionary pressures at any given time -- creating a strong signature of local adaptation to environment and humans.

26 Jun 2015

New UCLA study may lead to more precise treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Tens of millions of Americans -- an estimated 1 to 2 percent of the population -- will suffer at some point in their lifetimes from obsessive-compulsive disorder, a disorder characterized by recurrent, intrusive, and disturbing thoughts (obsessions), and/or stereotyped recurrent behaviors (compulsions).

26 Jun 2015

Diet, acidity of urine may influence susceptibility to urinary tract infections

The acidity of urine -- as well as the presence of small molecules related to diet -- may influence how well bacteria can grow in the urinary tract, a new study shows. The research, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, may have implications for treating urinary tract infections, which are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide.

26 Jun 2015

UC Santa Barbara professor develops novel therapeutic strategy for PKD

For the 12 million people worldwide who suffer from polycystic kidney disease (PKD), an inherited disorder with no known cure, a new treatment option may be on the horizon.

26 Jun 2015

Caltech chemists develop new sensitive technique that can detect colorectal cancer in tissue samples

Chemists at Caltech have developed a new sensitive technique capable of detecting colorectal cancer in tissue samples -- a method that could one day be used in clinical settings for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

26 Jun 2015

New Internet tool may help analyze genes based on their evolutionary profile

Two major revolutions, one genomic and one in informatics, are completely changing the face of biomedical research. Every day all over the world, millions of genetic sequences -- from disease-related genes to complete genomes of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses -- are resolved, identified and dissected.

26 Jun 2015

UAlberta scientists explore physical principles underlying formation of misfolded protein aggregates

Working towards the ultimate goal to develop therapeutics to treat diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and BSE (Mad Cow Disease), University of Alberta scientists Michael Woodside, Hao Yu, and Derek Dee are investigating the physical principles underlying the formation of misfolded protein aggregates.

26 Jun 2015

Growth of lymph node metastases takes advantage of existing blood vessels

While the use of antiangiogenesis drugs that block the growth of new blood vessels can improve the treatment of some cancers, clinical trials of their ability to prevent the development of new metastases have failed. Now a study from the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center may have found at least one reason why.

26 Jun 2015

Malaria parasite protein essential for parasite invasion into red blood cells

A new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that a malaria parasite protein called calcineurin is essential for parasite invasion into red blood cells. Human calcineurin is already a proven target for drugs treating other illnesses including adult rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and the new findings suggest that parasite calcineurin should be a focus for the development of new antimalarial drugs.

26 Jun 2015

New study reveals key part of Ebola virus life cycle at higher resolution than ever before

A new study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) reveals a key part of the Ebola virus life cycle at a higher resolution than ever before. The research sheds light on how Ebola virus assembles—and how researchers might stop the often-fatal infection.

26 Jun 2015

IU researchers find that microRNA-29 may be potent therapeutic target against pancreatic cancer

Indiana University cancer researchers found that a particular microRNA may be a potent therapeutic agent against pancreatic cancer. The research was published June 22 in the journal Scientific Reports.

26 Jun 2015

Animal study highlights major safety concern regarding use of MRI contrast agents in patients

New results in animals highlight a major safety concern regarding a class of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents used in millions of patients each year, according to a paper published online by the journal Investigative Radiology.

26 Jun 2015

New chemical compound reduces pancreatic cancer tumour growth by 80% in mice

Scientists from UCL (University College London) have designed a chemical compound that has reduced the growth of pancreatic cancer tumours by 80 percent in treated mice.

26 Jun 2015

Light may just be the answer for solving sleep problems among lung cancer patients

When you're having trouble sleeping, light is the last thing you assume you need. But according to a pilot study attempting to solve insomnia among lung cancer patients led by University at Buffalo sleep researcher Grace Dean, light may just be the answer.

26 Jun 2015

Lund University research questions the doctrine on how the brain recognizes and processes information

New research from Lund University in Sweden questions the prevailing doctrine on how the brain absorbs and processes information. The idea that the brain has a mechanism to maintain activity at the lowest possible level is incorrect.

26 Jun 2015

Medical Research News

Penn Medicine scientists identify stem-like 'progenitor' cell that produces heart muscle cells

Errors on memory and thinking tests may signal Alzheimer's 18 years before diagnosis

Wistar Institute researchers identify specific mutations responsible for ineffectiveness of flu vaccines

Lamont R Jones receives 2015 Research Scholar Award to study pathogenesis of keloids

Study reveals differences in the way brain inflammation is expressed in people with Down syndrome, AD

Study may help find strategies to control mosquito populations

New UCLA study may lead to more precise treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Diet, acidity of urine may influence susceptibility to urinary tract infections

UC Santa Barbara professor develops novel therapeutic strategy for PKD

Caltech chemists develop new sensitive technique that can detect colorectal cancer in tissue samples

New Internet tool may help analyze genes based on their evolutionary profile

UAlberta scientists explore physical principles underlying formation of misfolded protein aggregates

Growth of lymph node metastases takes advantage of existing blood vessels

Malaria parasite protein essential for parasite invasion into red blood cells

New study reveals key part of Ebola virus life cycle at higher resolution than ever before

IU researchers find that microRNA-29 may be potent therapeutic target against pancreatic cancer

Animal study highlights major safety concern regarding use of MRI contrast agents in patients

New chemical compound reduces pancreatic cancer tumour growth by 80% in mice

Light may just be the answer for solving sleep problems among lung cancer patients

Lund University research questions the doctrine on how the brain recognizes and processes information

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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