Genetics & Molecular Biology

High-Fat Diet And Natural Hormone May Alleviate Mitochondrial Disease

Mice that have a genetic version of mitochondrial disease can easily be mistaken for much older animals by the time they are nine months old: they have thinning gray hair, osteoporosis, poor hearing, infertility and heart problems. Despite having this dise ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 4 2015 - 9:31am

Human Antibody Blocks Dengue Virus In Mice

Researchers have discovered that a human antibody specific to dengue virus serotype 2, called 2D22, protects mice from a lethal form of the virus-- and they suggest that the site where 2D22 binds to the virus could represent a potential vaccine target. Th ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 7 2015 - 7:30am

Two Are Better Than One – Another Checkpoint Enzyme For Flawless Cell Division

The error-free distribution of genetic material during cell division is important for preventing the development of tumor cells. Prof. Erich Nigg’s research group at the Biozentrum, University of Basel, has uncovered a new important function of the human ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 16 2015 - 8:01am

Gene Therapy Restores Hearing In Deaf Mice

Using gene therapy, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have restored hearing in mice with a genetic form of deafness. Their work, published online July 8 by the journal Science Translational Medicine, could pave the ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 10 2015 - 2:37pm

New Cell Division Mechanism Discovered

Researchers have discovered that chromosomes play an active role in animal cell division. This occurs at a precise stage – cytokinesis – when the cell splits into two new daughter cells. It was observed by a team of researchers including Gilles Hickson, an ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 13 2015 - 3:51pm

CAV1: Gene Causing Premature Aging And Severe Loss Of Fat In Children Found

Researchers have identified a genetic mutation associated with the appearance of premature aging and severe loss of body fat in children. Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) Center for Rare Childhood Disorders found that th ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 22 2015 - 6:57pm

Like Sweets? It's Partly In The Genes

A new study suggests that a single set of genes affects a person's perception of sweet taste, regardless of whether the sweetener is a natural sugar or a non-caloric sugar substitute. ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 23 2015 - 7:30am

Smart Cornfields: Photosynthesis Hacks Optimize Food

The world population, which stood at 5 billion in 1950, will likely increase to 10.5 billion by 2050, meaning that the planet’s population will have doubled within the lifetimes of many people alive today.   Beginning in the 1960s, environmental groups and ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 17 2015 - 12:31pm

Stem Cells Might Heal Damaged Lungs

Collectively, diseases of the airways such as emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis are the second leading cause of death worldwide. More than 35 million Americans alone suffer from chronic respiratory disease. Weizmann Institute of Science r ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 18 2015 - 6:39am

RNA Beads And Springs In Elastic Network Model

A group of scientists at SISSA have proposed a quick alternative for predicting the internal dynamics of RNA molecules (how the different parts move in relation to each other). Their simple solution, which uses beads and springs, provides similar results t ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 20 2015 - 8:00am