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New theory for how stem cells decide whether to become liver or pancreatic cells

Harvard stem cell scientists have a new theory for how stem cells decide whether to become liver or pancreatic cells during development. A cell's fate, the researchers found, is determined by the nearby presence of prostaglandin E2, a messenger molecule best known for its role in inflammation and pain.

14 Feb 2014

Researchers find unique role for p66Shc adaptor protein in regulating glucose and cell growth

A protein that has been known until recently as part of a complex communications network within the cell also plays a direct role in regulating sugar metabolism, according to a new study published on-line in the journal Science Signaling (February 18, 2014).

14 Feb 2014

New approach for treating leukemia

A group of researchers at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of Université de Montréal discovered a promising new approach to treating leukemia by disarming a gene that is responsible for tumor progression.

14 Feb 2014

Exposure to common infections linked to memory and brain function

Exposure to common infections is linked to memory and brain function - even if the infections never made you ill, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2014.

13 Feb 2014

Researchers reveal how genome-editing tool works as 'guided missile' to correct errors in genetic code

Researchers from the Broad Institute and MIT have teamed up with colleagues from the University of Tokyo to form the first high definition picture of the Cas9 complex - a key part of the CRISPR-Cas system used by scientists as a genome-editing tool to silence genes and probe the biology of cells. Their findings, which are reported this week in Cell, are expected to help researchers refine and further engineer the tool to accelerate genomic research and bring the technology closer to use in the treatment of human genetic disease.

13 Feb 2014

Researchers discover promising new approach for leukemia treatment

A group of researchers at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of Universit- de Montr-al discovered a promising new approach to treating leukemia by disarming a gene that is responsible for tumor progression. That gene, known as Brg1 is a key regulator of leukemia stem cells that are the root cause of the disease, resistance to treatment and relapse.

13 Feb 2014

Scientists take steps to identify genetic component to bipolar disorder

Scientists know there is a strong genetic component to bipolar disorder, but they have had an extremely difficult time identifying the genes that cause it. So, in an effort to better understand the illness's genetic causes, researchers at UCLA tried a new approach.

13 Feb 2014

Study uncovers how gut bacteria metabolize complex dietary carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables

We are all aware of the health benefits of dietary fiber. But what is dietary fiber and how do we metabolize it?

13 Feb 2014

Odor-producing chemicals in earwax differ according to ethnic origin

Scientists from the Monell Center have used analytical organic chemistry to identify the presence of odor-producing chemical compounds in human earwax. Further, they found that the amounts of these compounds differ between individuals of East Asian origin and Caucasians.

13 Feb 2014

CHOP develops unique laboratory test to characterize genes that encode HLA molecules

Immunogenetics experts at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have developed a unique laboratory test to characterize the genes that encode HLA molecules. The test relies on faster, more comprehensive gene sequencing technology to type human leukocyte antigens (HLAs)--complex, highly variable proteins on cell surfaces that are essential to immune function.

13 Feb 2014

Sedation before nerve block significantly increases false-positive results, shows study

New research suggests that sedating patients before a nerve block needed to diagnose or treat chronic pain increases costs, risks and unnecessary surgeries, and sedation does nothing to increase patient satisfaction or long-term pain control.

13 Feb 2014

Severe skin reactions during radiation therapy could be prevented by applying silicone dressing

Severe skin reactions during radiation therapy could be prevented by applying a thin transparent silicone dressing to the skin from the first day of treatment, clinical research from New Zealand shows.

13 Feb 2014

UMMS launches Voyager Therapeutics to develop life-changing treatments for fatal diseases

UMass Medical School (UMMS) recognizes the launch today of Voyager Therapeutics, a gene therapy company founded by four world leaders in the fields of AAV gene therapy, RNA biology and neuroscience, to develop life-changing treatments for fatal and debilitating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

13 Feb 2014

Engineers turn cells common in scar tissue into colonies of beating heart cells

Poets and physicians know that a scarred heart cannot beat the way it used to, but the science of reprogramming cells offers hope--for the physical heart, at least.

13 Feb 2014

Researchers learn about the impact invasive zebra mussels have on risk of algae blooms

Researchers at Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resources Institute are learning more about the impact invasive zebra mussels and native aquatic insect larvae have on the risk of algae blooms in two West Michigan lakes. The results of the research will be published in the journal Oikos.

13 Feb 2014

Long-term physical activity improves cardiovascular health by targeting heart cells' powerhouses

Whether lifting weights in a gym or just walking around the block, exercise has many benefits, such as helping people lose weight and build stronger muscles. Some studies suggest that it may reduce the risk of developing cancer and other diseases.

13 Feb 2014

Researchers discover pre-leukemic stem cell that triggers relapse in patients with AML

Cancer researchers led by stem cell scientist Dr. John Dick have discovered a pre-leukemic stem cell that may be the first step in initiating disease and also the culprit that evades therapy and triggers relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

13 Feb 2014

First evidence of link between prenatal vitamin A deficiency and postnatal asthma

A team of Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) investigators led by Wellington V. Cardoso, MD, PhD, has found the first direct evidence of a link between prenatal vitamin A deficiency and postnatal airway hyperresponsiveness, a hallmark of asthma.

13 Feb 2014

Study shows benefit of double mastectomy in women with BRCA-related breast cancer

Women with BRCA-related breast cancer who have a double mastectomy are nearly 50 per cent less likely to die of breast cancer within 20 years of diagnosis compared to women who have a single mastectomy, according to a new study led by Women's College Hospital's Kelly Metcalfe.

12 Feb 2014

Novel compound appears to protect mice against movement problems associated with PD

Scientists report that they have developed a novel compound that appears to protect mice against developing movement problems associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The research, which could one day in the future translate into a therapy that could halt the progression of PD and thereby prevent the symptoms of the disease, appears in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

12 Feb 2014

Medical Science News

New theory for how stem cells decide whether to become liver or pancreatic cells

Researchers find unique role for p66Shc adaptor protein in regulating glucose and cell growth

New approach for treating leukemia

Exposure to common infections linked to memory and brain function

Researchers reveal how genome-editing tool works as 'guided missile' to correct errors in genetic code

Researchers discover promising new approach for leukemia treatment

Scientists take steps to identify genetic component to bipolar disorder

Study uncovers how gut bacteria metabolize complex dietary carbohydrates in fruits, vegetables

Odor-producing chemicals in earwax differ according to ethnic origin

CHOP develops unique laboratory test to characterize genes that encode HLA molecules

Sedation before nerve block significantly increases false-positive results, shows study

Severe skin reactions during radiation therapy could be prevented by applying silicone dressing

UMMS launches Voyager Therapeutics to develop life-changing treatments for fatal diseases

Engineers turn cells common in scar tissue into colonies of beating heart cells

Researchers learn about the impact invasive zebra mussels have on risk of algae blooms

Long-term physical activity improves cardiovascular health by targeting heart cells' powerhouses

Researchers discover pre-leukemic stem cell that triggers relapse in patients with AML

First evidence of link between prenatal vitamin A deficiency and postnatal asthma

Study shows benefit of double mastectomy in women with BRCA-related breast cancer

Novel compound appears to protect mice against movement problems associated with PD

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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