Molecule News and Research

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Manipulating immune cells could be a viable strategy for treating cancer

Most traditional cancer therapies target either the tumor cells themselves or indiscriminately kill any rapidly dividing cell.

From UC San Diego 23 Jun 2020

Study sheds light on DNA sculpting properties of enigmatic protein

Sometimes, when something is broken, the first step to fixing it is to break it even more. In a recent example, scientists seeking to understand the mechanism of a DNA-repairing enzyme have discovered that the molecule performs its functions by first marking and then further breaking damaged DNA.

22 Jun 2020

New LI383 molecule can help treat opioid-related disorders

A novel molecule LIH383 developed by scientists at the Luxembourg Institute of Health binds to and inhibits a formerly unknown opioid receptor in the brain.

22 Jun 2020

Discovery could lead to a new toolset for cancer drug development

In the watery inside of a cell, complex processes take place in tiny functional compartments called organelles. Energy-producing mitochondria are organelles, as is the frilly golgi apparatus, which helps to transport cellular materials. Both of these compartments are bound by thin membranes.

19 Jun 2020

Using CAR T cells to target senescence-related diseases

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have transformed the treatment of refractory blood cancers. These genetically engineered immune cells seek out and destroy cancer cells with precision.

19 Jun 2020

Novel silicon-based antioxidant agent may prevent kidney failure and Parkinson's disease

Oxidative stress is the result of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and can be damaging to cells and tissues.

From Osaka University 19 Jun 2020

Researchers use lead sequencing to determine the structure of RNAs

Scientists from RUB and the University of Münster have created a technique to simultaneously establish the structures of all RNA molecules in a bacterial cell.

18 Jun 2020

New system of gene editing allows for targeted, super-fast DNA repair

In a series of experiments using human cancer cell lines, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have successfully used light as a trigger to make precise cuts in genomic material rapidly, using a molecular scalpel known as CRISPR, and observe how specialized cell proteins repair the exact spot where the gene was cut.

18 Jun 2020

Gut bacteria may modify host animal's behavior, influence food choices

Gut bacteria are tiny but may play an outsized role not only in the host animal's digestive health, but in their overall well-being.

18 Jun 2020

Dysfunctional placenta can contribute to Cornelia de Lange syndrome

Researchers have demonstrated that a dysfunctional placenta can play a formerly unknown role during the earliest phases of development in Cornelia de Lange.

17 Jun 2020

Study reveals the negative effects of silicone breast implants

Silicone molecules extracted from breast implants can trigger the processes in human cells that result in apoptosis.

16 Jun 2020

A new rapid-prototyping system to accelerate the design of biological systems

Northwestern University synthetic biologists have developed a new rapid-prototyping system to accelerate the design of biological systems, reducing the time to produce sustainable biomanufacturing products from months to weeks.

16 Jun 2020

BCG vaccine elicits trained immunity in humans

A tuberculosis vaccine developed 100 years ago also makes vaccinated persons less susceptible to other infections.

16 Jun 2020

New project to make better fluorescent tags turns into a method to kill tumors

A Rice University lab's project to make better fluorescent tags has turned into a method to kill tumors. Switching one atom in the tag does the trick.

12 Jun 2020

Overactive enzyme causes an inherited form of hypertension

A Turkish family from a village near the Black Sea first caught the attention of medical researchers in the early 1970s.

12 Jun 2020

Study reveals structure of an activated dopamine receptor

Dopamine, a chemical that sends messages between different parts of the brain and body, plays a key role in a variety of diseases and behaviors by interacting with receptors on cells.

11 Jun 2020

Study identifies new pathway to attack tumor cells

A study led by the Institut de Neurociències describes a new strategy to tackle cancer, based on inducing a potent stress in tumor causing cell destruction by autophagy.

10 Jun 2020

New research advances the field of optical microscopy

New Illinois ECE research is advancing the field of optical microscopy, giving the field a critical new tool to solve challenging problems across many fields of science and engineering including semiconductor wafer inspection, nanoparticle sensing, material characterization, biosensing, virus counting, and microfluidic monitoring.

9 Jun 2020