May 2008 |
Rho Keeps Bacterial Genome Tidy |
May 15, 2008 • NYU Langone Medical CenterA new study led by NIGMS-supported researchers has revealed that the Rho protein maintains boundaries between genes in the bacterium. |
The Wizardry of Green |
May 14, 2008 • University of North CarolinaNIGMS-supported scientist, Jeffery Dangl, works to uncover how plants recognize and resist pathogens. |
Compound Could Lead to New Class of AIDS Drugs |
May 14, 2008 • University of MichiganNIGMS-supported researchers have developed what they believe is the first new mechanism in nearly 20 years for inhibiting HIV protease, a key viral enzyme. |
A Fight to the Death |
May 14, 2008 • University of North CarolinaNIGMS-supported neuroscientist, Mohanish Deshmukh, is striving to understand how mammalian cells—both normal and cancerous—activate the programmed cell death pathway and die by apoptosis. |
Scientists Uncover New Roles for Small RNAs |
May 13, 2008 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-supported scientists have uncovered a new class of small RNAs that modify gene activity and suppress transposable elements. They have also revealed a new source of small RNAs: pseudogenes. |
Motor Protein Helps Choreograph Dance of Chromosomes |
May 13, 2008 • University of IllinoisIn a new NIGMS-supported study, researchers report on how a key motor protein orchestrates chromosome movements at a critical stage of cell division. |
Roadblock to Gene Expression |
May 9, 2008 • Penn StateNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a key stop sign for transcription based on nucleosome organization. |
Virus Mimics Human Protein |
May 8, 2008 • University of Wisconsin, MadisonAn NIGMS-funded study has discovered that human cytomegalovirus can mimic a common regulatory protein to hijack normal cell division machinery. |
Multicellular Response is "All for One" |
May 8, 2008 • Northwestern UniversityUsing C. elegans worms, NIGMS-funded researchers discovered that two specialized neurons sense temperature stress and organize an integrated response for the entire animal. |
The Roles of HIV Reverse Transcriptase |
May 7, 2008 • Harvard UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study used single-molecule fluorescent imaging to trace the role of reverse transcriptase in real time. |
Scientists Launch EcoliHub |
May 7, 2008 • Purdue UniversityWith support from NIGMS, scientists have launched a comprehensive online information hub about the E. coli bacterium, one of the most valuable model organisms for biomedical research. |
Scientists Establish E. coli Online Resource |
May 7, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesThe new comprehensive resource, EcoliHub, provides a single point of entry to information on the K-12 strain of the bacterium. |
Conserved Molecules Maintain Energy Balance |
May 7, 2008 • Salk InstituteUsing fruit flies, NIGMS-funded researchers studied molecules that have a role in maintaining energy balance in humans as well. |
Identical Genes Behave Differently in Mouse and Human |
May 6, 2008 • University of MichiganWhile mice and humans are closely related at the genetic level, mice can live without certain genes that are essential to humans, according to a new NIGMS-supported study. |
Blocking Brain Enzyme Decreases Appetite |
May 6, 2008 • Duke University Medical CenterBy blocking a brain enzyme in mice, NIGMS-funded researchers reduced the animals' appetite and their weight. |
The Origin of Centrosomes |
May 5, 2008 • Marine Biological LaboratoryNIGMS-funded researchers discovered that centrosomes contain RNA that suggests these organelles were incorporated into cells by symbiosis. |
Controlling Embryonic Fate by Association |
May 4, 2008 • Baylor College of MedicineAn NIGMS-funded study explored how two critical embryonic cell proteins help maintain stem cells in their flexible state. |
Long-Time NIGMS Grantees Win Albany Medical Prize |
May 2, 2008 • Albany Medical CenterJoan Steitz of Yale University and Elizabeth Blackburn of the University of California, San Francisco, are the first women to win the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, America’s largest prize in medicine. |
Glowing Sugars in Live Fish |
May 2, 2008 • University of California, BerkeleyNIGMS-funded chemists have created glow-in-the-dark zebrafish whose cell-surface carbohydrates are tagged with dyes, a technique that can be used to track development. |
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April 2008 |
New Targets for Histone-Modifying Enzymes |
April 27, 2008 • Emory UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered new molecular targets for an enzyme that modifies chromatin. |
Mitochondria Drive Cell Division |
April 25, 2008 • Texas A&M UniversityStudying yeast cells, NIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that mitochondria trigger nuclear DNA to replicate, instigating cell division. |
Molecular Analysis Supports T. Rex Link to Birds |
April 24, 2008 • Harvard UniversityResearchers supported in part by NIGMS sequenced collagen protein to analyze the ancestry of Tyrannosaurus rex, finding the dinosaurs to be closer to birds than reptiles. |
Structure of DNA Repair Proteins |
April 23, 2008 • University of ChicagoNIGMS-funded researchers have determined the atomic structures of DNA-repair proteins that repair damage caused by certain cancer treatments. |
Heparin Contaminant Can Cause Reactions |
April 23, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesScientist clarified the possible biological link between a contaminant recently found in some lots of heparin and allergy-like reactions including deaths. Some of the same scientists also determined the chemical structure of the contaminant, which will aid in detecting it. |
RNA Interference and Epigenetic Inheritance |
April 22, 2008 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryAn NIGMS-funded study probes how interfering RNA molecules allow DNA expression patterns to be inherited. |
Environment Plays a Large Role in Human Gene Activity |
April 22, 2008 • North Carolina State UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study found that up to one-third of genes' expression varies depending on where and how Berbers in Morocco live. |
How Cells Defend Against Genetic Mistakes |
April 17, 2008 • University of Rochester Medical CenterNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a step whereby cells find flawed mRNAs to prevent the production of damaged proteins. |
How Bacteria Divide |
April 17, 2008 • Duke University Medical CenterIn work that could lead to new antibiotics, NIGMS-funded researchers have demonstrated the key role of a protein involved in bacterial cell division. |
A More Detailed View of Chromatin Structure |
April 16, 2008 • University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignNIGMS-funded researchers have developed a technique that reveals a sharper image of chromatin, the bundles of genetic material and protein that make up chromosomes. |
Launching a Global Alliance for Pharmacogenomics |
April 14, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesU.S. and Japanese scientists partner to study genetic factors that influence the safety and effectiveness of medicines. |
Target for Inhibiting Necrosis |
April 11, 2008 • Tufts UniversityA study funded in part by NIGMS reveals that a kinase protein can direct cells into cell death, for example after a heart attack or stroke. |
How Heart Protein Works |
April 10, 2008 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineAn NIGMS-funded study has discovered how a protein called leiomodin directs the assembly of actin to allow the pumping of the heart. |
How Closing Schools Might Affect a Flu Pandemic |
April 9, 2008 • Imperial College LondonNIGMS-funded researchers have calculated the impact of school closures on the spread of a future flu pandemic. |
A Fingerprint of Evolution in the Human Genome |
April 8, 2008 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryAt least a third of the genome is affected by "fingerprints" that are conserved even though they don't code for protein, reports an NIGMS-funded study. |
Visualizing the Machinery of mRNA Splicing |
April 4, 2008 • Yale UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have solved the crystal structure of a a self-splicing region of RNA, providing a glimpse of an ancient mechanism. |
Selenium Supplements May Not be Useful |
April 4, 2008 • University of Nebraska, LincolnBy conducting a genetic analysis in a broad range of animals, NIGMS-funded researchers suggest that mammals may need little selenium. |
Potential Approach to Treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy |
April 4, 2008 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded researchers induced cells to replenish a protein without which there is damage to growing nerve cells and the muscles they control. |
New Web Portal to Advance Wide Range of Protein Studies |
April 3, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesThe Protein Structure Initiative has launched an online resource that will enable scientists from across biomedical disciplines to easily access a wealth of information about proteins. |
How Plants Step Out of the Shade |
April 3, 2008 • Salk InstituteAn NIGMS-funded study has clarified the molecular steps that allow a plant to stretch out of the shade toward the sun. |
Mechanism Underlying Multidrug Resistance in Fungi |
April 2, 2008 • Massachusetts General HospitalAn NIGMS-funded study has identified a molecular switch that causes drug-resistance in fungi, which can plague people with compromised immunity. |
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March 2008 |
Technique Identifies Biomarkers for Disease |
March 31, 2008 • University of FloridaNIGMS-funded researchers have developed a technique for finding markers for disease without any advance knowledge of the molecules. |
Replacing microRNAs Could Treat Cancer |
March 31, 2008 • University of ChicagoSmall, non-coding RNAs appear to be a master regulator without which many types of cells become cancerous, reports an NIGMS-funded study. |
Cellulose, the Paper Trail of Life |
March 31, 2008 • University of North Carolina at Chapel HillAn NIGMS-funded researcher suggests that cellulose, made by plants, algae and certain bacteria, could be a durable marker for life on other planets. |
An Automated Way to Determine Possible Drug Structures |
March 31, 2008 • University of California, San DiegoAn NIGMS-funded study reports a way to quickly determine the structure of natural peptides, which have shown promise as all kinds of drugs. |
Ant Guts Could Show Way for Better Drugs |
March 25, 2008 • Princeton UniversityBy studying microbes from the guts of carpenter ants, NIGMS-funded researchers discovered two proteins that help form bacteria's outer shells. |
Algae Point to Possible Malaria Vaccine |
March 25, 2008 • University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterAn NIGMS-funded study of reproduction in a harmless type of algae revealed a mechanism similar to that used by the malaria parasite. |
How Bacteria Team Up to Form a Biofilm |
March 24, 2008 • Cornell UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have identified a kind of bacterial signalling system that allows the formation of biofilms, which allow bacteria to evade antibiotics and the immune systems of their hosts. |
The Uncharted Arena of Human-Only Genes |
March 21, 2008 • Washington UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study produced the first detailed analysis of one of the few genes found only in hominoids. |
Nutrient Status Affects Biological Clock |
March 20, 2008 • New York UniversityUsing a systems biology approach, a team of NIGMS-supported researchers has revealed that the master gene that controls the biological clock in Arabidopsis is sensitive to nutrient status. |
Jumping Gene May Contribute to Aging Syndrome |
March 20, 2008 • University of WashingtonNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a transposon that has settled into a gene linked to Cockayne syndrome, which causes premature aging. |
First 3-D View of Anti-Cancer Agent |
March 18, 2008 • Indiana UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study shows how bleomycin, an established chemotherapy agent, binds to DNA, a finding that may help in the development of future cancer drugs. |
Gene Involved in Male Infertility Identified |
March 14, 2008 • University of PennsylvaniaA team of NIGMS-supported scientists has identified an X chromosome gene involved in meiosis that when disrupted renders male mice sterile and female mice less fecund. |
Study Helps Explain Tumor Growth |
March 13, 2008 • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterNIGMS-supported researchers have discovered that a metabolic process known as the Warburg effect is essential for tumors’ rapid growth, and involves an enzyme called pyruvate kinase M2. |
Structure Reveals How Cells 'Sugar-Coat' Proteins |
March 11, 2008 • Brookhaven National LaboratoryA team of NIGMS-supported scientists has deciphered the structure of a large protein complex responsible for adding sugar molecules to newly formed proteins. |
Biologists Identify Key Protein in Cell’s “Self-Eating” Function |
March 11, 2008 • University of California, San DiegoNIGMS-supported molecular biologists have found one piece of the complex puzzle of autophagy, the process of “self-eating” performed by all eukaryotic cells to keep themselves healthy. |
Scientists Simulate Flu Outbreak in City Similar to Chicago |
March 10, 2008 • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterAntiviral medications and social-distancing measures may be sufficient to mitigate a flu pandemic outbreak until a vaccine becomes available, according to a new NIGMS-supported study. |
Twice the Telomere Options in Roundworms |
March 6, 2008 • Salk InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that C. elegans can cap their chromosomes with two different types of telomeres, a finding with implications for aging and cancer. |
Chronically High Blood Sugar Levels Dull Insulin Response |
March 6, 2008 • Salk InstituteAn NIGMS-funded study explores the biochemical vicious circle in which high blood sugar levels disable the body's response to rising levels of insulin. |
Researchers Identify Genetic Variation to Predict Initial Response to Warfarin |
March 5, 2008 • NHLBI Communications OfficeNIGMS-funded scientists have identified which variations of a specific gene determine a patient’s initial response to treatment with the blood-thinning (anticoagulant) drug warfarin. |
Genomic Exchanges Linked to Flu Epidemics |
March 4, 2008 • Penn StateAn NIGMS-funded study reports that the swapping of genetic material between closely related flu strains--not just ones infecting different species--can trigger epidemics. |
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February 2008 |
Mystery of Glowing Antibody Solved |
February 28, 2008 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded scientists have discovered the rare and rather surprising mechanism behind the bright blue glow of a fluorescent antibody, which could be applied to the development of biosensors. |
Gene Expression Differences Affect Response to Drugs, Infections |
February 28, 2008 • University of Chicago Medical CenterResearchers in the NIGMS-funded Pharmacogenetics Research Network have found that differences in gene expression levels between population groups can affect how they respond to drugs or fight off specific infections. |
Ozone-Resistance Gene Could Lead to Drought-Resistant Crops |
February 27, 2008 • University of California, San DiegoNIGMS-funded researchers have elucidated the mechanism of a plant gene that controls the amount of ozone that enters a plant's leaves. |
Understanding Antibiotic Resistance |
February 25, 2008 • Ohio State UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have identified the role of two proteins that allow bacteria to resist some antibiotics. |
Model Reveals Mechanism Behind Blood Clot Elasticity |
February 25, 2008 • University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUsing a detailed computational approach, NIGMS-funded researchers have modeled why the clotting protein fibrinogen is so elastic. |
Protein "Shocks" Evolution Into Action |
February 23, 2008 • Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchA heat shock protein could act as a key pivot on which evolution acts, report NIGMS-funded researchers. |
New Details About a Gene Network Governing Metabolism |
February 22, 2008 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryAn NIGMS-funded study found an unexpected wrinkle in how yeast cells, through their genes, adjust their metabolism in response to changing food sources. |
Study Canvasses Human Genetic Variation Around Globe |
February 20, 2008 • University of MichiganNIGMS-funded researchers have helped produce the largest and most detailed worldwide survey of human genetic variation, uncovering clues to human origins. |
New Tool Probes Cellular Oxidative Stress |
February 20, 2008 • University of MichiganScientists supported by NIGMS have developed a new method to observe how oxidative stress affects the major building blocks of a cell, the proteins. |
Migration from Africa Left Mark on European Genetic Diversity |
February 20, 2008 • Cornell UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study examining genetic variation found unexpected differences between European-Americans and African-Americans. |
Genetic Pathway Involved in Oxidative Stress, Disease |
February 20, 2008 • University of Wisconsin, MadisonNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a genetic pathway that influences cells' response to oxidative stress, a process that contributes to a host of diseases. |
Study Explains Spread of 1918 Flu |
February 18, 2008 • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyTwo mutations in a surface molecule of the 1918 pandemic flu strain dramatically changed the affinity of the virus to human receptors, reports an NIGMS-funded study. |
Novel Approach Strips Staph of Virulence |
February 14, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesAn international team of researchers supported by NIH has blocked staph infections in mice using a drug previously tested in clinical trials as a cholesterol-lowering agent. The novel approach could offer a new direction for therapies against a bacterium that’s becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. |
Enzyme Structure Reveals New Drug Targets for Cancer and Other Diseases |
February 14, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS-funded scientists now have a clearer understanding of how a key protein (p300/CBP) controls gene activity and how mutations in the protein may cause disease. The work could provide new avenues to design drugs aimed at cancer, diabetes, HIV, and heart disease. |
Folding of RNA Molecule Observed in Real Time |
February 13, 2008 • Stanford UniversityNIGMS-supported scientists have used a device called an optical trap to observe in real time the folding of a riboswitch, a type of RNA molecule. |
Bacterial Toxin Closes Gate on Immune Response |
February 13, 2008 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineA toxin from the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus shuts down a type of ion channel key to mounting an immune response, according to a new NIGMS-supported study. |
Gene Chips Used to Recognize Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia |
February 12, 2008 • Washington University in St. LouisUsing gene chip technology, a team of NIGMS-supported scientists has distinguished pneumonia associated with ventilator use from other serious illnesses. |
Discovery of 'Overdrive' Protein Could Broaden Drug Design Options |
February 12, 2008 •
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillA team of NIGMS-supported scientists has revealed that a protein called Arr4 can sustain the activity of G-protein signaling pathways, which are targeted by a number of commonly used medicines. |
Scientists Use Engineering Approach to Study Biological Pathways |
February 6, 2008 • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyAn NIGMS-supported team of scientists has analyzed a complex biological system by treating it as a “black box,” an approach commonly used in engineering disciplines. |
Scientists Determine Protein Structure Key to Huntington's Disease |
February 4, 2008 • Indiana UniversityNIGMS-supported scientists have determined the structure of a key part of HIP1, a protein that is implicated in Huntington's disease. |
Computational Approach Could Help Identify Drug Targets |
February 1, 2008 • University of Chicago Medical CenterNIGMS-supported researchers have analyzed the proteins targeted by nearly a thousand FDA-approved drugs and identified characteristics shared among successful drug targets. |
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January 2008 |
Genetic Recombination Varies Among Individuals |
January 31, 2008 • University of Chicago Medical CenterA new study supported by NIGMS has uncovered remarkably high levels of individual variation in recombination, the process by which parents pass on a mosaic-like mixture of their genes. |
Scientists Propose New Model for Ion Channel Regulation |
January 30, 2008 • Rush University Medical CenterA study supported by NIGMS proposes that bubbles may control the opening and closing of ion channels, conduits that controls a wide range of biological functions. |
Researchers Uncover New Way to Target Flu |
January 30, 2008 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineA team of researchers supported by NIGMS has solved the three-dimensional structure of an influenza protein called M2. The findings offer new ways to target drug-resistant influenza. |
Gene Discovery Made Easier With New Networking Technique |
January 29, 2008 • University of Texas at AustinNIGMS-supported researchers have used a new gene networking model they developed to identify genes that regulate life span and affect tumor development in the nematode worm. |
Scientists Explore Factors Contributing to DNA Mutations |
January 28, 2008 • Pennsylvania State UniversityA team of NIGMS-supported researchers has conducted a genome-wide study comparing the relative importance of factors that contribute to DNA mutations, which are implicated in cancer and other diseases. |
Novel Genes ‘Notch’ Glucose into Place |
January 25, 2008 • Baylor College of MedicineA novel gene called Rumi regulates the Notch protein by adding a glucose molecule to the part of Notch that extends outside the cell, according to a new NIGMS-supported study. |
NIGMS Strategic Plan Reinforces Commitment to Investigator-Initiated Research |
January 25, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS has issued Investing in Discovery, a strategic plan that will guide the Institute’s decision-making over the next 5 years. |
Scientists Develop Tools to Breed Maize Rich in Provitamin A |
January 24, 2008 • Lehman CollegeA team of NIGMS-supported scientists has identified DNA-based indicators for high provitamin A production that breeders can use in maize breeding programs. |
New Members Appointed to NAGMS Council |
January 24, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesThree new members were appointed to the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council. They are Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, M.D., Ph.D., of Duke University Medical Center, Durham; Howard H. Garrison, Ph.D., of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Bethesda; and Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., of University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City. |
Scientists Challenge RNA Decay Model |
January 18, 2008 • Case Western Reserve UniversityA new NIGMS-supported study challenges molecular biology’s widely-accepted model for nonsense-mediated messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) decay. |
Scientists Uncover Role of Gene Linked to Aggressive Cancer |
January 17, 2008 • Thomas Jefferson UniversityNIGMS-supported researchers have revealed the function of a gene previously shown to be part of an 11-gene “signature” that can predict which tumors will be aggressive and likely to spread. |
Alzheimer’s Molecule Implicated in Nerve Cell Transport |
January 17, 2008 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineNIGMS-supported researchers have discovered that proteins carrying chemical cargo in nerve cells react differently when exposed to the tau protein, which plays an important role in Alzheimer’s disease. |
Calcium Channel Helps Trigger Allergic Reactions |
January 14, 2008 • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterMice lacking the CRACM1 calcium channel are resistant to stimuli that typically elicit severe allergic reactions, according to an NIGMS-supported study. |
Equation Shows How Cells Create Fly Eye |
January 11, 2008 • Northwestern UniversityA mathematician and biologist, funded by NIGMS, have created a mathematical model for how cells pack together to create the eyes of Drosophila. |
Different Pathways Govern Onset and Offset of Anesthesia |
January 11, 2008 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineA team of NIGMS-supported researchers has shown that the cellular pathway for emerging from general anesthesia is different from the one that drugs take to put patients to sleep. |
Nanotechnology To Detect Gene Expression |
January 10, 2008 • Arizona State UniversityUsing self-assembled DNA nanostructures, NIGMS-funded researchers are developing new and sensititve ways to detect gene expression. |
Interactions of Stem Cells With Their Niche |
January 10, 2008 • Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchNIGMS-funded researchers are beginning to understand how stem cells interact with their microenvironment. |
Genes Stay Put For Transcription |
January 8, 2008 • Cornell UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have evidence that transcription machinery moves to genes instead of genes having to move to specific locations in the nuclei to be expressed. |
Study of Sugars on Cell Surface Identifies Key Factor in Flu Infection |
January 7, 2008 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS-supported scientists have identified a key factor that determines the ability of influenza viruses to infect cells of the human upper respiratory tract. |
Structure of Enzyme Mutated in Many Cancers |
January 4, 2008 • Johns Hopkins Medical InstitutionsNIGMS-funded researchers have solved the structure of an enzyme (PIK3CA) that is mutated in cancers of the colon, brain, stomach, breast, lung, and others. |
A Route for Heredity Bypassing DNA |
January 4, 2008 • Princeton UniversityUsing a single-celled ciliate, NIGMS-funded biologists have discovered a mechanism whereby genetic information can be passed on through generations via RNA. |
How Cells Regulate Hydrogen Peroxide |
January 2, 2008 • Wake Forest University Baptist Medical CenterA snapshot of how two proteins interact, determined by NIGMS-funded researchers, helps show how cells control levels of hydrogen peroxide. |
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December 2007 |
Unusual Plant Gene Disrupts Fertilization |
December 20, 2007 • University of California, San DiegoNIGMS-funded biologists have discovered a gene in plants that disrupts fertilization only when the gene is mutated in both female and male reproductive cells. |
Structure Crucial to Chromosome Segregation |
December 20, 2007 • University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer CenterNIGMS-funded researchers have solved the structure of a DNA-protein complex necessary for chromosome separation and involved in the spread of antibiotic resistance. |
Stem Cell Advance Tops 2007 Lists |
December 20, 2007 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesA stem cell research breakthrough partially supported by NIGMS is tops on two lists of science advances made during 2007. |
Disorders May Be Linked to Protein Recycling System |
December 20, 2007 • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterFailures in a recycling system for Wnt signaling proteins may be responsible for diseases ranging from cancer to birth defects, report NIGMS-funded researchers. |
Overexcited Neurons Can Damage Cells |
December 17, 2007 • Northwestern UniversityExcessive neuronal signaling can damage proteins in target cells, similar to the effects of exposure to nicotine or a pesticide, report NIGMS-funded researchers. |
Molecular Machinery Allows Histones to Talk |
December 14, 2007 • Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchNIGMS-funded researchers have new findings on how histones, which package DNA and help regulate gene expression, communicate with each other. |
How Molecular Muscles Pinch Cells in Two |
December 14, 2007 • Yale UniversityObserving live cells, NIGMS-funded researchers have studied how cells assemble contractile rings during cell division. |
Genetic Pathways Involved in Form of Cell Suicide |
December 14, 2007 • University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolUsing fly salivary glands, NIGMS-funded researchers are studying autophagy, a form of programmed cell death required for healthy development. |
Protein Dynamics in MAP Kinase Signaling Pathway |
December 13, 2007 • Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchUsing sophisticated techniques on live cells, NIGMS-funded researchers measured protein interactions in the critical MAP kinase signaling pathway. |
Switch Triggers Circadian Rhythms |
December 12, 2007 • University of California, IrvineNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that the modification of a single amino acid triggers the genetic chain of events involved with circadian rhythms. |
Seeing Enzymes in Real Time |
December 11, 2007 • Brandeis UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers were able to watch an enzyme as it changed shape in the absence of a substrate. |
More Regulatory DNA in Genome Than Expected |
December 11, 2007 • Johns Hopkins Medical InstitutionsCurrent computer programs that scan the genome for regulatory DNA can miss more than half of these regions, report NIGMS-funded researchers. |
Computational Technique Can Predict Drug Side Effects |
December 11, 2007 • University of California, San DiegoScanning candidate drugs against the Protein Data Bank can be used to predict side effects, NIGMS-funded researchers say. |
Switch Regulates Trafficking Within Cells |
December 10, 2007 • Weill Cornell Medical CollegeNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a molecular "switch" in epithelial cells that selects from motor proteins called kinesins to traffic materials to the cell surface. |
Protein Protects Brain Against Lead, Liver Disease |
December 6, 2007 • University of MichiganUsing mice, NIGMS-funded researchers discovered that a protein (PEPT2) protects brains from lead poisoning and liver diseases with neurological effects. |
New Software To Aid Early Detection of Infectious Disease Outbreaks |
December 6, 2007 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesA newly released software program will let health authorities at the site of an infectious disease outbreak quickly analyze data, speeding the detection of new cases and the implementation of effective interventions. |
Mechanism Disposes of Faulty Proteins |
December 6, 2007 • St. Jude Children's Research HospitalNIGMS-funded researchers have identified cellular components that help dispose of defective proteins, potentially revealing targets for future cancer drugs. |
Nanotechnology Shows Cancer Cells "Feel" Softer |
December 2, 2007 • University of California, Los AngelesUsing nanotechnology that measures the softness of cells, NIGMS-funded researchers showed that metastatic cancer cells feel different from normal cells. |
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November 2007 |
Snapshot Clarifies How Materials Enter Cells |
November 30, 2007 • Purdue UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have obtained a snapshot of a tiny protein gate found in cell membranes as material passes through. |
Inconspicuous Hosts for Lyme Disease |
November 29, 2007 • University of PennsylvaniaNIGMS-funded researchers have shown that chipmunks and two types of shrews, not just mice, are the main animal reservoirs for lyme disease. |
Genetics Supports Single Migration Across Bering Strait |
November 27, 2007 • University of Michigan Health SystemNew genetic evidence, uncovered with NIGMS funding, supports the notion that Native Americans descended from a small number of people crossing once from Asia across the Bering Strait. |
Cholera Can Be Controlled With Oral Vaccines |
November 26, 2007 • Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterResearchers funded by the NIGMS Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study report that cholera could be controlled inexpensively by orally vaccinating affected populations. |
Chromosome Coiling Makes Biological Clock Tick? |
November 21, 2007 • Vanderbilt UniversityWorking with bacteria, NIGMS-funded researchers discovered a rhythmic day/night cycle in how condensed DNA is. |
Scientists Guide Human Skin Cells to Embryonic State |
November 20, 2007 • University of Wisconsin, MadisonNIGMS-funded researchers report the genetic reprogramming of human skin cells to create cells indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells, an accomplishment that should speed up stem cell research and remove ethical and legal constraints to their use. |
Protein Family is Key to Brain Function |
November 19, 2007 • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNIGMS-funded biologists have discovered a family of proteins that helps direct the formation of axons and dendrites, allowing communication between neurons. |
How Embryos Regulate Levels of Vitamin A Derivative |
November 19, 2007 • University of California, IrvineNIGMS-funded research shows how embryonic cells may regulate levels of retinoic acid, a signal that controls the development of many body parts. |