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New 'disease-in-a-dish' system developed to study oculocutaneous albinism

Researchers at the National Eye Institute have developed the first patient-derived stem cell model for studying eye conditions related to oculocutaneous albinism (OCA).

12 Jan 2022

Blocking function of blood-clotting protein prevents bone loss from gum disease in mice

Blocking function of a blood-clotting protein prevented bone loss from periodontal (gum) disease in mice, according to research led by scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), part of the National Institutes of Health.

24 Dec 2021

Oral diuretic pill may potentially be repurposed to treat Alzheimer's in people with genetic risk

A commonly available oral diuretic pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may be a potential candidate for an Alzheimer's disease treatment for those who are at genetic risk, according to findings published in Nature Aging.

12 Oct 2021

Researchers create cardiomyocyte model using a genetic algorithm

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into cardiac myocytes and are employed in applications like formulating patient-specific disease models.

31 Aug 2021

Gene therapy may be safe and effective in treating AADC deficiency

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that gene therapy delivered into the brain may be safe and effective in treating aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.

19 Jul 2021

Researchers devise a small-molecule cocktail to protect stem cells from stress

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have devised a four-part small-molecule cocktail that can protect stem cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from stress and maintain normal stem cell structure and function.

4 May 2021

Geisinger receives $3.6 million from NCI to study the role of genetic variation in cancer

The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a 5-year, $3.6 million contract to Geisinger to study the role of genetic variation in cancer.

30 Apr 2021

Cutting-edge genomic tools used to investigate health effects of Chernobyl radiation exposure

In two landmark studies, researchers have used cutting-edge genomic tools to investigate the potential health effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen, from the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine.

From National Cancer Institute (NCI) 23 Apr 2021

Researchers identify and test drug combination that exploits a weakness in small cell lung cancer

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have identified and tested a drug combination that exploits a weakness in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), an aggressive, dangerous cancer.

13 Apr 2021

Salivary gland cells could play role in SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission

Scientists have shown that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect specific cells in the salivary gland in the mouth.

26 Mar 2021

Genetically engineered immune cells deliver anticancer signal to organs to prevent metastasis

Scientists have genetically engineered immune cells, called myeloid cells, to precisely deliver an anticancer signal to organs where cancer may spread.

From National Cancer Institute (NCI) 25 Mar 2021

New approach could speed the search for promising therapies

Assessing a drug compound by its activity, not simply its structure, is a new approach that could speed the search for COVID-19 therapies and reveal more potential therapies for other diseases.

2 Mar 2021

Fecal microbiota transplant helps cancer patients respond to immunotherapy

For patients with cancers that do not respond to immunotherapy drugs, adjusting the composition of microorganisms in the intestines--known as the gut microbiome--through the use of a stool, or fecal, transplants may help some of these individuals respond to the immunotherapy drugs, a new study suggests.

From National Cancer Institute (NCI) 5 Feb 2021

CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 provides quick, accurate results

Imagine swabbing your nostrils, putting the swab in a device, and getting a read-out on your phone in 15 to 30 minutes that tells you if you are infected with the COVID-19 virus.

7 Dec 2020

Researchers discover a gene responsible for urination

In a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study involving both mice and patients who are part of an NIH Clinical Center trial, researchers discovered that a gene, called PIEZO2, may be responsible for the powerful urge to urinate that we normally feel several times a day.

20 Oct 2020

Researchers discover how synapses find energy to support intense neural conversations

Our thoughts, feelings, and movements are controlled by billions of neurons talking to each other at trillions of specialized communication points called synapses.

6 Oct 2020

Small set of genes may help decide the identity of every neuron in worms

When it comes to brain cells, one size does not fit all. Neurons come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and contain different types of brain chemicals.

20 Aug 2020

Drugs designed to lower alpha-ketoglutarate levels could help fight DIPG tumors

Every year, 150 to 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), aggressive and lethal tumors that grow deep inside the brain, for which there are no cures.

19 Aug 2020

NIH-supported research delineates how genetic variations cause atopic dermatitis

New research supported by the National Institutes of Health delineates how two relatively common variations in a gene called KIF3A are responsible for an impaired skin barrier that allows increased water loss from the skin, promoting the development of atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema.

17 Aug 2020

NIH clinical study to evaluate potential new therapeutics for mild, moderate COVID-19

A Phase 2 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of potential new therapeutics for COVID-19, including an investigational therapeutic based on synthetic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to treat the disease.

5 Aug 2020