Archives

Headlines: 2003

2003 Headlines & Reports

Special Reports

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December 2003

First link found in humans between common gene and artery-clogging disease (31/12)
Study in NEJM indicates dietary fatty acids may influence atherosclerosis in a segment of the population genetically at risk.

MIT helps unlock life-extending secrets of calorie restriction (31/12)
Shedding light on why drastically restricting calorie intake prolongs life span in some organisms, MIT researchers report in the Jan. 1 issue of Genes & Development that lowering the level of a common coenzyme activates an anti-aging gene in yeast.

Prion proteins may store memories (30/12)
Study hints at vital job for two-faced proteins.

New understanding of why brain cells die after stroke will lead to development of new treatments (24/12)
Scientists at Toronto Western Hospital and the University of Toronto have found a major mechanism that causes brain cells to die from stroke.

Stem-cell 'secret of youth' found (23/12)
Chemical might help human cells reach clinic.

Fat-free mice born (19/12)
Cholesterol mutants could shed light on heart disease.

Chimp vs. human DNA: what's in the 1% difference (18/12)
DNA analysis for chimpanzees and humans reveals striking differences in genes for smell, metabolism and hearing.

Key appetite regulator may be identified, scientists report (18/12)
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered the first direct evidence in mammals that a chemical intermediate in the production of fatty acids is a key regulator of appetite, according to a report in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Aged roaches experience perils of stiff joints, find Case researchers (18/12)
Humans are not alone in suffering the ravages of aging. Cockroaches endure it, too.

Parasite protein shows promise for Ebola treatment (13/12)
Anti-clotting agent boosts survival of virus-infected monkeys.

Gene 'key' to alcohol's effects (12/12)
Scientists believe they have uncovered a key gene which may account for many of the effects of alcohol on the brain.

Mice mimic pancreatic cancer (11/12)
New animal model could help catch hidden lethal tumours.

Chimp genome draft completed (10/12)
Closest relative's code will highlight human qualities.

Mouse embryonic germ cells and male gametes created in the lab (10/12)
Findings have implications for human stem-cell work and research on infertility, embryonic development, and cancer.

Ebola virus-like particles prevent lethal Ebola virus infection (09/12)
Scientists successfully immunized mice against Ebola virus using virus-like particles (VLPs) that are non-infectious but elicit an immune response.

Scaredy-rats die young (09/12)
High stress life may take toll on longevity.

Engineered pig organs survive in monkeys (08/12)
Humanised kidneys appear to thwart first round of rejection.

Drug Hope For Transplant Children (19/12)
Children given transplant operations might need less damaging drug treatments to keep them healthy in future, say experts. Transplant patients need drugs to suppress their immune systems so that the body does not reject the new organ. This often includes a powerful steroid, but this, in the case of children, can have harmful long-term effects. But researchers say that a steroid-free drug regime is possible.

Test Predicts Tumour Aggression (13/12)
Scientists have found a way to predict which women with breast cancer have the most aggressive forms of the disease. A test which can be carried out on tumour tissue removed from the breast detects a chemical linked to the speed the tumour has been growing. Researchers from the MRC Cancer Cell Unit at Cambridge University say the technique could help doctors give women the right level of treatment.

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November 2003

Finger and toe joints 'grown' for patients (06/11)
Surgeons have successfully grown new finger and toe joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis, saying the technique can reverse the damage caused by the disease, restoring movement and eliminating pain. Surgeons at Tampere University of Technology in Finland say it could become widely available within a year.

Gene 'switches off' breast cancer (03/11)
Scientists have been able to "turn off" genetic switches and stop breast cancer developing. The research in mice, carried out by a team at the University of California, could lead to the design of new drugs to target the disease. They suggested it may be possible to reverse tumour growth or prevent breast cancer altogether.

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October 2003

DNA Drug Offers Leukemia Hope (20/10)
Scientists believe they may be close to finding a new and more effective way to treat leukemia. British researchers have developed a drug which can dramatically slow down the progression of the disease in mice.

HIV drugs boost 10-year survival (17/10)
The vast majority of HIV patients taking the latest combination treatments survive at least a decade, say researchers. Trials across several European countries found death rates from Aids have fallen by 80% since 1997, when the regime was introduced.

Virus 'protects against asthma' (08/10)
People who have caught hepatitis A may be protected against asthma, according to scientists in the United States. They believe the virus stops the immune system from reacting to allergens that may trigger asthma in some people.

One in three will have diabetes (07/10)
One in three Americans born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes, researchers have estimated. They say the risk of developing diabetes is almost as high as the risk of developing heart disease. The increase is largely due to a rise in obesity, which is a major risk factor for the disease.

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September 2003

First cloned rats born (26/09)
Genetically identical rodents may help pinpoint gene function.

Dog genome published by researchers at TIGR and TCAG (25/09)
New technique, partial shotgun-genome sequencing at 1.5X coverage of genome, provides a useful, cost-effective way to increase number of large genomes analyzed.

Research shows therapeutic cloning can cure Parkinson's-like disease in mice (21/09)
New research from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Cornell University, and The University of Connecticut describes a novel way of producing therapeutic nerve cells that can cure mice with Parkinson's-like disease.

Researchers now on road to isolating skin stem cells (19/09)
Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) have taken the first major step toward isolating adult stem cells from mouse skin, having developed a test that confirms the presence and number of stem cells in a given amount of tissue.

Genes discovered that regulate blood stem cell development (18/09)
Studies in zebrafish lead to better understanding of blood formation and leukemia development.

Adult stem cell research (18/09)
Paper in Cell is conclusive evidence the heart can renew itself.

Novel therapeutic target identified in fight against Rheumatoid Arthritis (16/09)
A team of scientists, led by Toshihiro Nakajima at the St Marianna University School of Medicine in Japan, has identified an exciting therapeutic target that may lead to the development of new treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

And the beat goes on: New insight into the genetics of congenital heart disease (16/09)
Using a sophisticated approach to alter gene activity in the embryo, scientists have identified a potential culprit for one of the most common human congenital heart malformations, AVCD (atrioventricular canal defect).

Mouse Study Gives New View Of Anthrax Toxin (04/09)
A large-scale study of anthrax in mice has yielded new information about immune system response to anthrax bacteria, according to scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the National Institutes of Health.

UCSD Researchers Decipher Function Of Blood-brain Barrier In Bacterial Meningitis (04/09)
The first line of defense used by the human blood-brain barrier in response to bacterial meningitis is described by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine in a study published in the September 2, 2003 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Natural fat compound may be basis for new class of drugs targeting obesity (03/09)
UCI study identifies how fatty compound curbs hunger, reduces weight.

Ingenium publishes biological characterization of first mouse model for kidney stones (03/09)
Ingenium Pharmaceuticals AG announced today the publication in the journal Human Molecular Genetics of the first mouse model for cystinuria type I, a disease commonly known as kidney stones.

Chicken embryo research tunes into inner ear (02/09)
Purdue University biologists have learned how to control the development of stem cells in the inner ears of embryonic chickens, a discovery which could potentially improve the ability to treat human diseases that cause deafness and vertigo.

UCSD researchers decipher function of blood-brain barrier in bacterial meningitis (02/09)
The first line of defense used by the human blood-brain barrier in response to bacterial meningitis is described by UCSD researchers.

Mouse, stripped of a key gene, resists diabetes (02/09)
An engineered mouse, already known to be immune to the weight gain ramifications of a high-calorie, high-fat diet, now seems able to resist the onset of diabetes.

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August 2003

Gene that is crucial for antibody-producing cell development is key to blood cell cancer (27/08)
Finding that an abnormally active Bcl10 gene drives B cells to become cancerous suggests blocking the gene would be an effective treatment for MALT lymphoma.

Cloak of human proteins gets HIV into cells (26/08)
Three Johns Hopkins researchers propose, for the first time, that HIV and other retroviruses can use a Trojan horse style of infection, taking advantage of a cloak of human proteins to sneak into cells.

Cell transplant restores vision (25/08)
A blind man can see again after being given a stem cell transplant.

Molecules discovered that extend life in yeast, human cells (24/08)
Group of compounds found in red wine, vegetables simulate benefit of low-calorie diet.

UGA research team reveals molecular key to cell division (21/08)
Anyone who made it to high school biology has learned about mitosis, or cell division. One cell divides into two, two into four and so forth in a process designed to pass on exact copies of the DNA in chromosomes to daughter cells.

Genes that paint fly derrieres hint at convergence (20/08)
How vastly different animals arrive at the same body plan or pattern of ornamentation has long been a conundrum of developmental biology.

Tipping the balance of prion infectivity (20/08)
Two important questions face biologists studying the infectious proteins called prions: What stops prions that infect one species from infecting another species and what causes the invisible transmission barrier between species to fail sometimes?

Small subset of cells has big role in controlling immunity, study finds (15/08)
A small subset of cells that tells the immune system whether to attack may be a future target for therapies to help patients fight tumors and keep transplanted organs, a Medical College of Georgia researcher say.

Researchers identify second gene responsible for rare syndrome associated with skeletal defects (15/08)
UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researchers have discovered a second gene responsible for a rare syndrome that causes the loss of bone from the lower jaw, fingers, toes and collarbone.

Findings in frog oocytes may help study of chromosome physiology (14/08)
Researchers studying the nuclei of frog oocytes in early stages of meiosis -- the cell division that gives rise to germ cells -- have found that two key proteins remain apart at a crucial time before condensation occurs.

Long-lived stem cells heal heart attacks (11/08)
Injections of hardy stem cells have helped rats to recover from a heart attack.

Immune system 'fights allergies' (11/08)
The immune system - often seen as the enemy in severe allergic reactions - could be harnessed to fight them, scientists have suggested.

Stanford research shows targeted DNA vaccine may reverse autoimmune disease (10/08)
Stanford University Medical Center researchers have developed a way to tailor therapies to combat the specific inappropriate responses of autoimmune diseases in mice.

Researchers identify new cause of genomic instability (08/08)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers sifting through the indispensable machinery that senses and fixes broken DNA have discovered a new culprit that can induce instability in the genome and thereby set the stage for cancer to develop.

Creation of new neurons critical to antidepressant action in mice (07/08)
Blocking the formation of neurons in the hippocampus blocks the behavioral effects of antidepressants in mice, say researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Gene therapy delays death in mouse with symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease (07/08)
It's not a cure, but a novel form of gene therapy has delayed symptoms and almost doubled life expectancy in mice with the equivalent of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Controlling body size by regulating the number of cells (06/08)
Why are elephants bigger than mice? The main reason is that mice have fewer cells. Research published in Journal of Biology this week uncovers a key pathway that controls the number of cells in an animal, thereby controlling its size.

Mouse studies reveal immune mechanism involved in bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency (04/08)
If confirmed in humans, discovery could lead to prevention strategies for postmenopausal bone loss.

Mutation may help cause acute myeloid leukemia (08/01)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that a chromosome defect often seen in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can cause the same disease in mice when combined with a genetic defect in a molecule known as a tyrosine kinase receptor.

Study of leishmania parasite may lead to vaccine, new treatments (08/01)
Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has revealed several essential functions of the molecule covering the surface of the Leishmania parasite.

Stem cell death gives clue to brain cell survival (08/01)
A signal that triggers half the stem cells in the developing brain to commit suicide at a stage where their survival will likely do more harm than good has been identified by researchers at the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia.

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July 2003

UT Southwestern researchers discover method of postponing labor in mice (28/07)
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered a way to inhibit a biochemical process that accompanies labor and to postpone delivery for one to two days in pregnant mice.

UCSF-led team discovers possible cancer 'susceptibility' gene (27/07)
A UCSF-led team has identified a common variant of a gene known as Aurora2 that may increase susceptibility to cancer development.

Collagen sealant 'speeds healing' (25/07)
Pouring a collagen-based sealant into a wound could speed up healing - and may reduce scarring, say doctors.

UIC researchers pinpoint genes involved in cancer growth (21/07)
In a study made possible by the sequencing of the human genome, scientists at the University of Illinois at Chicago have identified 57 genes involved in the growth of human tumor cells.

New Approach to Gene Knockouts Reveals the "Master Planners" of the Skeleton (18/07)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers are moving closer to understanding how the global pattern of the skeleton of mammals is formed during development.

How anthrax evades attack (17/07)
Scientists have discovered how anthrax avoids attack by the immune system.

Frog eggs rejuvenate human cells (15/07)
Amphibian extract may take adult DNA back to stem-cell state.

Gene defect 'causes early menopause' (13/07)
Scientists have discovered a genetic fault which could cause women to go through an early menopause.

New target for skin cancer confirmed (13/07)
A University of Minnesota study has confirmed the pivotal role of an enzyme known as JNK2 in the development of nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Muscular dystrophy drug progress (06/07)
Scientists are encouraged by the early success of treatment which may eventually help patients with a form of muscular dystrophy

Scientists focusing on how exercise raises immunity (02/07)
An increasing number of doctors and other health experts have been encouraging older adults to rise from their recliners and go for a walk, a bike ride, a swim, or engage in just about any other form of physical activity as a defense against the potentially harmful health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

Researchers identify clotting protein which causes hepatitis B (02/07)
Discovery offers ‘new hope to patients by paving the way for future therapies that will change the course of hepatitis’.

Stem cell hope for spinal injuries (02/07)
Cells from human embryos have been used to make paralysed rats walk again.

Mice born from transplanted womb (02/07)
First live offspring from surgically implanted uterus.

Mice made to host HIV (01/07)
A human protein allows virus replication in mouse cells.

Clue to Old Age Memory Loss (01/07)
Alzheimer's affects four million people worldwide. Scientists have taken a step towards finding out why memory deteriorates with age. Researchers in the United States have found that memory loss may be linked to so-called brain tangles.

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June 2003

Male Sex Hormones Cooperate With Breast Cancer Gene To Suppress Tumors, Salk Scientists Find (27/06)
BRCA-2, a gene linked with breast and ovarian cancer, cooperates with male sex hormones to enhance its ability to activate transcription of genes, which may suppress tumor formation in normal cells, Salk Institute researchers have found.

Human stem cells improve movement in paralyzed rats (27/06)
Johns Hopkins researchers report that injection of human stem cells into the fluid around the spinal cord of each of 15 paralyzed rats clearly improved the animals' ability to control their hind limbs -- but not at all in the way the scientists had expected.

Immune system may help Ebola infect (26/06)
Mouse study suggests some antibodies usher deadly virus into cells.

Hope for beating silent killer (24/06)
Scientists are moving closer to developing an early screening method for a cancer known as the silent killer.

'Mimics' may open screen(ing) door to GPCR drugs (24/06)
A team of scientists at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute and partners have engineered "soluble mimics" of rhodopsin, the light-sensing protein that lies deeply embedded in membranes of retina cells of the eye.

Gene linked to Tourette's syndrome (23/06)
DNA defect may cause involuntary physical and verbal tics.

Gene tells time for bed (20/06)
Night owls and early birds owe differences to clock-gene length.

Y chromosome sequence completed (19/06)
DNA readout reveals genetic palindromes safeguard male-defining chromosome.

Gene clues to high blood pressure (19/06)
Scientists have taken a step forward in their efforts to find out why some people develop high blood pressure.

Pox parts list published (18/06)
Inventory of vital smallpox virus genes offers hope not threat.

Secrets of prostate cancer spread (17/06)
Scientists say they have found out more about how prostate cancer manages to spread away from the gland to the rest of the body.

Muscle Protein Has Role In Nerve Disorders (17/06)
A protein that plays a role in muscular dystrophies also may be involved in peripheral neuropathy -- disorders of the nerves that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

Mayo Clinic researchers discover new immune system molecule that can help or harm health (17/06)
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a new member of the important B7 family of immune system "co-stimulators." Co-stimulators are molecules that are capable of turning the immune system on or off -- and in the process, profoundly affecting human health.

Injection prevents blinding blood vessel growth in mice (17/06)
Researchers at Johns Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals have identified an experimental medicine that stops the blinding blood vessel growth associated with diabetic eye diseases and possibly macular degeneration in laboratory mice.

New antibiotics 'could prove deadly' (16/06)
A new class of antibiotics offers massive benefits to today's patients - but could place future generations in danger, say experts.

Scientists build a bridge for new bone (16/06)
University of Toronto scientists have developed a biodegradable scaffold, similar in structure to a dish sponge, that significantly speeds the rate of bone healing.

Transplantation tolerance: Of mice and men (16/06)
Little is known about the effect of an individual's immune history on their response to a donated tissue transplant. An important study by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, reveals that individuals harboring virally-induced memory T cells that are cross reactive with donor antigens are resistant to conventional strategies designed to induce transplant tolerance.

UCSD Researchers Identify Gene Involved in Bipolar Disorder (15/06)
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have identified a specific gene that causes bipolar disorder in a subset of patients who suffer from this debilitating psychiatric illness.

Genes hint at HIV genesis (13/06)
Monkey probably original source of AIDS virus. Take two monkey viruses, feed to chimps, incubate for several years - and eat. That's the recipe for creating HIV, a new study suggests.

Silent DNA architecture helps block cancer cell growth (12/06)
Researchers uncover new tumor suppression mechanism.

Doped rats lose track of time (10/06)
Rodent study raises concerns about effect of cannabis on concentration.

'Lost' protein may lead to new prostate cancer treatment (09/06)
Northwestern University researchers have found that a protein normally made in the body is critical for normal prostate growth regulation because mice that lack this protein develop an enlarged prostate.

Mouse study identifies protective mechanism against alcohol-induced embryo toxicity (09/06)
Researchers have identified a mechanism by which the eight amino acid peptide NAP, an active fragment of a neuroprotective brain protein, protects against alcohol-induced embryo toxicity and growth retardation in mice.

A bacterial inflammatory protein linked with heart disease risk (09/06)
Italian researchers have found another link between inflammation and heart disease, they report in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

UT Southwestern researchers discover stages used by immune system cells to eliminate viral infections, cancer cells (09/06)
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have partially uncovered the stages in the elimination of viral infections and cancer cells by the human immune system, a finding that may lead to better treatments for certain cancers.

Human arteries grown from scratch (06/06)
Lab-reared vessels may provide stockpile for bypass surgery.

'Nanoparticles' could carry cancer drugs (06/06)
Drugs could be carried more efficiently to tackle brain tumours by encasing them in specially-designed "nanoparticles", say researchers.

Plants and People Share a Molecular Signaling System, Researchers Discover (05/06)
Scientists announce in the current issue of the journal Nature their discovery that plants respond to environmental stresses with a sequence of molecular signals known in humans and other mammals as the "G-protein signaling pathway," revealing that this signaling strategy has long been conserved throughout evolution.

Scientists starve malaria parasite (04/06)
Scientists have discovered a way to kill the malaria parasite - by targeting its sweet tooth.

Blood substitute from worms shows promise (04/06)
Worms may help doctors get round the worldwide blood shortage. Preliminary tests hint that their haemoglobin might be a good red-cell alternative, say researchers.

Spread of cancer blocked (04/06)
Scientists have successfully blocked the spread of human breast cancer implanted into mice.

Jefferson scientists create tobacco plant to produce antibodies against rabies (03/06)
Researchers at the Biotechnology Foundation at Jefferson Medical College have genetically engineered tobacco plants to produce human proteins – antibodies – against rabies.

Protein linked to brain cell scarring after injury (03/06)
A new study links a protein discovered a few years ago at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with formation of scar tissue that occurs after injury to nerve cells in the brain or spinal cord.

Mice offer wound healing clues (02/06)
Scientists are hoping that experiments on genetically-modified mice will produce ways to make human wounds heal better.

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May 2003

Yeast genomes reveal new sites of gene control (30/05)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have begun unraveling the network of genes and proteins that regulate the lives of cells. The investigators compared the genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) to those of five other yeast species to identify all the locations at which molecules known as regulatory proteins attach to DNA to turn genes on and off.

Researchers challenge belief of how macrophage activity is controlled by biochemical brake pedal (29/05)
St. Jude researchers show that SOCS3 blocks only macrophage activation initiated by IL-6, and discover unexpected pathway by which macrophages can cause potentially fatal inflammatory responses.

Scientists find genetic link between blood flow patterns and cardiovascular disease (05/27)
A team of scientists at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology has found a genetic link between mechanical changes in blood flow patterns and the development of atherosclerotic plaques.

Novel Flu Vaccine Shows Promise in Mice (05/27)
If Successful in Humans, Vaccine Could Eliminate Annual Flu Shot.

Malaria vaccine gets a boost (05/26)
By injecting human volunteers with one scrap of DNA and then another in a poxvirus, researchers have tricked their immune systems into producing enough cells to attack malaria.

Male fertility gene found (22/05)
Scientists have discovered a gene which is crucial to male fertility.

Lithium Shows Promise Against Alzheimer’s in Mouse Model (21/05)
An enzyme crucial to formation of Alzheimer’s plaques and tangles may hold promise as a target for future medications, suggest studies in mice and cells. By blocking the enzyme, lithium stems the accumulation of beta amyloid, which forms Alzheimer’s plaques, scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report in the May 22, 2003 Nature.

Hope for Aids vaccine (20/05)
Researchers have discovered that a small group of Ugandans seem to have natural protection against HIV.

Protein fragment found to help improve chemotherapy (20/05)
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California have isolated a protein fragment derived from the cancer immunotherapy drug interleukin 2 (IL-2) that seems to enhance the uptake of chemotherapeutic agents into tumors.

It's a knockout (19/05)
First rat to have key genes altered. Researchers have altered genes in rats to create strains with genetic characteristics of their choosing - a long-sought tool for studying disease.

Combined effect of proteins saves lives in cases of pneumonia (16/05)
An effective host defence to the most prevalent form of pneumonia is only obtained if two proteins combine their forces.

Scientists Identify Mechanism for Tumor Death by Radiation (16/05)
For more than 40 years, it has been accepted that radiation kills tumors by damaging their DNA and that other elements that are part of the tumor mass, such as connective tissue and blood vessels, are minimally affected by radiation or not at all. New research by scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center published in the May 16 issue of the journal Science challenges this notion.

Researchers discover important genetic flaw in family affected by schizophrenia (15/05)
Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a genetic flaw in a family suffering with schizophrenia that may help to explain an important biochemical process implicated in the onset of the disease.

SARS' Achilles' heel revealed (15/05)
Drugs to treat common cold may be effective against the virus.

Mayo Clinic Researchers Discover Protective Gene Mutation in Some HIV-Infected Patients; May Explain How HIV Progresses to AIDS (15/05)
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a naturally occurring "good guy" for patients infected with HIV. It is a helpful gene mutation that impairs the HIV virus’ cell-killing machinery, thus preserving immune system function.

A new discovery by scientists at the MNI may provide insights into Multiple Sclerosis (13/05)
In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, Dr. Tim Kennedy and colleagues have discovered that netrin-1 directs the normal movement of the cells that become oligodendrocytes in the developing spinal cord. Oligodendrocytes are the cells that provide critical support for the nerve cells – they make myelin.

Protein mimetics could lead to more successful coronary bypasses (12/05)
Severe spasm of blood vessels contributes to the failure of coronary bypass surgeries and to strokes following the rupture of an aneurysm in the brain. A complex signaling pathway controls relaxation in smooth muscle cells, but researchers at Arizona State University have discovered how to bypass it.

Tiny protein prevents disease-related cell death (09/05)
A team of researchers led by The Burnham Institute's John C. Reed, M.D., Ph.D., has found that humanin, a small, 24-amino acid protein recently discovered in studies of Alzheimer's Disease, suppresses activation of the protein Bax.

Secrets Of Drug Resistance Revealed (09/05)
the race to stay one step ahead of drug-resistant bacteria, scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley obtained high-resolution images of a protein complex found in bacteria that repels a wide range of antibiotics.

Researchers find signs of lethal cell division in mouse models for AD (09/05)
Mouse models for Alzheimer disease fail to mimic substantial loss of nerve cells in AD. However, researchers now have discovered that, just like in their human counterparts, nerve cells which are at-risk for death in AD, make an attempt at cell division, an almost always lethal choice for adult nerve cells.

Bone disease linked to stem cell 'fault' (09/05)
A fault in the way the body replenishes bone stem cells could help explain why people develop osteoporosis.

Gene Screen Nabs New Colon-Cancer Genes (09/03)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have combed through a catalog of all known tyrosine kinase enzymes to identify new gene mutations that occur in a significant fraction of colon cancers.

Clue to prion formation found, offers step toward treating puzzling diseases (08/05)
Dartmouth Medical School biochemists studying the mysteries of these prion particles have discovered a novel step in their formation.

Muscle-Repair Defect Underlies Two Muscular Dystrophies (08/05)
A protein defective in two types of muscular dystrophy also appears to be important in repairing damaged muscle, according to Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers at the University of Iowa College of Medicine.

Gene enhances prefrontal function at a price (07/05)
Studies of a gene that affects how efficiently the brain's frontal lobes process information are revealing some untidy consequences of a tiny variation in its molecular structure and how it may increase susceptibility to schizophrenia .

Newly discovered mutations possibly linked to breast cancer (07/05)
In a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago has identified two previously unknown mutations that cause excessive estrogen production in men -- and may be linked to certain kinds of breast cancer.

Engineered Proteins Will Lead to 'Synthetic Biology' (07/05)
Duke University Medical Center biochemists have developed a computational method to design proteins that can specifically detect a wide array of chemicals from TNT to brain chemicals involved in neurological disorders.

Smart virus eliminates brain cancer in animal experiments (06/05)
A research team led by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has tested a novel "viral smart bomb" therapy that can completely eradicate brain tumors in mice, while leaving normal brain tissue alone.

Gene secret of 'mythical curse' (05/05)
Scientists have found the gene responsible for the rare condition Ondine's Curse - where sufferers 'forget' to breathe.

Gene clue to motor neurone (03/05)
Scientists may have found a genetic mutation which may help unravel why people get the devastating condition motor neurone disease (MND).

HIV 'hijacks immune system' (02/05)
HIV harnesses the body's own immune system to help it spread rapidly throughout the body, scientists have discovered.

Gene scale scores stem cells (01/05)
Scientists have proposed a simple scale of 88 genes to gauge the usefulness of stem cells.

Eggs 'created' from stem cells (01/05)
Scientists have managed to make stem cells taken from mouse embryos develop into eggs in a test tube.

Researchers identify important function of NF2 tumor suppressor (01/05)
Protein plays role in inherited cancer syndrome, may be key to other tumors. A research team based at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has identified a key cellular function of a protein known to be involved in the rare genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2).

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April 2003

Gene change causes diabetes (30/04)
Tiny variations in a single gene might put some people at risk of developing type one diabetes, research suggests.

Researchers discover structure of Nature's 'circuit breaker' (30/04)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have answered an important question in biology by discovering the exquisite mechanism by which channels in the cell membrane sense voltage changes that trigger them to snap open or slam shut with extraordinary speed and precision.

Anthrax genome decoded (30/04)
The complete genetic blueprint of Bacillus anthracis--the microbe that gained notoriety during the 2001 anthrax mail attacks--is now known, researchers announced today.

Binding studies suggest drug development strategy for lupus (30/04)
Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center have figured out how Tall-1, a protein implicated in the disease lupus, binds to its main receptor, Baff-R. The findings suggest that a small fragment of the Baff-R receptor could be developed as a treatment for lupus and other autoimmune diseases.

Borrowing from Ebola virus could aid cystic fibrosis gene therapy (30/04)
A problem with current efforts in developing a cystic fibrosis gene therapy is that delivering genes into airway cells is inefficient and requires disrupting the integrity of the cell layer. However, a finding by University of Iowa researchers and colleagues may help solve the problem by using a surprising tool -- a modified piece of the Ebola virus.

Enzyme found in blood vessels likely target to treat lung injury (29/04)
Scientists at Northwestern University have demonstrated that an enzyme vital to normal function of blood vessels also can be an Achilles heel during infection-induced or ventilator-induced lung injury.

GenoMyc binding (29/04)
Two papers in the May 1 issue of Genes & Development reveal unexpectedly widespread genomic binding by the Myc protein – prompting scientists to consider that this highly studied human oncogene may still have a few secrets to reveal.

Molecules trigger inflammation in Alzheimer disease (29/04)
The main pathological signature of Alzheimer disease (AD), which causes progressive memory loss in its victims, is plaques in the brain. Currently, massive research efforts are geared toward eliminating these plaques.

Purification of signaling protein may boost tissue engineering (28/04)
The purification of a powerful signaling molecule that coaxes cells to mature may also signal the beginning of a new era in tissue engineering.

Gene discovery may shed light on carpel tunnel syndrome and Lou Gehrig's disease (28/04)
Scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified the gene responsible for two related, inherited neurological disorders, and have, for the first time, directly implicated this gene and its enzyme product in a human genetic disease.

TSRI scientists show that rare genetic mutations increase susceptibility to sepsis (28/04)
A group of researchers from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered rare genetic mutations in a subset of people who come down with a particular kind of severe sepsis, an acute and often deadly disease.

Staph infection process leading to B cell suicide described by UCSD researchers (28/04)
The method that Staphylococcus aureus (staph) infection uses to inactivate the body's immune response and cause previously healthy B cells to commit suicide, is described for the first time by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine in the May 5, 2003 issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

Four gene 'micronet' found to regulate social behavior in female mice (28/04)
What do the brain, ovaries and nose have in common? According to new research from The Rockefeller University, these three organs help orchestrate the complex behavior called social recognition in female mice through the interaction of four genes.

Wake Forest scientists develop colony of mice that fight off virulent cancer (28/04)
Scientists at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University have developed a colony of mice that successfully fight off virulent transplanted cancers.

Scientists report discovery of cancer-causing gene in childhood kidney tumor (28/04)
In a discovery sparked by a routine check-up of a young cancer survivor, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston have identified a gene responsible for a childhood form of the kidney tumor papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC).

Researchers discover method of predicting drug resistance in hepatitis-B patients (28/04)
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have discovered a way to predict which hepatitis-B infected patients will respond successfully to the drug lamivudine--one of the most commonly used treatments for this illness--and which are likely to develop drug resistance or reject the drug altogether.

Cell signalling clue to cancer (26/04)
A significant breakthrough in understanding the communication system within the body's cells could aid research into cancer.

Adult stem cells shown to develop into all brain cell types (25/04)
Researchers at the University of Minnesota provide evidence for the first time that stem cells derived from adult bone marrow and injected into the blastocyst of a mouse can differentiate into all major types of cells found in the brain.

Gene variation raises risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (24/04)
A research team based at the University of Chicago has traced increased susceptibility to bipolar disorder to two overlapping genes found on the long arm of chromosome 13.

Scientists Discover "Drive Shaft" in Mechanism That Propels Parasite into Cells (24/04)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that a common protein known as aldolase, which is used in cells to produce energy from sugars, serves as a kind of drive shaft in the parasite Toxoplasma as it propels itself into host cells to cause infection.

Protein interactions demonstrate that Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease may share a common fiber (24/04)
Penn researchers determined that the protein that forms plaques in Parkinson's disease can induce another protein to form plaques associated with Alzheimer's.

Virus used to kill food bug (23/04)
Sheep carry a virus which could be harnessed to kill the E.coli food poisoning bug.

Stem cells found in baby teeth (23/04)
Scientists have found another source of stem cells for research - the pulp of a child's first set of teeth.

An Unexplored Genomic Terrain in a Handful of Dirt (18/04)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers and their colleagues have literally unearthed a treasure trove of genomic information from ten newly identified viruses found in the monkey pit at the Bronx Zoo and other locations. The viruses are called mycobacteriophages and they infect a range of bacteria, including those that cause tuberculosis and leprosy.

Emory Scientists Identify Molecular Link Between Estrogen Receptors and Invasive Growth in Breast Cancer (18/04)
Emory University School of Medicine scientists have discovered a link between estrogen receptors -the molecules that bind the estrogen hormone to cells -and invasive growth of breast cancer.

The magic behind merlin (18/04)
A new study reveals an essential role for the merlin protein in maintaining the junctions between cells – a significant advance in understanding the tumor suppressor function of this protein, and how mutations in the gene that encodes it can contribute to cancer.

Structure reveals key to important gene regulator (18/04)
A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins and the University of Colorado has discovered a chink in the structure of a gene-controlling protein critical in regulating the growth and death of immune, brain and muscle cells, they report in the April 17 issue of Nature.

Toxic molecule may provide key for developing vaccine against degenerative diseases (17/04)
Researchers find important similarity among Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and other degenerative diseases.

New drugs restore immune response blocked by hepatitis C virus in human cells (17/04)
A new generation of drugs restores the immune response blocked by the hepatitis C virus, reducing the virus to nearly undetectable levels in a matter of days, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and UT Medical Branch at Galveston.

Salk Researchers Find Receptor That Controls Obesity (17/04)
A cellular receptor that balances the accumulation of fat and fat burning in the body may be a new target for anti-obesity and cholesterol-fighting drugs, according to a Salk Institute study.

Novel method identifies 'hidden' genes (17/04)
Once thought to serve only as a bridge between genes and protein production, RNA is quickly shedding its reputation as being all brawn and no brain. RNA's research renaissance is due in part to the recent discovery of a new class of genes called microRNAs (miRNAs).

Process Triggered by Some Anti-Cancer Drugs Causes Tumors in Mice, Study Finds (17/04)
It is well known that cancers frequently are caused by genetic mutations – random alterations along the long chain of molecules that make up the sequence of an organism’s DNA.

Stem cells help paralysed mice walk (17/04)
Injections of cultured adult brain stem cells seem to have helped mice with a form of multiple sclerosis to recover from paralysis.

Programmable Antibodies—A Hybrid Cancer Therapy Described by Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (16/04)
A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has designed a "hybrid" anticancer compound that physically combines the potent punch of a cancer cell-targeting agent with the long-lasting dose of an antibody.

Discovery of gene for premature aging syndrome reported in Science (16/04)
A France-based research team has discovered the gene responsible for Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria, a disease whose young victims age five to ten times faster than normal.

Common Thyroid Cancer Gene Mutation Found (15/04)
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have found that a single genetic mistake causes about two-thirds of papillary thyroid cancers.

Genetic Blueprint for Q Fever Bacterium Unveiled (14/04)
The genetic blueprint of yet another important disease-causing microbe, the bacterium Coxiella burnetii , has been deciphered and analyzed.

Cloned Pigs Differ from Originals in Looks and Behavior (14/04)
New research at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine indicates that cloned pigs can have the same degree of variability in physical appearance and behavior as normally bred animals. Two separate studies show that while clones are genetically identical to the original animal, the similarities end there.

Scents 'influence women's behaviour' (14/04)
Strong smells can trigger a change in mood in women and even influence their behaviour, a study suggests.

Asthma vaccine shows promise (14/04)
A vaccine that could ease asthmatic reactions has been described as "promising" by scientists.

DNA chip gives drug advice (14/04)
Doctors will be able to personally tailor treatments using a DNA test which shows which drugs will work best.

Human genome finally complete (14/04)
The biological code crackers sequencing the human genome have said they have finished the job - two years ahead of schedule.

Gladstone researchers find method to study hidden HIV reservoirs (14/04)
Scientists are now one step closer to understanding how HIV hides in cells and rears its ugly head once patients stop taking combination drug therapy, which can suppress viral loads to undetectable levels.

Autism links on chromosome 7 (11/04)
A revamp of chromosome 7's DNA sequence has brought to light genes associated with autism, several leukaemias and lymphoma.

Researchers identify new gene associated with breast cancer (08/04)
Researchers have identified a new gene, C35, that appears to be closely associated with breast cancer.

Two genes -- Dax 1 and Sry -- required for testis formation (08/04)
The sex of newborns is dictated by the X and Y chromosomes – girls are XX whereas boys are XY. However, new research from Northwestern University has shown that normal testis formation depends on two genes -- the so-called male-determining SRY gene, found on the Y chromosome 10 years ago, and a gene called Dax1 on the X (female) chromosome.

New high-tech approach identifies two proteins involved in lung cancer, Duke team shows (07/04)
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have devised an advanced technique that uses mass spectrometry to identify specific proteins that are over-expressed in cancer cells, blood, urine, or any substance that contains proteins.

Adult brain 'can recover after injury' (06/04)
The brain has a remarkable ability to recover after injury at any age, say scientists.

Prion principle proved (04/04)
Researchers in Switzerland claim to have proved a long-standing theory about prions: that the proteins couple up to breed mad cow disease.

New technique gives scientists clearest picture yet of all the genes of an animal (06/04)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have used a powerful gene-mapping technique to produce the clearest picture yet of all the genes of an animal – the microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans (better known as C. elegans).

Brittle bones link to heart disease (04/04)
A link has been found between brittle bones and the risk of heart disease in women.

Genetic Risk Factor for Parkinson's Disease Discovered (04/04)
Inherited variations in proteins that produce energy for the body may provide protection from developing Parkinson's disease, according to a new study by scientists at Duke University Medical Center.

New test in TB battle (04/04)
Scientists have developed a faster and more effective test for tuberculosis that could help eradicate the highly infectious disease.

Pill linked to cervical cancer risk (03/04)
Long term use of the contraceptive pill could contribute to a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer, researchers suggest.

Clot catcher cuts stroke risk (02/04)
A special 'plug' that catches blood clots before they have a chance to reach the brain could help reduce the risk of stroke.

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March 2003

Chemical linked to mouse genetic damage (31/03)
Laboratory mice have suffered genetic damage from a compound used in many household items, US researchers say.

Cells critical for asthma development identified by Stanford researchers (30/03)
A subset of immune cells absolutely required for the development of asthma in mice has been identified by Stanford University Medical Center researchers.

Growth factor shows promise in Parkinson's patients (30/03)
By pumping a potent growth factor directly into the human brain, an international team of scientists and surgeons has demonstrated significant remediation of the debilitating symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Two brain systems tell us to breathe (28/03)
Until now, scientists believed that a single area in the brain generated breathing rhythm, enabling breathing to speed up or slow down to adapt to the body's activity and position.

Fruit fly cells reveal Hedgehog's secrets (28/03)
A Johns Hopkins-led research team has successfully used a technique to rapidly find fruit fly genes involved in a cell signaling pathway called Hedgehog, which is critical to proper embryo development and a key trigger in some cancers, including the deadly childhood brain cancer medulloblastoma.

'World's largest virus' found (28/03)
A giant virus that lurks inside amoebas and may cause pneumonia in humans has been spotted by scientists.

Sudden removal of fat impairs immune function in rodents, biologists find (28/03)
A liposuction-like procedure called lipectomy results in a loss of humoral immune protection in two commonly studied rodent models, the prairie vole and the Siberian hamster, scientists have found.

Study confirms reduction of potent anti-inflammatory molecule a-MSH in patients with brain injury (27/03)
Zengen, Inc. announced today that its researchers have discovered that supplementation with alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (a-MSH), a naturally occurring molecule that modulates inflammatory and immune responses, may be beneficial in patients with brain injury.

Genome of a Major Member of Gut Bacteria Sequenced: Clues to Beneficial Relationships Between Humans and Microorganisms (26/03)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have completed sequencing the genome of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , one of the most prevalent bacteria that live in the human intestine.

Protein Engineering Produces Molecular 'Switch' (27/03)
Using a lab technique called domain insertion, Johns Hopkins researchers have joined two proteins in a way that creates a molecular "switch."

Hermaphrodite finch hints genes mould brain (25/03)
A half-male, half-female bird has added to evidence that genes - not only hormones - underlie the differences between male and female brains.

A subtle tool to study mankind's diseases (24/03)
One of the most powerful tools in today's biological and medical science is the ability to artificially remove and add bits of DNA to an organism's genome. This has helped scientists to understand problems caused by defective genes, for example, which have now been linked to thousands of human diseases.

Teaming up to attack free radicals (23/03)
Researchers based at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have combined the precision of antibodies with the power of an antioxidant enzyme to create a new way to protect transplanted lungs from oxidative stress - also known as free radical damage - before and during transplantation.

Gene responsible for developmental disorder identified (23/03)
Researchers at Michigan State University have identified the gene responsible for a developmental disorder known as Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS), a discovery that could lead to new therapies for the disorder and the myriad problems that accompany it.

Brain's defences breached (22/03)
Researchers have found a way to breach the body's natural defences and deliver genes and drugs into the brain. The method shows promise for treating a host of brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Gene hope for osteoarthritis (22/03)
Scientists hope they could soon be able to delay the progression of osteoarthritis and prevent painful joint replacements. Researchers at the University of Manchester's School of Biological Science hope their work will lead to an effective new treatment for the millions in the UK with osteoarthritis.

Mayo Clinic Researchers Teach RNA to Act as Decoy Inside Living Cell to Prevent Disease Activation (18/03)
Using a new approach, Mayo Clinic researchers have successfully "taught" an RNA molecule inside a living cell to work as a decoy to divert the actions of the protein NF-kappaB, which scientists believe promotes disease development.

Scientists find new way to grow human embryonic stem cells (18/03)
Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that primitive human embryonic stem (ES) cells, temperamental in the lab, can be grown with the help of special cells from bone marrow, offering an easily obtained and well-studied source of human cells to nurture the human ES cells as they divide.

Enzyme key to chemical weapon weakness (17/03)
The delayed effects of nerve poisons used in chemical warfare depend on a key molecule, new research with mice shows.

Alzheimer's vaccine setback confirmed (18/03)
An experimental vaccine against Alzheimer's disease may work, but causes life-threatening side effects in some cases, the autopsy of a participant in the vaccine's trial confirms.

Study of monkey species that fights off AIDS may lead to new treatments for humans (17/03)
A deactivation of the immune system in patients infected with HIV could be one way to inhibit progression to the immunodeficiency diseases associated with AIDS, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas and Emory University report.

Metastasis Gene May Be Useful for Diagnosis and Treatment of Liver Cancer (16/03)
By analyzing the genes that are active in tumor cells, scientists may be able to predict whether the most common form of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, is likely to spread from its original site.

Researchers develop first mouse model of epithelial ovarian cancer (15/03)
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers and their colleagues have developed a mouse model of the most prevalent and deadly form of human ovarian cancer -- epithelial cancer.

Genes are main culprit in development of myopia, study suggests (14/03)
A new study strongly indicates that the primary cause ofnearsightedness is heredity. The study also suggests that the amount of time a child spends studying or reading plays a minor role in the development of myopia, or nearsightedness.

New HIV drug approved (14/03)
Roche, the makers of Fuzeon are confident it will also win European approval within weeks. Fuzeon is the first of a new class of drugs known as fusion inhibitors. It is designed to combat the growing problem of resistance to older HIV drugs.

Link found between estrogen, changes in brain structure, and learning and memory(14/03)
Scientists at Rockefeller University have discovered how estrogen initiates physical changes in rodent brain cells that lead to increased learning and memory — a finding, the researchers contend, that illustrates the likely value of the hormone to enhance brain functioning in women.

Gene therapy hope for Huntington's (13/03)
Researchers in the United States say tests on mice have shown the treatment could be effective in humans, according to a report in New Scientist magazine.

'Sleep debts' accrue when nightly sleep totals six hours or fewer (13/03)
Those who believe they can function well on six or fewer hours of sleep every night may be accumulating a "sleep debt" that cuts into their normal cognitive abilities, according to research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. What's more, the research indicates, those people may be too sleep-deprived to know it.

Controlling 'badly' behaving neurons may ease Parkinson's disease (13/03)
Blocking or eliminating a specific potassium channel in a small group of brain cells may improve or prevent the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, a debilitating and progressive neurodegenerative disease that afflicts over 1 million people in the United States.

Potential blood test for colon cancer risk (13/03)
Johns Hopkins scientists have found a way to predict with a simple blood test which people may be at higher than normal risk for the most common form of colon cancer. The research, described in the March 14, 2003 issue of Science, focuses on genetic "red flags" housed not in the sequence of the DNA building blocks themselves, but in other subtle modifications made to the genetic code.

UCLA Researcher Discovers the Role of Common Painkillers in Protecting Against Alzheimer's Disease (12/03)
In a breakthrough study, UCLA scientists have found that common painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen may actually dissolve the brain lesions — or amyloid plaques — that are one of the definitive hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

It's not you that makes vision mistakes, it's your brain (12/03)
It's common knowledge that things aren't always as they appear, but a new study shows our brains are complicit in our vision errors even at the earliest point in the brain's visual processing system.

USC researchers uncover age discrimination in secretory cells (12/03)
Hormones and neurotransmitters secreted from cells via bubble-like vesicles are released using age-related criteria, with the youngest vesicles getting first shot at releasing their contents, according to research led by a University of Southern California (USC) physiologist.

Single Dose of Oral Smallpox Drug Shown Effective in Cowpox-Infected Mice When Given 3-5 Days Before or 1-3 Days After Infection (11/03)
Two versions of an oral drug that halts the deadly action of smallpox and related orthopox viruses have been shown by researchers in Alabama and California to be effective in cowpox-infected mice, whether given three to five days before or two to three days after infection.

Hope for anthrax victims (11/03)
The release of anthrax is one of the most feared forms of biological attack, and scientists in the US and elsewhere are racing to find ways to improve vaccines and post-exposure treatments.

Ricin cancer therapy tested (11/03)
Ricin, extracted from castor beans, is a powerful natural toxin and considered a potential biological weapon. Scientists want to use it to kill cancer cells, by joining it to a protein that binds onto lymphoma cells.

Heart drugs hope for MS (11/03)
Statins, usually given to patients with heart disease, could one day be given to MS patients - if the findings of laboratory and animal tests are confirmed in human trials.

Six-week, six-shot regimen fights hayfever for more than one season (11/03)
Johns Hopkins researchers last year reported that an experimental treatment for severe ragweed allergy consisting of just six shots in six weeks dramatically reduced allergic symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing, and nearly eliminated the need for relief medications like antihistamines and decongestants.

Mayo Clinic Proves New Heart Muscle Cells Can Come From Bone Marrow (10/03)
Mayo Clinic researchers have proven for the first time that cells produced by the bone marrow can form new heart-muscle cells in adults, providing an important boost to research that could enable the body to replace heart muscle damaged by heart attack.

Antiviral Therapy Found to Prevent Blindness, Other Serious Effects for Patients with Eye Shingles (10/03)
Mayo Clinic has found that for patients with eye shingles, oral antiviral drugs are critical to prevent long-term consequences in the eye. Untreated, 10 percent of eye shingles patients experience a serious long-term outcome, such as severe visual loss, eyelid scarring or chronic in-turning of the eyelashes; if treated, two percent of patients experience these effects.

Medication Protects Patients with Peanut Allergies (10/03)
A new medication could help most people with peanut allergies avoid life-threatening allergic reactions, according to a report in the March 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

'Missing eye' gene found (09/03)
Bilateral Anophthalmia is rare, affecting approximately one in every 100,000 births. It happens when the foetus simply does not develop eyes in the normal way during the first 28 days of pregnancy.

Bacterial viruses make cheap easy vaccines (10/03)
Genetically altered bacterial viruses appear to be more effective than naked DNA in eliciting an immune response and could be a new strategy for a next generation of vaccines that are easy to produce and store, say researchers from Moredun Research Institute in the United Kingdom.

New lead for arthritis drugs (07/03)
Researchers have found a molecular switch that enables the immune system's cells to function without oxygen. Jamming the switch stops inflammation, suggesting a new way to treat arthritis and other diseases in which the body turns on itself.

Mice catch cruise-ship virus (07/03)
Last year, a humble virus achieved notoriety when it ruined Americans' dream vacations. Now scientists have begun to understand the culprit by recreating the infection in mice.

Columbia Univ. researchers identify possible new culprit in Alzheimer's disease plaque formation (07/03)
A new study from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) and Stanford University suggests that the malfunctioning of brain cells called astrocytes may be behind the accumulation of amyloid protein in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Johns Hopkins scientists create forgetful mouse (07/03)
Studying mice, scientists from Johns Hopkins have successfully prevented a molecular event in brain cells that they've found is required for storing spatial memories. Unlike regular mice, the engineered rodents quickly forgot where to find a resting place in a pool of water, the researchers report in the March 7 issue of the journal Cell.

Early miscues cause late problems in model of Marfan syndrome (07/03)
By studying mice, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that excessive activity of an important signaling protein, TGF-beta, likely underlies a variety of problems in Marfan syndrome, including the tendency to develop emphysema, they report in the March issue of Nature Genetics.

Newly Identified Molecules Contribute To Normal Silencing Of Most Human Genes (07/03)
Most of the time, most of the estimated 35,000 genes in the human genome are silent, securely stored away in the tightly coiled structure of chromatin, which makes up chromosomes.

Antibodies cripple prions (03/06)
The possibility of using antibodies to treat variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) receives a boost this week, with the first promising results from an animal trial.

New Hints into Development of Osteoporosis (04/03)
Defects in a protein called alphaV beta3 integrin appear to contribute to the development of osteoporosis, and these effects can be reversed by enhancing a protein called macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Hibernating black bears shed light on treatments for osteoporosis (04/03)
Researchers at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Michigan Technological University recently studied the animal's unique ability to rebound from significant bone loss suffered each year during hibernation.

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February 2003

Concerns over soya safety (02/13)
Scientists have called for urgent research into the impact of soya on unborn children. It follows tests on rats which suggest a chemical in soya can damage the male reproductive organs.

Changes in prevalence of mutations associated with HIV treatment failure (02/13)
The results from a longitudinal study of the relative frequency of various types of HIV mutations associated with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) were presented today at a meeting of leading AIDS researchers. The study showed that the prevalence of most key mutations associated with antiretroviral resistance have changed significantly from 1999-2002.

Researchers discover how leukaemia virus spreads through the body (02/13)
Researchers from Imperial College London, University of Oxford, Kagoshima University (Japan) and University of the Ryukyus (Japan) have discovered the mechanism by which human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the virus which causes adult T-cell leukaemia, spreads through the body.

Researchers Record First "Pheromone Images" in Brains of Mice (02/13)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers are beginning to unravel how a mysterious sixth sense guides animal attraction. The scientists have made the first-ever recordings of patterns of brain activity in a mouse as it explores the sex and identity of a newly encountered animal.

U-Iowa scientists gain insight on how enzyme uses oxygen to produce useful chemicals (02/13)
When it comes to visual entertainment, three-dimensional viewing can be quite eye-opening. So, too, in science where a recent finding involving University of Iowa researchers used three-dimensional imaging to understand how a bacterial enzyme can take oxygen from air and use it to convert certain molecules into useful chemicals.

Gene discovered by Temple researchers found to be multi-functional (02/11)
A gene discovered by Temple University researchers a decade ago has proved to be multi-functional, with the discovery of its important roles in cell differentiation, HIV transcription, and tumorigenesis.

Genetic "Signature" Linked to Severe Lupus Symptoms (02/11)
A team of scientists supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and other parts of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the private sector, have discovered a genetic "signature" present in some patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who develop such life-threatening complications as blood disorders, central nervous system damage and kidney failure.

New milestone for gene silencing (02/11)
One of the most important breakthroughs in modern molecular biology is the discovery that double-stranded RNA can quash the activity of specific genes in plants, animals, and fungi. And now this method has been made widely available to researchers so they can better understand gene function and develop new ways to fight disease.

Montezuma takes revenge on cancer (02/11)
Tourists' plague may protect the gut from tumours. Toilet-bound tourists take comfort: the toxin that causes travellers' diarrhoea could be used to stymie colon cancer - without causing the runs.

Fasting forestalls Huntington's disease in mice (02/10)
Decreasing meal frequency and caloric intake protects nerve cells from genetically induced damage, delays the onset of Huntington's disease-like symptoms in mice, and prolongs the lives of affected rodents, according to investigators at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program. This animal study is the first to suggest that a change in diet can influence the course of Huntington's disease.

Gene targeting technique extended to stem cells (02/10)
The technique that helped revolutionize modern biology by making the mouse a crucible of genetic manipulation and a window to human disease has been extended to human embryonic stem (ES) cells.

Mutation in DKC1 Gene Can Cause Rare Aging Disease and Cancer (02/10)
A rare genetic syndrome, Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC), may hold the key to understanding a mechanism that causes premature aging and cancer. Recreating DC in genetically altered knockout mice, researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and colleagues proved that the disorder was caused, as theorized, by mutations in the DKC1 gene.

McGill team finds gene linked to leprosy (02/10)
A Canadian-led team of researchers has pinpointed a gene that makes some people susceptible to the disfiguring disease, leprosy.

Targeted Immunotherapy Eradicates Cancer in Mice (02/09)
Researchers have developed a novel approach to genetically instruct human immune cells to recognize and kill cancer cells in a mouse model. The investigators plan to ultimately apply this strategy in a clinical trial setting for patients with certain forms of leukemias and lymphomas.

New Insights Into How the Nerve Connection Machinery Remodels Itself (02/09)
A Duke University Medical Center neurobiologist has identified key mechanisms by which the intricate "protein machines" that govern the strength of connections among neurons build and remodel themselves to adjust those connections. Such remodeling of the connections, called synapses, is central to the establishment of brain pathways during learning and memory, said the scientists.

Genital gel stalls HIV (02/10)
Hope is growing that a simple vaginal gel could help to stem the global spread of HIV. A squirt of antibody, which prevents the virus burying into human cells, seems to curb sexual transmission of HIV.

Vitamin 'could help prevent lung cancer' (02/09)
A drug derived from vitamin A could help prevent former smokers from developing lung cancer, it has been claimed.

Gene Loss Creates Age- and Gender-Dependent Cancer Syndrome In Mice (02/07)
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have discovered that loss of a gene already implicated in human cancers also leads to age- and gender-linked cancers in mice. The findings, reported in the February issue of Nature Genetics, validate the gene's dysfunction as an early step in development of cancer in people, the scientists say.

Transgenic cotton a winner in India (02/07)
In India, genetically modified (GM) cotton produces crops that are 80% larger than conventional varieties, farm trials from 2001 have found.

Zebrafish clue to cancer (02/08)
Scientists hope that the zebrafish may help them to develop new treatments for cancer.

Anaesthetics threaten baby brains (02/05)
Rat study hints that surgery drugs can kill growing nerve cells. Anaesthetics given to expectant mothers or young babies could damage infants' brains, warns a new study. The drugs kill nerve cells in newborn rats.

Abnormalities in Cellular Anchoring Protein Cause Fatal Heart Syndrome (02/06)
American and French researchers have discovered that mutations that disrupt how ion channels are anchored in the cell can cause a heart condition that can lead to sudden death. The study, led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators at Duke University Medical Center, found that a rare fatal heart condition, called long QT syndrome (LQTS), can be caused by disruption of proteins that anchor ion channels in the cell.

Taste Receptor Cells Share Common Pathway (02/06)
Although sweet, bitter and umami (monosodium glutamate) tastes are different, researchers are finding that information about each of these tastes is transmitted from the various taste receptors via a common intracellular signaling pathway.

Using RNA Interference to Tune Gene Activity in Stem Cells (02/06)
The new study indicates that stable suppression of deleterious genes by RNAi--in which adult stem cells are isolated, modified ex vivo, and then re-introduced into the affected individual--might be an effective strategy for treating human disease.

Scientists Hunt Cancer Genes (02/05)
A hunt has begun to find the human genes involved in cancer using the revolutionary technique of RNA interference (RNAi), which some scientists regard as the innovation of the decade. Britain's biggest cancer charity and a Dutch research institute launched an international initiative will will use data from the human genome project, which mapped the estimated 35,000 genes in humans, to try to pinpoint which ones are involved in cancer and could be potential targets for new therapies.

Mobile phones 'may trigger Alzheimer's' (02/05)
Mobile phones damage key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alzheimer's disease, a study suggests. Researchers in Sweden have found that radiation from mobile phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement.

High blood sugar affects memory (02/04)
High blood sugar levels could be linked to poor memory, researchers have suggested. The finding could help explain why people can suffer problems with their memories as they get older.

Prion Disease May Be Caused By Buildup Of Cellular Trash (02/04)
Mutant mice whose brains gradually become peppered with small holes resembling those found in prion disease lack a protein involved in disposing of cellular trash, say researchers at Stanford University Medical Center.

New antibiotic toxicity test (02/04)
Yeast gene screen gives clues to human adverse drug reactions. Researchers are using yeast to home in on the genes behind people's adverse reactions to antibiotics. The method could also help to screen new antibiotics for toxicity earlier in drug development, before they reach animal or human trials.

Gene clue to wasting disease (02/03)
The discovery of genes that control the development of muscles in the fruit fly could help unravel the secrets of a devasting human disease.

Antibodies critical for fighting West Nile Virus (02/02)
Researchers have found that immune cells called B cells and the antibodies they produce play a critical early role in defending the body against West Nile Virus.

Hope on Nerve Diseases (02/01)
Scientists have discovered a new approach for treating diseases caused by abnormal build up of misshapen proteins in the body. The breakthrough could eventually lead to new ways to treat conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease which are thought to be caused in this way.

Sperm act like guided missiles (02/01)
Sperm have a lot in common with military missiles, a study suggests. Researchers in Israel have found that sperm use heat sensors to find their target, namely the female egg.

Protein Linked to Movement Disorders (02/01)
Using a tiny worm to model a severe childhood movement disorder, researchers at The University of Alabama have discovered the role of a protein that may have implications for a number of neurological syndromes such as Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.

Mouse Coat-Color Gene Mutation Mimics Neurodegeneration of Prion Diseases (02/01)
Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have found that a gene mutation that produces a black coat color in mice also causes degeneration of neurons similar to that observed in prion-caused diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and 'mad cow disease'. The scientists say that their findings could improve understanding of how the renegade proteins, called prions, destroy the brains of infected humans, cattle and sheep.

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January 2003

Studies Find: Anger & Forgetfulness Might Be Inherited (01/27)
The National Institute of Mental Health finds a gene variation may be to blame for poor memories. The gene, called BDNF, plays a key role in memory.

Search And Destroy: Newly Identified Intestinal Protein Kills Bacteria (01/27)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered a new antibiotic protein that appears to kill certain types of bacteria in the intestine.

Gene sheds light on anxiety and aggression (01/27)
Neuroscientists in the US have discovered a gene that seems to control levels of anxiety and aggression in mice. Mice missing the gene, called Pet-1, were found to display more anxious and aggressive behaviour than control mice.

Worm Genome Survey Reveals Fat-Regulating Genes (01/17)
Scientists are one step closer to unraveling the genetic secrets behind why some people become obese and others stay effortlessly slim. Gary Ruvkun and Kaveh Ashrafi of Massachusetts General Hospital and their colleagues have surveyed an entire genome of a microscopic worm to identify the full panoply of genes involved in regulating fat storage. This work may help pinpoint breakdowns in communication between the brain and fat cells in a variety of animals.

Molecule Helps Pupils Respond to Light (01/10)
HHMI researchers make headway in understanding a second light-sensing pathway in mammals. Researchers are reporting progress in understanding whether a second light-sensing pathway in mammals indeed contributes to the detection of ambient light for controlling body functions.

Childhood Cancer Hope (01/01)
Blood from umbilical cords is a rich source of stem cells. Scientists say stem cells from a baby's umbilical cord can be stored frozen for at least 15 years. It offers potential for treating cancer or certain other diseases a child might develop in future life.

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Special Reports:

• Dolly the sheep dead
• DNA: Beyond the double helix
  The world of science is gearing up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Watson and Crick's seminal paper.
• The Genes We Share: New Clues to Human Health and Disease
• Africa AIDS Epidemic
• Nobel Laureates Back Animal Research
• Diabetes Library
• Novel Strategies to Combat the AIDS Virus

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Nobel Laureates Back Animal Research

Winners of Nobel prizes in physiology or medicine overwhelmingly support responsible use of animals in research, according to Seriously Ill For Medical Research (SIMR) of Bedfordshire, England. SIMR has carried out a survey of Nobel prize winners in physiology or medicine to find the views of top medical researchers worldwide on the need for animals in medical research.

The centenary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896 seemed an ideal opportunity. "We are concerned that animal rights propaganda has undue influence in the media, leading to confusion amongst the public and patients about animal research. SIMR wants to help sort out science fact from science fiction," said the late Andrew Blake of SIMR.

Questionnaires were sent to all living Nobel laureates in medicine or physiology. They were asked to indicate their level of agreement with five statements on the use of animals in medcal research. Their responses show unanimous support on the need to use animals in medical research.

The complete survey results are available at the SIMR website. To review the achievements of these great scientists, see a Timeline of Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine.