Molecular & Structural Biology

RSS

Researchers find mechanism underlying plasticity in adult brains

Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections — the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger — are nurtured and reinforced, while connections deemed unnecessary are pruned away.

24 Dec 2020

Researchers discover how shattered chromosomes make cancer cells more aggressive

Cancer is one of the world's greatest health afflictions because, unlike some diseases, it is a moving target, constantly evolving to evade and resist treatment.

23 Dec 2020

Researchers identify new weapon to battle the rising tide of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

As scientists around the globe wage war against a novel, deadly virus, one University of Colorado Boulder lab is working on new weapons to battle a different microbial threat: a rising tide of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which, if left unchecked, could kill an estimated 10 million people annually by 2050.

23 Dec 2020

Researcher discovers seven DNA fingerprints that define cancer risk

Lifestyle, or put another way 'bad habits', is one of the textbook explanations for why some people are at higher risk for cancer.

23 Dec 2020

Study uncovers a new paradigm for the role of the thymus in pregnancy

How the immune system adapts to pregnancy has puzzled researchers for decades. An international team of researchers, including scientists from IMBA – Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences – has now discovered that important changes in the thymus occur in order to prevent miscarriages and gestational diabetes.

23 Dec 2020

Molecular reporters produce fluorescence to expose the allies of tumor cells

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults. Roughly five in every 100,000 people develop this type of cancer each year.

23 Dec 2020

Scientists discover molecular defects associated with rare genetic disorder in children

Damien D'Amours and his team at the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology needed three years to discover the molecular defects associated with the LIC Syndrome, a serious genetic disorder that affects young children and result in acute respiratory distress, immune deficiency and abnormal chromosomes.

22 Dec 2020

Gene-regulating snippet of RNA may contribute to breast cancer metastasis

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists have discovered a gene-regulating snippet of RNA that may contribute to the spread of many breast cancers.

22 Dec 2020

Study shows neuropeptide corazonin regulates the release of diapause hormone in silkworms

Diapause is a seasonal adaptation strategy of insects and animals where biological functions are put on hold, such as insect eggs that remain dormant until conditions are more favorable to hatch.

21 Dec 2020

Study highlights the far-reaching effects of mutagenic compounds on human health

In order to survive, flourish and successfully reproduce, organisms rely on a high degree of genetic stability. Mutagenic agents, which can threaten the integrity of the genetic code by causing mutations in DNA, pose a serious risk to human health.

21 Dec 2020

Study provides new insights into the molecular underpinnings of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

A UT Southwestern research team has catalogued gene activity in the skeletal muscle of mice, comparing healthy animals to those carrying a genetic mutation that causes Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) in humans.

21 Dec 2020

The weak spot of colon cancer stem cells

Colon cancer stem cells have one weak spot: the enzyme Mll1. An MDC team led by Walter Birchmeier has now shown in Nature Communications that blocking this protein prevents the development of new tumors in the body.

21 Dec 2020

Stem cell engineering used to identify gene signaling pathway linked to schizophrenia

Using human-induced pluripotent stem cells engineered from a single family's blood samples, a gene signaling pathway linked to a higher risk for developing schizophrenia was discovered by scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

21 Dec 2020

Research reveals development stages of plaques in Alzheimer's disease

One cannot simply look inside someone else’s head. This makes it difficult to understand what is happening in the brains of people with dementia. A new method offers insights.

21 Dec 2020

Salk scientists develop computational model showing how the brain maintains short-term memories

If you've ever forgotten something mere seconds after it was at the forefront of your mind--the name of a dish you were about to order at a restaurant, for instance--then you know how important working memory is.

17 Dec 2020

Discovery of protein function could be important for future chemotherapy treatment

Chemotherapy attacks all cells in our body and not just cancer cells, which is why patients undergoing the treatment often experience side effects such as physical weakness, hair loss and nausea.

17 Dec 2020

Study uncovers a new means of neuronal communication in the brain

An international research group has discovered in the human brain a new functional coupling mechanism between neurons, which may serve as a communication channel between brain regions.

17 Dec 2020

Scientists develop an enhanced version of phototoxic protein

Scientists from Skoltech, the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of RAS, and the London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS) have developed an enhanced version of SuperNova, a genetically encoded phototoxic synthesizer, that helps control intracellular processes by light exposure.

17 Dec 2020

Supercomputer simulations lead to an important viral inhibitor discovery

University of New Hampshire researchers recently used Comet at the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego and Stampede2 at the Texas Advanced Computing Center to identify new inhibitor binding/unbinding pathways in an RNA-based virus.

17 Dec 2020

New model of brain activity could inform the design of improved artificial intelligence systems

Getting computers to "think" like humans is the holy grail of artificial intelligence, but human brains turn out to be tough acts to follow. The human brain is a master of applying previously learned knowledge to new situations and constantly refining what's been learned.

17 Dec 2020

Molecular & Structural Biology

Researchers find mechanism underlying plasticity in adult brains

Researchers discover how shattered chromosomes make cancer cells more aggressive

Researchers identify new weapon to battle the rising tide of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researcher discovers seven DNA fingerprints that define cancer risk

Study uncovers a new paradigm for the role of the thymus in pregnancy

Molecular reporters produce fluorescence to expose the allies of tumor cells

Scientists discover molecular defects associated with rare genetic disorder in children

Gene-regulating snippet of RNA may contribute to breast cancer metastasis

Study shows neuropeptide corazonin regulates the release of diapause hormone in silkworms

Study highlights the far-reaching effects of mutagenic compounds on human health

Study provides new insights into the molecular underpinnings of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The weak spot of colon cancer stem cells

Stem cell engineering used to identify gene signaling pathway linked to schizophrenia

Research reveals development stages of plaques in Alzheimer's disease

Salk scientists develop computational model showing how the brain maintains short-term memories

Discovery of protein function could be important for future chemotherapy treatment

Study uncovers a new means of neuronal communication in the brain

Scientists develop an enhanced version of phototoxic protein

Supercomputer simulations lead to an important viral inhibitor discovery

New model of brain activity could inform the design of improved artificial intelligence systems

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

Latest Life Science News