May 2009 |
Molecules Could Block Huntington's Disease |
May 3, 2009 • University of Texas SouthwesternNIGMS-funded researchers are working to create molecules that selectively interfere with the production of mutant proteins that cause Huntington's disease. |
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April 2009 |
Turning Up the Heat on Genetic Recoding |
April 30, 2009 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesBy literally turning up the heat, a team of NIGMS-supported scientists has uncovered an RNA editing enzyme in an ancient heat-loving organism. |
Model Reveals Strategy to Extend Flu Drug Effectiveness |
April 30, 2009 • Harvard University NIGMS-supported researchers have found that small stockpiles of a secondary flu medication—if used early in local outbreaks—could extend the effectiveness of primary drug stockpiles during a global influenza pandemic. |
Largest-Ever Study on African Genetics |
April 30, 2009 • University of PennsylvaniaA 10-year study funded in part by NIGMS has produced an unprecedented amount of genetic data about Africans, demonstrating the great diversity on the continent. |
HIV Entry of Cells Offers Drug Target |
April 30, 2009 • University of Maryland School of MedicineNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that HIV primarily enters cells via endosomes, suggesting that new drugs could inhibit that process. |
Chemical Could Improve Drought Tolerance in Crops |
April 30, 2009 • University of California, RiversideNIGMS-funded researchers have shown that artificial mimics of a plant hormone could help crops survive drought. |
Expert on Flu's Spread Says New Strain Here to Stay |
April 28, 2009 • CNNMIDAS-supported researcher Ira Longini talks about his efforts to simulate hypothetical influenzas and study how they might spread. |
How Gene-Regulating Protein Alters Chromatin Structure |
April 27, 2009 • Tufts UniversityAn NIGMS-supported study explored how a protein called SUMO alters the structure of chromatin to regulate genetic activity. |
Form of Vitamin B1 Could Treat Blindness |
April 23, 2009 • University of Texas Medical Branch at GalvestonAn NIGMS-funded study has found that a type of vitamin B1 could treat the inflammation that is a common cause of blindness. |
Minority Students to Benefit from Grant to UAMS |
April 21, 2009 • KARK 4 NewsNIGMS IMSD grant could give up to 24 minority students a boost toward a doctorate in biomedical research. |
Convergent Evolution in Snake and Lizard Proteins |
April 21, 2009 • University of Colorado DenverNIGMS-funded research has discovered widespread convergent molecular evolution across mitochondrial proteins. |
Structure of Bacterial Switch Could Lead to New Antibiotics |
April 17, 2009 • University of Rochester Medical CenterNIGMS-funded biochemists have determined the structure of a key genetic mechanism in bacteria that could lead to a new class of antibiotics. |
Disrupted Copper Regulation Linked to Prion Disease |
April 17, 2009 • University of California, Santa CruzNIGMS-funded researchers have found hints that copper regulation is disrupted in prion disease. |
New Therapeutic Target for Melanoma |
April 16, 2009 • Thomas Jefferson UniversityNIGMS-funded biologists have discovered that a protein called Mcl-1 plays a critical role in melanoma cells' resistance to death. |
Chemists Synthesize Herbal Alkaloid |
April 15, 2009 • Vanderbilt UniversityChemists funded by NIGMS have created an efficient way to make a complex alkaloid found in club moss that has medical potential. |
Injectable Local Anesthetic Promises Prolonged Pain Relief |
April 14, 2009 • Harvard Medical SchoolNIGMS-funded researchers have developed a slow-release, injectable anesthetic that has no apparent toxic effects. |
Molecular Mimicry That Protects Genome Integrity |
April 13, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteAn NIGMS-funded study draws parallels between a DNA repair factor and a ubiquitin-like modifier that are both essential for genome stability. |
Cells Don't Always Respond According to Genetics |
April 12, 2009 • Harvard Medical SchoolNIGMS-funded researchers have studied how genetically identical cells have different amounts of proteins that can affect their response to drugs. |
Flowering Plant Sheds Light on Human Clock |
April 10, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded biologists have solved the structure of a plant protein that is similar to proteins that control the master clock in mammals. |
Decision-Point at Which Cells Repair DNA or Die |
April 10, 2009 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded biologists report that a protein plays a critical role in helping cells decide to repair DNA damage instead of committing suicide. |
Understanding How Cells Establish Heterochromatin |
April 9, 2009 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded molecular biologists have found that the assembly of silent heterochromatin domains in DNA depends on the strength with which a protein binds to histones. |
Proof of Concept for Comprehensive Proteome Analysis |
April 8, 2009 • Burnham InstituteNIGMS-funded investigators have deciphered a large proportion of the total protein complement in a species of yeast. |
Cooperative Behavior Meshes With Evolutionary Theory |
April 6, 2009 • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNIGMS-funded physicists have used game theory and yeast genetics to understand how cooperative behavior is compatible with evolutionary forces. |
Cell Type-Specific Signaling in Tumor Development |
April 6, 2009 • Mayo ClinicNIGMS-funded biochemists have discovered mechanisms behind two key checkpoints in cell development that are related to tumor growth. |
NIH grant, $1,625,700 funds E-SPARE program |
April 3, 2009 • Elizabeth City State UniversityWith support from MBRS RISE Award, Elizabeth City State University prepares undergraduate students for research careers. |
Nicotine Has Dozens of Cellular Interactions |
April 3, 2009 • Brown UniversityNIGMS-funded research suggests that nicotine may interfere with more processes in the body than previously thought. |
Fuzzy Logic Reveals Cells' Workings |
April 3, 2009 • Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNIGMS-funded biological engineers have used a "fuzzy logic" approach to model information networks in cells. |
Fluorescent Anesthetic May Expedite Drug Discovery |
April 3, 2009 • University of PennsylvaniaNIGMS-funded researchers have identified a fluorescent anesthetic that should help in future research to discover and understand anesthetics. |
St Aug Student Seeking Cancer Cure |
April 2, 2009 • MyNC.comMARC U-STAR helps St. Augustine undergraduate pursue dream of becoming a cancer researcher. |
Redefining What it Means to be a Prion |
April 2, 2009 • Whitehead InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have found many new prions in yeast to better address whether they have a beneficial role in nature. |
How Sleep May Refresh Synapses |
April 2, 2009 • University of Wisconsin, MadisonAn NIGMS-funded study suggests that sleep refreshes the brain by lowering levels of proteins that build up in the synapses. |
DNA Device Mimics Cell's Transportation System |
April 2, 2009 • New York UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have created a bipedal, autonomous DNA "walker" to better understand molecular motor systems. |
Protein May Allow Breast Cancer to Spread |
April 1, 2009 • University of California, DavisNIGMS-funded researchers suspect that a protein called Muc4 may promote metastasis and inhibit cancer cells' death. |
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March 2009 |
Magnetic Nano-Shepherds Organize Cells |
March 31, 2009 • Duke UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have used magnetic particles like molecular sheep dogs, a strategy that could be used to build human tissues. |
Grantee Shapiro Wins Gairdner |
March 31, 2009 • Stanford School of MedicineNIGMS grantee Lucy Shapiro has won the 2009 Gairdner International Award for her insights on cell differentiation. |
Questions About Statistical Methods in Natural Selection Studies |
March 30, 2009 • Penn StateNIGMS-funded researchers say that scientists who examine human evolution have used faulty statistical methods. |
Light-Activated Lock Could be Placed in Drugs |
March 30, 2009 • University of FloridaNIGMS-funded chemists have designed a lock-like molecule that clasps or unclasps based on exposure to light. |
Test May Predict Spread of Breast Cancer |
March 27, 2009 • Albert Einstein College of MedicineA study funded partly by NIGMS has produced a test that could help doctors identify which breast cancer patients should receive aggressive therapy. |
Structure Related to Chemotherapy Resistance |
March 26, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have solved the structure of a protein that keeps many drugs out of cells and can make cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy. |
Scientists Excise Excess DNA From Induced Stem Cells |
March 26, 2009 • University of Wisconsin, MadisonNIGMS-funded researchers report that they have created induced human pluripotent stem cells free of viral vectors and exotic genes. |
New Way to Make Stem Cells Avoids Risk of Cancer |
March 26, 2009 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesA team of scientists has advanced stem cell research by finding a way to endow human skin cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties without inserting potentially problematic new genes into their DNA. |
New Drug Knocks Out Multiple Enzymes in Cancer Pathway |
March 25, 2009 • University of IllinoisNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered an effective new anti-cancer agent related to drugs previously used to treat bone diseases. |
Switch Turns Stem Cells to Muscle |
March 24, 2009 • University of TexasResearchers partially funded by NIGMS have created a switch that allows the monitoring of muscle regeneration in mammals. |
Protein By Design |
March 23, 2009 • University of Pennsylvania School of MedicineNIGMS-funded biochemists built a functioning protein from scratch, that is, without working from an existing scaffold from nature. |
Altering Motor Proteins Could Deliver Drugs, Inhibit Cancer |
March 23, 2009 • Penn StateNIGMS-funded study of the motor protein kinesin-2 sheds light on the important process of cell transport and how it could be recruited to fight disease. |
Yeast Biology And How Human Knowledge Expands |
March 19, 2009 • University of MichiganNIGMS-funded biologists used temporal network analysis to explore the factors that promote or reduce scientific productivity. |
Researchers Watch Neural Proteins Change Shape |
March 16, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have been able to follow the changing shape of individual alpha-synuclein proteins, which are linked to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. |
Discovery of New Prion in Yeast Raises Questions About Role |
March 13, 2009 • University of Illinois at ChicagoNIGMS-funded researchers who discovered a prion in yeast are testing whether it could have a natural role in gene regulation. |
New Type of Antibiotics Should Avoid Drug-Resistance |
March 12, 2009 • Albert Einstein College of MedicineNIGMS-funded researchers are designing antibiotics that disrupt quorum sensing instead of killing bacteria. |
Missing Piece of Plant Clock Found |
March 12, 2009 • University of California, San DiegoNIGMS-funded researchers have identified a key protein that links the morning and evening components of the daily biological clock of plants. |
Cells Get Two Chances to Fix Proteins |
March 12, 2009 • Ohio State UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered an additional proofreading step in the protein-making process. |
Body Clock Regulates Metabolism |
March 12, 2009 • University of California, IrvineNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered how circadian rhythms regulate energy levels in cells. |
Yellowstone Alga Detoxifies Arsenic |
March 10, 2009 • Montana State UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that a species of algae that grows in hot, acidic environments chemically modifies arsenic to make it less toxic. |
The Mechanism of Chromosome Separation in Dividing Cells |
March 6, 2009 • University of WashingtonAn NIGMS-funded study has shed light on how kinetochores, which control chromosome movement during cell division, can be both strong and dynamic. |
A Dead Gene Comes Back to Life |
March 5, 2009 • University of WashingtonNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that a gene remnant was resurrected during human evolution. |
Structure-Building Role for RNAs |
March 3, 2009 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a unique role for two RNAs; they organize and maintain a compartment within the nucleus. |
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February 2009 |
An Immune Target For a Wide Range of Flu Viruses |
February 26, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteAn NIGMS-funded study has discovered that a single antibody can target a wide range of flu viruses, a finding that could lead to a universal flu vaccine or treatment. |
A General Method for Detecting Trace Chemicals |
February 25, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered a method that uses RNA replicator molecules to detect specific chemicals. |
The Role of Chance in Cell Division |
February 24, 2009 • Virginia TechNIGMS-funded researchers have explored how molecular "noise" affects when cells divide. |
Blocking the Immune Cell Rush Behind Deadly Sepsis |
February 24, 2009 • University of Rochester Medical CenterA study supported in part by NIGMS suggests improvements to treating sepsis, which would be more effective and not lead to internal bleeding. |
Theory and Experiment to Explain Protein Folding |
February 23, 2009 • CaltechNIGMS-funded researchers have collaborated to study how amino acid chains fold into unique three-dimensional proteins. |
Gene Networks and Sleep |
February 23, 2009 • North Carolina State UniversityStudying fruit flies, NIGMS-funded researchers have explored the genes underlying sleep. |
Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs May Lessen Brain Function |
February 23, 2009 • Iowa State UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study suggests that by inhibiting the liver from making cholesterol, statins could inhibit brain function. |
How Protein Detects Viruses and Sparks Immune Response |
February 19, 2009 • University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignNIGMS-funded researchers have revealed how a cell protein recognizes an invading virus and alerts the body to the infection. |
Anti-Aging Pathway Enhances Cell Stress Response |
February 19, 2009 • Northwestern UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study found a new molecular relationship between a known anti-aging protein and how cells respond to stress. |
Factor Regulates Length of Actin Filaments |
February 18, 2009 • Brandeis UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers discovered that a protein regulates the length of actin filaments, which make up part of the cytoskeleton and are important for transport and cell division. |
Could Genetics Improve Warfarin Dosing? |
February 18, 2009 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesA world wide team of researchers used computer modeling to address one of the trickiest drugs to prescribe—the blood-thinner warfarin. To test the gene-based strategy in patients, NIH is launching a large-scale clinical trial. |
Software Speeds Enzyme Redesign |
February 17, 2009 • Duke UniversityAn NIGMS-funded team has developed a computer program that can show how to change enzymes to make natural antibiotics. |
Researchers Find Protein Domain To Serve as Cancer Drug Target |
February 17, 2009 • Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have found that drugs that inactivate a specific part of matrix metalloproteinases may target tumors without damaging side effects. |
Common Drug Can Treat Opioid Addiction |
February 17, 2009 • Stanford University School of MedicineNIGMS-funded researchers have found that a drug approved to treat nausea can treat opioid withdrawal. |
Nanorobotic Device Performs DNA Origami |
February 15, 2009 • New York UniversityWith NIGMS support, chemists have developed a two-armed nanorobotic device that can manipulate molecules in a device built from DNA. |
Roles of DNA Packaging Protein Revealed |
February 12, 2009 • Albert Einstein College of MedicineNIGMS-funded scientists have found that linker histones, a class of chromatin proteins, are crucial for chromosome packaging and gene regulation. |
NIGMS Invites Biologists to Join High-Throughput Structure Initiative |
February 12, 2009 • National Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS announces plans for PSI:Biology, a program to support research partnerships between groups of biologists and high-throughput structure determination centers to solve problems of biomedical importance. |
How Cells Shuttle Proteins to Their Destinations |
February 10, 2009 • CaltechNIGMS-funded researchers have shed light on the process of intracellular protein delivery. |
Tailor-Made Recombinant Proteins in Mammals |
February 9, 2009 • Berkeley National LabNIGMS-funded researchers have developed a way to direct chemical modifications to specific sites on recombinant proteins. |
A Step Forward in Understanding Cell Division |
February 9, 2009 • Carnegie InstitutionNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that the proteins dynein and Nudel are essential for regulating the assembly of the spindle matrix. |
Structure Sheds Light on Virus Assembly |
February 8, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have solved the crystal structure of an intermediate particle in virus assembly. |
Rapidly Evolving Genes and the Origin of Species |
February 6, 2009 • University of RochesterNIGMS-funded researchers are exploring how rapidly evolving genes involved in the nuclear pore complex help one species split into two. |
How Plant Cells Protect Sperm DNA |
February 6, 2009 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that companion cells in plant pollen protect DNA in sperm cells from damage with small RNA molecules. |
Tinkering With Circadian Clock Can Suppress Cancer |
February 3, 2009 • University of North CarolinaNIGMS-funded researchers found that altering four "clock" genes suppressed cancer growth in a mouse model. |
The Secrets of Gene Regulatory Networks |
February 3, 2009 • CaltechA set of studies funded in part by NIGMS sheds light on the complex networks of gene interactions that guide the development of different species. |
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January 2009 |
Two Classes of Chemicals Disrupt Pathway Involved in Diseases |
January 30, 2009 • University of Texas SouthwesternAn NIGMS-supported chemical library screen identified two new classes of compounds that affect a biochemical system involved in cancer and many diseases. |
Leprosy Medicine Holds Promise for Autoimmune Diseases |
January 30, 2009 • Johns Hopkins Medical InstitutionsNIGMS-funded researchers have found that a drug with a long history holds promise as a therapy for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. |
How a Cell's Mitotic Motors Organize Chromosomes for Division |
January 30, 2009 • University of Massachusetts AmherstNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered which part of dynein takes charge of mitosis to keep chromosomes in order. |
Study Links Oncogene and Tumor Suppressor |
January 29, 2009 • Harvard Medical SchoolNIGMS-funded researchers have found a connection between two signaling pathways associated with cancer. |
Unzipping Molecules to Understand DNA Packing |
January 28, 2009 • Cornell UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers used an optical trap to unwrap strands of DNA from their histone cores to understand this important interaction. |
Stem-Cell Like Properties in Plant Cells |
January 28, 2009 • New York UniversityNIGMS-funded biologists have discovered that ordinary plants cells have the ability to replace lost organs in plants. |
How Editing Error Leads to a Neurodegenerative Disease |
January 28, 2009 • Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryNIGMS-funded molecular biologists have explained how a gene mutation causes atypical RNA splicing that results in a devastating disease. |
Computational Technique Allows Easy Comparison of Genomes |
January 28, 2009 • University of California, BerkeleyNIGMS-funded researchers have created a method for comparing entire genomes that are vastly different from each other. |
Many Genetic Variations Linked to Leukemia Treatment |
January 27, 2009 • St. Jude Children's Research HospitalScientists in the NIGMS-funded Pharmacogenetics Research Network have linked scores of genetic variations with how children respond to leukemia drugs. |
How the Protein Alphabet Can Evolve |
January 27, 2009 • Yale UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have demonstrated how a rare and relatively new amino acid was incorporated into the menu for protein synthesis. |
Fluorescent Proteins Tag Structures in Living Cells |
January 25, 2009 • Albert Einstein College of MedicineNIGMS-funded researchers are developing advanced fluorescent probes to watch structures and processes in living cells. |
Gatekeepers to the Nucleus Implicated in Aging |
January 22, 2009 • Salk InstituteNIGMS-funded researchers have discovered that cells do not replace or repair the core structure of nuclear pores, which become leaky over time. |
Cooperating Proteins Could Be Cancer Drug Targets |
January 16, 2009 • Dartmouth CollegeNIGMS-funded biochemists have found two proteins that work together to ensure proper chromosome segregation during cell division. |
Adaptation Drives Human Evolution |
January 16, 2009 • Stanford UniversityAn NIGMS-funded study shows that adaptation, rather than neutral change, plays a large role in human evolution. |
Repeats Lead to DNA Fragility, Neurological Disorders |
January 11, 2009 • Tufts UniversityNIGMS-funded researchers have found that repeating CGG sequences in DNA, which are associated with inherited neurological disorders, stall DNA replication. |
Scientists Develop RNA That Replicates Itself Indefinitely |
January 9, 2009 • Scripps Research InstituteNIGMS-supported scientists have synthesized for the first time RNA enzymes that can indefinitely replicate themselves without the help of proteins or other cellular components. |
Researchers Find New Way Protein Can Function |
January 9, 2009 • Dartmouth CollegeA group of NIGMS-supported researchers has found a new function for one of the proteins involved with chromosome segregation during cell division. |
Scientists Unravel Structure of Breast Cancer Target Enzyme |
January 7, 2009 • Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research InstituteNIGMS-supported researchers have revealed the molecular structure of aromatase, the enzyme targeted by Tamoxifen and other, related drugs. |
Researchers Catch Evolution in the Act |
January 6, 2009 • Washington University in St. LouisA team of NIGMS-supported biologists has discovered that two RNA polymerases found only in plants are specialized forms of an enzyme common to all eukaryotic organisms. |