Molecular & Structural Biology

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Researchers analyze individual cells to build an atlas of the human heart

Scientists have created a cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart, to understand how this vital organ functions, and to shed light on what goes wrong in cardiovascular disease.

25 Sep 2020

Computational model effectively identifies genetic mutations in breast tumors

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a computational model which is effective in detecting and identifying genetic mutations in breast tumors. The study, the largest of its kind in the world, includes results from over 3 200 patients with breast cancer.

25 Sep 2020

Study sheds light on how membrane proteins could be influenced by lipids

The cell membrane, the wall-like boundary between the cell interior and its outside environment, is primarily made up of two kinds of biomolecules: lipids and proteins.

25 Sep 2020

Scientists uncover new parvovirus strategy for reaching the cell nucleus

Researchers at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, in collaboration with American scientists, have uncovered a new parvovirus strategy for reaching the cell nucleus which is their site of replication.

25 Sep 2020

Researchers identify a driver of drug resistance in some cancers

Patients with BRCA1/2 mutations are at higher risk for breast, ovarian and prostate cancers that can be aggressive when they develop - and, in many cases, resistant to lifesaving drugs.

24 Sep 2020

New brain-inspired nanodevice can identify mutations in viruses

In the September issue of the journal Nature, scientists from Texas A&M University, Hewlett Packard Labs and Stanford University have described a new nanodevice that acts almost identically to a brain cell.

24 Sep 2020

Study reveals how the loss of a protein affects proper brain development

Normal brain development requires a precise interplay between neuronal and non-neuronal (also called glial) cells. In a new study, researchers from the University of Tsukuba revealed how the loss of protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) 1 causes disruptions in glial cells and affects proper brain development.

24 Sep 2020

Alzheimer's disease may be driven by overactivation of fructose made in the brain

New research released from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus proposes that Alzheimer's disease may be driven by the overactivation of fructose made in the brain.

24 Sep 2020

Study sheds light on the evolution of cheating and cooperative behaviors within different organisms

Cheating mitochondria can exploit cellular mechanisms for dealing with the scarcity of food in a worm, although this can decrease its wellbeing

24 Sep 2020

Druggable pocket in SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein can help eliminate COVID-19

Researchers have identified a druggable pocket in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein that could be utilized to prevent the virus from infecting human cells.

24 Sep 2020

Scientists use cryo-EM method to extract molecular data

Scientists have made enormous strides in the field of structural biology, looking into the activities of nature at the smallest scale.

24 Sep 2020

Chemists build artificial cells that can communicate with natural living cells

New research by an international team of chemists describes a new type of artificial cell that can communicate with other cells within the body--with potential applications in the field of smart pharmaceuticals.

23 Sep 2020

Irisin hormone could have therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) suggests that irisin, a hormone secreted from muscles in response to exercise, could have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients.

23 Sep 2020

New insight into how people with retinal degenerative disease can maintain night vision

New insight on how people with retinal degenerative disease can maintain their night vision for a relatively long period of time has been published today in the open-access eLife journal.

23 Sep 2020

Escherichia coli bacteria show path to speed up photosynthesis

Cornell University scientists have engineered a key plant enzyme and introduced it in Escherichia coli bacteria in order to create an optimal experimental environment for studying how to speed up photosynthesis, a holy grail for improving crop yields.

22 Sep 2020