Molecular & Structural Biology

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Scientists show how coconut oil is metabolized in the liver

Coconut oil has increasingly found its way into German kitchens in recent years, although its alleged health benefits are controversial. Scientists at the University of Bonn have now been able to show how it is metabolized in the liver.

26 Jan 2021

Anchor proteins inhibit a key metabolic driver that plays critical role in cancer and neuronal diseases

Certain anchor proteins inhibit a key metabolic driver that plays an important role in cancer and developmental brain disorders.

26 Jan 2021

New study unravels complete sequence of DNA repair mechanism

Every living organism has DNA, and every living organism engages in DNA replication, the process by which DNA makes an exact copy of itself during cell division. While it's a tried-and-true process, problems can arise.

25 Jan 2021

Stem cell based cell culture model to recapitulate important aspects of NAFLD

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a widespread condition in the Western World. Around 30% of the population have lipid droplets stored in their liver which diminish its function in the long term.

25 Jan 2021

UC research team uses zebrafish to study a gene mutation that causes congenital scoliosis

Popular in aquariums all over the world, the zebrafish is native to South Asia. But here in a Cincinnati Children's laboratory, the freshwater variant plays a vital role in scientific discovery.

22 Jan 2021

Pancreatic β cell-derived exosomal miR-29s manipulate glucose homeostasis

In a new study published in Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Chen-Yu Zhang's group at Nanjing University, School of Life Sciences, and Antonio Vidal-Puig's group at University of Cambridge report that pancreatic β cells secrete miR-29 family members (miR-29s) via exosomes in response to high levels of free fatty acids (FFAs).

22 Jan 2021

A single genetic test can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair deficiency

Researchers have developed a new integrated genetic/epigenetic DNA-sequencing protocol known as MultiMMR that can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in a single test from a small sample of DNA in colon, endometrial, and other cancers.

21 Jan 2021

Scientists discover mechanism for transient memory lapse

In a landmark neurobiology study, scientists from Scripps Research have discovered a memory gating system that employs the neurotransmitter dopamine to direct transient forgetting, a temporary lapse of memory which spontaneously returns.

21 Jan 2021

Using gene therapy to mimic the effects of physical exercise

It sounds too good to be true - and it is. But Jose Bianco Moreira and the CERG research group at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology are convinced that some of the positive health effects of physical exercise can be achieved using gene therapy and medication.

21 Jan 2021

Size of synapses determines the strength of information transmission

Nerve cells communicate with one another via synapses. Neuroscientists at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich have now found that these connections seem to be much more powerful than previously thought.

21 Jan 2021

Putatively immature dendritic cells may induce robust immune responses in young children

A study by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers shows that putatively immature dendritic cells found in young children are able to induce robust immune responses. The results could lead to improved vaccination protocols.

20 Jan 2021

FISH technique can be used to probe sperm DNA for chromosomal defects

Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are known to cause harsh side effects that patients can see or feel throughout their bodies.

19 Jan 2021

Magnetic nanoparticles guide neurite growth in dopaminergic cells

Magnetic nanoparticles raise hopes of treatments for Parkinson’s.

19 Jan 2021

Gene-cutting system may play second role as a genetic dimmer switch

In a series of experiments with laboratory-cultured bacteria, Johns Hopkins scientists have found evidence that there is a second role for the widely used gene-cutting system CRISPR-Cas9 -- as a genetic dimmer switch for CRISPR-Cas9 genes.

19 Jan 2021

Research finds new evidence about the mechanisms controlling skin repair and regeneration

As the air continues to dry and temperatures drop, the yearly battle against dry hands and skin has officially begun. New research from Northwestern University has found new evidence deep within the skin about the mechanisms controlling skin repair and renewal.

19 Jan 2021

Study: Perineuronal nets are responsible for long-term stability of mental maps

A reliable sense of space is essential for daily life and memory formation. Removing sugar-coated proteins around neurons in the brains' internal gps makes the mental map of space unstable, shows in a study published in the journal Nature communications.

19 Jan 2021

Researchers define tumor invasion machinery orchestrated by a master cancer gene

Researchers investigated how cancer genes lead to the breakdown of the capsule that prevents cancerous cells from invading the surrounding healthy tissues and - find a hijacked "molecular crowbar".

18 Jan 2021

Researchers develop a technique to modify biological polymers with protein-based biochemical messages

Imagine going to a surgeon to have a diseased or injured organ switched out for a fully functional, laboratory-grown replacement. This remains science fiction and not reality because researchers today struggle to organize cells into the complex 3D arrangements that our bodies can master on their own.

18 Jan 2021

CoQ10 supplement could be a valuable complementary therapeutic option for various diseases

A study led by scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) has found that a supplement of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an essential molecule for life that is synthesized in the cells of our organs and tissues and is also acquired through diet, could constitute a valuable complementary therapeutic option in the treatment of certain mitochondrial diseases, colon cancer, thyroid carcinoma, and Crohn’s disease.

18 Jan 2021

New therapeutic approach enables functional recovery after spinal cord injury in mice

Using gene therapy, a research team has succeeded for the first time in getting mice to walk again after a complete cross-sectional injury. The nerve cells produced the curative protein themselves.

16 Jan 2021

Molecular & Structural Biology

Scientists show how coconut oil is metabolized in the liver

Anchor proteins inhibit a key metabolic driver that plays critical role in cancer and neuronal diseases

New study unravels complete sequence of DNA repair mechanism

Stem cell based cell culture model to recapitulate important aspects of NAFLD

UC research team uses zebrafish to study a gene mutation that causes congenital scoliosis

Pancreatic β cell-derived exosomal miR-29s manipulate glucose homeostasis

A single genetic test can identify the presence and cause of mismatch repair deficiency

Scientists discover mechanism for transient memory lapse

Using gene therapy to mimic the effects of physical exercise

Size of synapses determines the strength of information transmission

Putatively immature dendritic cells may induce robust immune responses in young children

FISH technique can be used to probe sperm DNA for chromosomal defects

Magnetic nanoparticles guide neurite growth in dopaminergic cells

Gene-cutting system may play second role as a genetic dimmer switch

Research finds new evidence about the mechanisms controlling skin repair and regeneration

Study: Perineuronal nets are responsible for long-term stability of mental maps

Researchers define tumor invasion machinery orchestrated by a master cancer gene

Researchers develop a technique to modify biological polymers with protein-based biochemical messages

CoQ10 supplement could be a valuable complementary therapeutic option for various diseases

New therapeutic approach enables functional recovery after spinal cord injury in mice

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

Evolving spectrophotometry for modern biopharma workflows

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