More Research
University of Edinburgh and the Riken Genomic Research Centre in Japan have begun a five-year project to probe why breast cancer therapies work in some patients and not in others. Their work could lead to way to more personalized therapies. Release
A study from the National Institutes of Health reaffirms the conclusion of earlier studies that adult precursor cells from the spleen can be used to reverse type 1 diabetes in mice. "This data from the NIH and the earlier studies have added significantly to the understanding of how diabetes may be reversed," says Denise Faustman, MD, PhD, director of the Immunobiology Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. Release
A math professor at the University of Utah says that proteins play a critical role in maintaining memory. These proteins strengthen synapses, the connections between nerve cells. The research may play a role in Alzheimer's research, looking at the breakdown of synapses that occur as memory in patients is destroyed. Release
Patients suffering from different diseases ran an increased risk of developing cancer after receiving a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Patients who were older or who received a transplant from female donors appeared to be particularly at risk. Report
Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine report that they have found a single nucleotide polymorphism--a one-base change in the sequence--of the regulatory part of the HTRA1 gene on chromosome 10 that leads to greatly increased risk of developing the wet form of AMD. Report
A group of researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have synthesized the antibiotic fosfomycin in a non-native host, raising the prospect of creating much larger quantities of the material for work against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Release
Harvard University's Daniel E. Kahne and colleagues report the first total synthesis of the antibiotic moenomycin A in an article in the November 15 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Moenomycin has strong antibacterial activity against a large group of bacteria that cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, gastritis, stomach ulcers, food poisoning and other disorders. Moenomycin also kills bacteria in an unusual way; it binds directly to enzymes that bacteria need to form a cell wall. Release
A structural model created at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrates how the protein dynein converts chemical energy into mechanical force. Report
Colorado State and the Mayo Clinic will collaborate on research into new therapies for oncology and infectious diseases. Report
Researchers in Cincinnati have been studying changes in gene expression in the lung caused by eosinophils in new research to find therapies to treat asthma. Release
Researchers at Mt. Sinai say that the use of brain protein levels as a biomarker for ADHD has been contradicted in a new study. Report
Biolex Therapeutics published results in Nature Biotechnology demonstrating the ability of its proprietary LEX System to produce monoclonal antibodies with enhanced in vitro potency and efficacy. The research was conducted by scientists from Biolex and Medarex. Release
Cancer researchers have found that a gene that is involved in regulating aging also blocks prostate cancer cell growth. They have shown that the enzyme SIRT1 can block the growth of treatment-resistant prostate cancer cells that overexpress a mutation for the androgen receptor. The scientists hope the newly found connection will aid in better understanding the development of prostate cancer and lead to new drugs against the disease. Release
Researchers have demonstrated HIV replication within resident immune cells of the testis, providing an explanation for the persistence of virus in semen even after effective highly active antiretroviral therapy. Release
In a meta-analysis of studies on statins, researchers found that the therapy reduced the risk of heart and cerebrovascular events, but didn't reduce the risk of coronary heart disease or overall death. The results are reported in the November 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Release
A team of scientists argue in a new study in the British Medical Journal that folic acid should be used as a cheap and effective treatment to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Release
People with Parkinson disease were more likely to make more safety mistakes during a driving test than people with no neurological disorders, according to a study published in the November 28, 2006, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Release
Deals & Dollars
With a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine are exploring whether fat stored around the heart accelerates the development of atherosclerosis. Release
The University of Missouri-Columbia has broken ground on the $10 million International Institute for Nano and Molecular Medicine. Researchers there will investigate the role on nanoparticles in medicine. Release
Two young researchers have each been awarded $1 million in funding for biomedical research in Australia. The Pfizer Australia Research Fellowships were presented by Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Christopher Pyne, and Nobel Laureate, Dr. Robin Warren, in Sydney on Wednesday. Release
Tools & Technology
Mitrionics has announced the Mitrion-C Open Bio Project. The project is intended to highlight Mitrionics' products while providing an programs developed in the program as open source tools. Report