More Research
In a discovery expected to lead to new drugs to treat hemorrhagic fevers, researchers at the CDC say they have found the mechanism by which Ebola and Marburg viruses cause disease. Report
Adding further evidence of the tonic qualities provided by moderate amounts of red wine, researchers have determined that one of the compounds in wine may help protect against the physical damage of a stroke. Report
Researchers from the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of an insulin-degrading enzyme, a promising target for new drugs because it breaks down not only insulin but also the amyloid-beta protein, which has been linked to Alzheimer's. Report
The Australian government is defending its record under a four-year-old law that restricts embryonic stem cell research to the surplus embryos from fertilization procedures. Report
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that intra-cellular trafficking is tightly coordinated for maximum flow through cellular compartments, much as vehicles on a crowded road are allowed to pass quickly through a succession of green traffic lights. Release
A study by a Montana State University researcher suggests a new avenue for developing a vaccine against genital herpes and other diseases caused by herpes simplex viruses. Release
A new study questions two-year-old recommendations by a government panel that outline specific low levels of LDL cholesterol. Report
After studying a group of blind people, a group of researchers have concluded that facial expressions have a genetic link. Release
The University of Liverpool, the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology are combining their cancer resources and facilities to enable international clinical trials of new cancer therapies. Release
Scientists from Japan and the U.S. have redefined the minimum number of genes needed to sustain life. They found a tiny bacterium, psyllids, that have 182 genes. Researchers had estimated the minimum at 300 before this new work lowered the bar. Humans have about 23,000 genes. Report
The cornea expresses a receptor that prevents factors that spur the development of vision-obstructing blood vessels, researchers led by the Medical College of Georgia and University of Kentucky say. Release
Neuroscientists at Duke University Medical Center have found that in Parkinson's cases critical nerve cells fire continuously, overwhelming the body's ability to control its movements. The research contradicts an earlier conclusion that the symptoms of Parkinson's related to a decreased number of firings in a section of the brain. Release
Researchers at Johns Hopkins grafted stem cells into rats' spinal columns and found that the process delayed the start of nerve cell damage associated with Lou Gehrig's disease. The animal study suggests stem cells could be used to replace cord and brain cells to treat motor neuron disease. Release
Scientists at The Forsyth Institute have found that Prozac, a drug used in the treatment of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders, increases bone mass. Release
New HIV research shows how competition among the human immune system's T cells allows the virus to escape destruction and eventually develop into full-blown AIDS. The study employs a computer model of simultaneous virus and immune system evolution. It also suggests a new strategy for vaccinating against the virus--a strategy that the computer simulations suggest may prevent the final onset of AIDS. Release
Researchers have identified how the body's own immune system contributes to the nerve fiber damage caused by multiple sclerosis, a finding that can potentially aid earlier diagnosis and improved treatment for this chronic disease. The study reveals how immune system B-cells damage axons during MS attacks by inhibiting energy production in these nerve fiber cells, ultimately causing them to degenerate and die. Release
Clinicians at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have successfully demonstrated an improved technique for blood stem cell transplantations in children that shows promise for those most likely to fail standard treatment for leukemia. Release
Deals and Dollars
The NIH has chosen Georgia Tech to host a $10 million nanomedicine center. Georgis Tech is already building a $90 million nanomedicine center and has been funded for a nanocardiology lab. Report
Two Boston University biomedical engineers are among the researchers who have won grants from the National Institutes of Health to pursue their work in reducing the cost of sequencing individual human genomes to $1,000. Release
Darwin's Menzies School of Health Research has been awarded $4.6 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. Report
Janet V. Cross, assistant professor of pathology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and her colleague Dennis J. Templeton, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the UVa Department of Pathology, have received a $1.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study how specific nutrients in healthy vegetables like broccoli work to prevent cancer. Release
As part of the new Exposure Biology Program, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a component of the National Institutes of Health, today announced $74 million in grant opportunities for the development of new technologies that will improve the measurement of environmental exposures that contribute to human disease. Release
The German Research Foundation has approved €175 million in research grants to 22 institutions. Release
Tools & Technology
Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have developed a new type of miniature endoscope that produces three-dimensional, high-definition images, which may greatly expand the application of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Release
Cutting-edge computer technology designed for use in game consoles like the PlayStation 3 will power complex research software at The University of Manchester. Academics in several scientific and engineering fields will use IBM's latest powerful hardware to run a range of scientific and engineering programs. Release
Invitrogen has released ChargeSwitch-Pro Plasmid Miniprep kits. The kits apply ChargeSwitch Technology, the latest generation in nucleic acid purification chemistry, into the spin column format. Release
New research from Frost & Sullivan suggests that bioinformatics is poised for rapid growth over the next few years as developers rely on it to streamline the development process. Report