Molecular & Structural Biology

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Scientists discover how a 'sociable' protein can hold clues about Alzheimer's origin

An international team of scientists led by the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, have found how the ECSIT protein dictates the behavior of proteins linked to the energy activity in mitochondria, which is largely affected in Alzheimer's disease.

16 Dec 2020

Discovery about DNA repair enzyme could lead to new treatments for certain cancers

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found a new way to prevent some tumours from repairing their own DNA, a function that is essential for cancer cell survival.

16 Dec 2020

Deep Longevity releases first AI-powered psychological aging clocks

Today, Deep Longevity, a company developing artificial intelligence to track human aging and extend productive longevity, released the first AI-powered psychological aging clocks to analyze and interpret psychosocial factors in the context of aging.

16 Dec 2020

JHU scientists decode neural mechanisms of computer programming

By mapping the brain activity of expert computer programmers while they puzzled over code, Johns Hopkins University scientists have found the neural mechanics behind this increasingly vital skill.

15 Dec 2020

Economic activity can actively change the brain, shows study

Researchers at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience have shown experimentally that economic activity can actively change the brain.

15 Dec 2020

New tool aids in the discovery of RNA medicines for undruggable diseases

Imagine trying to throw a bullseye when the dartboard lies buried within a crumpled box. That's the challenge faced by scientists working to make new medicines for some "undruggable" diseases, including a type of metastatic breast cancer.

15 Dec 2020

Scientists show a sort of signature in the brains of lonely people

This holiday season will be a lonely one for many people as social distancing due to COVID-19 continues, and it is important to understand how isolation affects our health.

15 Dec 2020

MIPT researchers use zebrafish to study chronic stress

A team of researchers led by MIPT's Allan Kalueff has studied chronic stress in zebrafish and determined that the animal can serve as a valuable model species for research into the associated brain diseases, complementing research currently done on rodents.

14 Dec 2020

Study unlocks some muscle cell secrets

A muscle fiber consists of just one cell, but many nuclei. A team at the MDC led by Professor Carmen Birchmeier has now shown just how varied these nuclei are.

11 Dec 2020

Active enzyme needed to unlock full benefits of vitamin A in carrots

Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin A. But to get the full health benefits of this superfood, you need an active enzyme to produce this vitamin.

11 Dec 2020

Research provides new insights into Glioblastoma invasiveness

One of the hallmarks of Glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive type of brain cancer, is its high invasive capacity, which leads to its expansion into the normal brain tissue.

11 Dec 2020

Study identifies protein as potential therapeutic target for leishmaniasis vaccines

According to the results of research led by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), one the various strategies deployed by the Leishmania parasite to avoid triggering the human immune system is to activate the SHP-1 protein.

11 Dec 2020

Study uncovers genetic risks of Takayasu arteritis

In a paper published today in the American Journal of Human Genetics, a group of international collaborators led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine identified new genetic associations that can predict individual susceptibility to a rare inflammatory disease called Takayasu arteritis.

11 Dec 2020

UCLA researchers identify gene that could help predict cervical cancer treatment response

UCLA researchers have identified a potential diagnostic marker that could help predict how likely someone with cervical cancer is to respond to the standard treatment of chemotherapy and radiation.

11 Dec 2020

Hematoxylin compounds can selectively kill CALR mutant cancer cells

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), a group of malignant diseases of the bone marrow, often have a carcinogenic mutated form of the calreticulin gene (CALR).

10 Dec 2020

Scientists shed light on how neurons form long-term memories

On a late summer day in 1953, a young man who would soon be known as patient H.M. underwent experimental surgery. In an attempt to treat his debilitating seizures, a surgeon removed portions of his brain, including part of a structure called the hippocampus. The seizures stopped.

9 Dec 2020

Repair protein may prevent damage to healthy cells during cancer therapy

A key way radiation therapy and chemotherapy work is by making highly lethal double-strand breaks in the DNA of cancer cells.

9 Dec 2020

Research illuminates regulatory mechanism of ubiquitin-proteasome system in DNA damage repair

An international research team has clarified the regulatory mechanism of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in recognizing and repairing DNA that has been damaged by ultraviolet (UV) light.

8 Dec 2020

Dihydrogen phosphate anions bind together even in dilute solutions, study shows

Scientists at UNSW Sydney, together with collaborators from Western Sydney University and The Netherlands, were surprised to find that dihydrogen phosphate anions - vital inorganic ions for cellular activity - bind with other dihydrogen phosphate anions despite being negatively charged.

8 Dec 2020

Study elucidates the link between oxytocin gene methylation and parental empathy

Parenting behavior is deeply linked to the ability to empathize with one’s children. Thus, to better understand why certain parents react to certain situations in a certain way, it is crucial to gain insight into how empathy is shaped.

8 Dec 2020