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NIH honors Scripps Florida postdoctoral fellow with Pathway to Independence Award

The career of Antonio (Tony) Amelio, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cancer Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, has gotten a boost from the National Institutes of Health in the form of a Howard Temin Pathway to Independence Award in Cancer Research.

17 Oct 2012

Novel drug increases survival in animal models exposed to high-dose radiation

A novel drug that mimics a naturally occurring molecule found in coffee and blueberries has been developed to treat radiation exposure. Charles R. Yates, Pharm.D., Ph.D., and colleagues Duane Miller, Ph.D., and Waleed Gaber, Ph.D., from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Baylor College of Medicine, show that application of this drug, starting 24 hours after radiation exposure, increases survival in animal models by three-fold compared to placebo.

17 Oct 2012

Recurrent patterns of genomic imbalances determine evolution of invasive breast cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is considered a precursor lesion for invasive breast cancer if untreated, and is found in approximately 45% of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Patients with DCIS only (not accompanied by invasive disease) have a 5-year-survival of nearly 100%, compared to 89% for all stages of invasive breast cancer (24% for patients with distant metastasis).

17 Oct 2012

UAF scientists discover evolutionary origin of air breathing in vertebrates

University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists have identified what they think is the ancestral trait that allowed for the evolution of air breathing in vertebrates. They will present their research at the 42nd annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience Oct. 17 in New Orleans.

17 Oct 2012

UMass professor receives $1 million LRI grant for lupus research

The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) has named University of Massachusetts Medical School Professor of Medicine Ann Marshak-Rothstein, MD, one of two recipients of the first LRI Distinguished Innovator Awards.

17 Oct 2012

BioLineRx completes pre-clinical development of BL-8020 for HCV

BioLineRx, a biopharmaceutical development company, announced today that it has successfully completed the pre-clinical development of BL-8020, an orally available, interferon-free treatment for the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and plans to commence a Phase I/II safety and efficacy study for BL-8020 in Europe during the first quarter of 2013.

17 Oct 2012

Positive results from PROLOR's Rpeg preclinical toxicology study

PROLOR Biotech, Inc. today announced positive results from a preclinical toxicology study designed to assess the safety and tolerability of PROLOR's proprietary long-acting reversible-pegylation technology.

17 Oct 2012

Prion protein helps the brain to absorb zinc

Scientists from the University of Leeds have found that the protein called prion helps our brains to absorb zinc, which is believed to be crucial to our ability to learn and the wellbeing of our memory.

17 Oct 2012

Brachyury variation may increase risk of chordoma

A genetic variation possessed by 40% of the population is associated with a five-fold increase in risk for developing chordoma, a cancer that strikes the bones of the skull and spine.

17 Oct 2012

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduces MYECL Imager instrument

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today introduced the Thermo Scientific MYECL Imager, an easy-to-use imaging instrument that delivers one-touch image capture and analysis of protein and nucleic acid gels and Western blots.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 17 Oct 2012

FDA approves Hologic’s APTIMA HPV 16 18/45 Genotype Assay for use on TIGRIS system

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company's APTIMA HPV 16 18/45 Genotype Assay for use on its TIGRIS instrument system.

From Hologic, Inc. 16 Oct 2012

Study identifies multipotent and unipotent stem cells that contribute to prostate postnatal development

Publication in Nature Cell Biology advanced on line publication: researchers at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, ULB identify multipotent and unipotent Stem Cells (SCs) that contribute to prostate postnatal development.

16 Oct 2012

LRRK2 inhibitors may provide neuroprotection for patients with Parkinson's

For decades, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have had the same experience. Their hands start to shake uncontrollably, their limbs become rigid and they lose their balance. Years before those movement problems set in, many begin struggling with fainting, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and depression. Many patients are still treated with a 42-year-old drug called L-DOPA, which temporarily staves off symptoms but can itself cause heart arrhythmias, stomach bleeding and hallucinations.

16 Oct 2012

Companionship can reduce nerve-related pain

Companionship has the potential to reduce pain linked to nerve damage, according to a new study.

16 Oct 2012

Animal research shows promise in treating AD, brain damage and heart problems resulting from SCIs

New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today.

16 Oct 2012

U-M professor receives 2012 ASA Excellence in Research Award

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) today presented Ralph Lydic, Ph.D. with its 2012 ASA Excellence in Research Award. Dr. Lydic, well known for his research on the neurobiology of sleep and breathing, received the award at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2012 annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

16 Oct 2012

Gravity changes affect immune system development

New research findings recently published in The FASEB Journal, show that immune system development is affected by gravity changes, as reported by researchers from the University of Lorraine and University of Luxembourg. Astronauts are exposed to stresses, during launch and landing, which disrupts their body's natural defenses against infection. Changes to the immune system need to be investigated before astronauts undergo longer space missions.

16 Oct 2012

Fat cells need sleep to function properly: Study

In a study that challenges the long-held notion that the primary function of sleep is to give rest to the brain, researchers have found that not getting enough shut-eye has a harmful impact on fat cells, reducing by 30 percent their ability to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates energy.

16 Oct 2012

Flagellin in house dust may worsen allergic responses to inhaled substances

A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergic responses to indoor allergens, according to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and Duke University. The finding is the first to document the presence of the protein flagellin in house dust, bolstering the link between allergic asthma and the environment.

16 Oct 2012

Mother rats respond much differently to cocaine than non-mothers

Mother rats respond much differently to cocaine than female rats that have never given birth, according to new University of Michigan research that looks at both behavior and brain chemistry.

16 Oct 2012