Biochemistry

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New bioluminescent reporter tracks DNA double stranded break repair in cells

A new bioluminescent reporter that tracks DNA double stranded break (DSB) repair in cells has been developed by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Academia Sinica in Taiwan.

24 Aug 2020

Newly discovered molecule can help develop anticancer treatments

A molecule recently discovered by scientists can trigger a natural immune-boosting protein, known as STING (short for STimulator of INterferon Genes).

24 Aug 2020

Study examines the impact of low-carb, high-fat diet in older people

A new study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, from researchers with the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Nutrition Obesity Research Center observed improvements in body composition, fat distribution and metabolic health in response to an eight-week, very low-carbohydrate diet.

21 Aug 2020

Eliminating tumors with engineered ‘off-the-shelf’ therapeutic T cells

Personalized cancer treatments are no longer just options of the future. In the past few years, researchers have made significant progress in 'teaching' the body's immune T cells to recognize and kill specific cancer cells, and human clinical trials have shown that this approach can successfully eliminate tumors

21 Aug 2020

A metabolic enzyme could be potential target for immunotherapies

The metabolic enzyme IL4I1 (Interleukin-4-Induced-1) promotes the spread of tumor cells and suppresses the immune system.

21 Aug 2020

'Genetic Code Kit' could transform how biology and biochemistry are taught

An open-source educational biotechnology called the "Genetic Code Kit" has been developed by California Polytechnic State University researchers to allow students to interact with the molecular process inside cells in new ways.

20 Aug 2020

Improving the accuracy of DNA melt curve

DNA is not only the blueprint of life, it has become the backbone for making tiny structures that can be inserted into the human body to diagnose and treat disease.

20 Aug 2020

Developing new fluorescent metal sensors to explore the gastrointestinal tract

A University of Houston researcher is developing a new set of metal sensors that will be able to function in the gastrointestinal tract, a low oxygen environment, to examine how gut bacteria respond when trace metal nutrients, like iron and zinc, are thrown out of balance either through diet or disease.

20 Aug 2020

Bacteria-driven process greatly decreases the toxicity of dioxin in the Passaic River

Bacteria that can help defuse highly toxic dioxin in sediments in the Passaic River - a Superfund hazardous waste site - could eventually aid cleanup efforts at other dioxin-contaminated sites around the world, according to Rutgers scientists.

From Rutgers University 20 Aug 2020

Removing copper from the blood can destroy some of the deadliest cancers

Australian researchers have discovered that removing copper from the blood can destroy some of the deadliest cancers that are resistant to immunotherapy using models of the disease.

20 Aug 2020

Researchers solve debate on molecular events involved in the process of respiration

Respiration is essentially a rudimentary process that occurs in all living things, enabling them to create energy, remain healthy, and live.

20 Aug 2020

Elevated levels of heart failure marker increase risk for diabetes-related complications

Healthy people - especially women - with elevated levels of the heart failure marker NT-proBNP have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

19 Aug 2020

Cashew shell compound shows therapeutic potential for demyelinating diseases

In laboratory experiments, a chemical compound found in the shell of the cashew nut promotes the repair of myelin, a team from Vanderbilt University Medical Center reports today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

From Vanderbilt University 19 Aug 2020

Shielded stem cells can improve heart healing

Ghanta, R.K., et al. (2020) Immune-modulatory alginate protects mesenchymal stem cells for sustained delivery of reparative factors to ischemic myocardium. Biomaterials Science. doi.org/10.1039/D0BM00855A.

19 Aug 2020

Human activity can aggravate effects of nutrient pollution in marine ecosystems

Excessive nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, have devastating effects on coastal marine ecosystems by causing algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water, killing marine life.

19 Aug 2020

Study shows how high-protein diet protects against fatty liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common chronic liver disease in the world, with sometimes life-threatening consequences.

19 Aug 2020

Researchers uncover a novel biochemical mechanism fundamental to plant life

University of Adelaide researchers as part of a multidisciplinary, international team, have uncovered a new biochemical mechanism fundamental to plant life.

19 Aug 2020

New study reveals surprising features in coral sperm and eggs

When stony corals have their renowned mass spawning events, in sync with the moon's cycle, colonies simultaneously release an underwater "cloud" of sperm and eggs for fertilization.

From Rutgers University 19 Aug 2020

Long-term opioid use in back-pain patients leads to production of anti-opioid antibodies

University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have discovered that a majority of back-pain patients they tested who were taking opioid painkillers produced anti-opioid antibodies.

19 Aug 2020

Increased fructose intake during pregnancy can alter offspring's metabolism

An increased level of fructose intake during pregnancy can cause significant changes in maternal metabolic function and milk composition and alter the metabolism of their offspring, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, have found.

19 Aug 2020