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UMass Medical School students win 2014 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award

Colin Conine and Emma Watson, PhD students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, received the 2014 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award for research into the mechanisms governing epigenetic inheritance and the complex interactions between diet, gene expression and physiology.

26 Mar 2014

Scientists discover why cerebellar granule cell neurons in A-T patients fail to repair DNA damage

A team of scientists, led by Stuart Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Neuroscience and Aging Research Center at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, recently discovered why cerebellar granule cell neurons in patients suffering from ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) were unable to repair DNA damage and thus died.

26 Mar 2014

Research findings point to potential biomarkers for early detection of at-risk youth

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered impaired neuronal activity in the parts of the brain associated with anticipatory functioning among occasional 18- to 24-year-old users of stimulant drugs, such as cocaine, amphetamines and prescription drugs such as Adderall.

26 Mar 2014

TG2 protein is a key mediator in Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, study finds

Scientists at Forsyth, along with a colleague from Northwestern University, have discovered that the protein, Transgultaminase 2 (TG2), is a key component in the process of gum disease. TG2 is widely distributed inside and outside of human cells. The scientists found that blocking some associations of TG2 prevents the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG) from adhering to cells. This insight may one day help lead to novel therapies to prevent gum disease caused by PG.

26 Mar 2014

MIT biological engineers trying to adapt MRI to visualize gene activity inside the brains of living animals

Doctors commonly use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnose tumors, damage from stroke, and many other medical conditions. Neuroscientists also rely on it as a research tool for identifying parts of the brain that carry out different cognitive functions.

26 Mar 2014

Stem cell research opens doors to potential new treatments for bipolar disorder

What makes a person bipolar, prone to manic highs and deep, depressed lows? Why does bipolar disorder run so strongly in families, even though no single gene is to blame? And why is it so hard to find new treatments for a condition that affects 200 million people worldwide?

26 Mar 2014

Peach extract prevents breast cancer metastasis in mice

Lab tests at Texas A&M AgriLife Research have shown that treatments with peach extract inhibit breast cancer metastasis in mice.

26 Mar 2014

BioRestorative Therapies, Rohto sign Research and Development Agreement

BioRestorative Therapies, Inc., a life sciences company focused on adult stem cell-based therapies for various personal medical applications, today announced that it has entered into a Research and Development Agreement with Rohto Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd. Under the Agreement, BRT has been engaged to provide stem cell research and development services.

25 Mar 2014

The Center for Applied Nanotechnology presents a ready-to-use reagent for the detection of poly-histidine tagged proteins in Blot assays

The nano-experts from the Center for Applied Nanotechnology (CAN) GmbH expand their product portfolio by CANdots® Series G - His Detect, which is a ready-to-use reagent for the detection of poly-histidine tagged proteins in Blot assays. It is easy to handle, highly sensitive as well as time saving compared to standard methods available on the market, e.g. ECL.

25 Mar 2014

Vestibular system is critical for optimizing head and eye movements

Neurologists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have studied the role of the vestibular system, which controls balance, in optimizing how we direct our gaze. The results could lead to more effective rehabilitation of patients with vestibular or cerebellar dysfunction.

25 Mar 2014

Radiation therapy fights cancer in more ways than one

Radiation therapy fights cancer in more ways than one. Not only does it force cancer cells to self-destruct, but several studies demonstrate that it also activates the immune system to attack tumor cells.

25 Mar 2014

Bielefeld neuroscientists present a new bodily illusion

To induce an illusory perception of the material properties of the hand, a group of neuroscientists from Bielefeld University, the Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics (Germany), and the University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy) asked volunteers to sit with their hands lying on a table in front of them.

25 Mar 2014

Researchers exploit plasmonic nanoparticles to kill tumour cells

If you put your hand over a switched-on torch in the dark, it appears to glow red. This is because long-wavelength red light beams penetrate human tissue more effectively than short-wavelength blue light.

25 Mar 2014

Study shows how transcription factor p73 promotes process of producing fertile sperm

The process of producing high-quality, fertile sperm requires many steps. A study in The Journal of Cell Biology shows how the transcription factor p73 promotes this process by regulating the adhesions between developing sperm and their support cells.

25 Mar 2014

Research findings underscore importance of mice as reservoirs for tick-borne pathogens

People living in northern and central parts of the U.S. are more likely to contract Lyme disease and other tick-borne ailments when white-footed mice are abundant. Mice are effective at transferring disease-causing pathogens to feeding ticks. And, according to an in-press paper in the journal Ecology, these "super hosts" appear indifferent to larval tick infestations.

25 Mar 2014

XBP1 gene plays pivotal role in the growth and progression of triple negative breast cancer

Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College and Houston Methodist have found that a gene previously unassociated with breast cancer plays a pivotal role in the growth and progression of the triple negative form of the disease, a particularly deadly strain that often has few treatment options. Their research, published in this week's Nature, suggests that targeting the gene may be a new approach to treating the disease.

25 Mar 2014

New subcellular mechanism identified for fast transmission in basket cells of the brain

In his third major research paper since December 2013, IST Austria Professor Peter Jonas together with his collaborator, postdoc Hua Hu, identifies a new subcellular mechanism for reliable, fast transmission in the so-called basket cells of the brain.

25 Mar 2014

Researchers develop one-step analysis for detecting tumor markers in blood

Benign growth, or cancer? Tumor markers in the blood help determine whether the patient is afflicted with a malign tumor and whether it is excreting markers more vigorously - involving highly specific proteins. An increased concentration in the blood provides one indication of the disease for physicians. However, it has been quite expensive in time and effort to detect the markers thus far. This is because all kinds of molecules and proteins are teeming in the blood. To be able to detect a single specific one, doctors must first separate and purify the blood in several steps, and then isolate the marker they are searching for from the rest of the molecules.

25 Mar 2014

Low dose injections of artificial properdin provide protection against septic diseases

Researchers at the University of Leicester have produced an artificial version of a naturally occurring protein, properdin, which has been found to successfully combat bacterial pneumonia and meningitis when tested in mice.

25 Mar 2014

Marina Cavazzana, Adrian J. Thrasher honored with Pioneer Award for gene therapy

Marina Cavazzana, MD, PhD, Paris Descartes University, France and Adrian J. Thrasher, MD, PhD, University College London Institute of Child Health, UK, have been honored with the Pioneer Award for basic and clinical gene therapy for immunodeficiency disorders.

25 Mar 2014

Medical Science News

UMass Medical School students win 2014 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award

Scientists discover why cerebellar granule cell neurons in A-T patients fail to repair DNA damage

Research findings point to potential biomarkers for early detection of at-risk youth

TG2 protein is a key mediator in Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, study finds

MIT biological engineers trying to adapt MRI to visualize gene activity inside the brains of living animals

Stem cell research opens doors to potential new treatments for bipolar disorder

Peach extract prevents breast cancer metastasis in mice

BioRestorative Therapies, Rohto sign Research and Development Agreement

The Center for Applied Nanotechnology presents a ready-to-use reagent for the detection of poly-histidine tagged proteins in Blot assays

Vestibular system is critical for optimizing head and eye movements

Radiation therapy fights cancer in more ways than one

Bielefeld neuroscientists present a new bodily illusion

Researchers exploit plasmonic nanoparticles to kill tumour cells

Study shows how transcription factor p73 promotes process of producing fertile sperm

Research findings underscore importance of mice as reservoirs for tick-borne pathogens

XBP1 gene plays pivotal role in the growth and progression of triple negative breast cancer

New subcellular mechanism identified for fast transmission in basket cells of the brain

Researchers develop one-step analysis for detecting tumor markers in blood

Low dose injections of artificial properdin provide protection against septic diseases

Marina Cavazzana, Adrian J. Thrasher honored with Pioneer Award for gene therapy

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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