Molecular & Structural Biology

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Ribosomal Fingerprints: A Novel Approach to Early Cancer Detection

Different types of cancer have unique molecular 'fingerprints' which are detectable in early stages of the disease and can be picked up with near-perfect accuracy by small, portable scanners in just a few hours, according to a study published today in the journal Molecular Cell.

11 Dec 2024

New Brain Mapping Reveals Connections Behind Higher Order Functions

A new way of mapping activity and connections between different regions of the brain has revealed fresh insights into how higher order functions like language, thought and attention, are organized.

9 Dec 2024

New Study Challenges Traditional View of Axon Shape and Function

In a provocative new study, scientists challenge a fundamental tenet in neuroscience about the shape of axons -- the long, thin filaments radiating from nerve cells that transmit electrical signals from cell to cell – and propose a new model for understanding how information is transmitted in the brain.

9 Dec 2024

New Class of CRISPR-Cas Enzymes for Precise Genome Editing

Recent research published in the journal “Science Bulletin” detailed the creation of a tool called ChCas12b that can accurately edit genomes and identify single-base mutations.

9 Dec 2024

Scientists Unravel the Mystery of Gene Expression Bursting

Researchers at Kyushu University have discovered a connection between bursts of gene activity and the spatial distance between particular DNA regions.

9 Dec 2024

Unraveling the Mystery of Bacterial Protein Synthesis

The process by which cells make protein molecules, which are necessary for life and growth, is known as protein biosynthesis, and it is a very complicated and tightly controlled process.

5 Dec 2024

Cancer-Associated Gene MYC Found to Drive Muscle Growth Independently of Exercise

Researchers have long known that there is a relationship between the cancer-associated gene MYC (pronounced "Mick") and exercise adaptation.

4 Dec 2024

New Artificial Adhesion System Closely Mimics Natural Biological Interactions

In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has developed an artificial adhesion system that closely mimics natural biological interactions.

3 Dec 2024

New Discovery Redefines the Shape of Axons in Mammalian Brain Cells

Biology textbooks may need a revision, say Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists, who present new evidence that an armlike structure of mammalian brain cells may be a different shape than scientists have assumed for more than a century.

3 Dec 2024

New Frontier in Protein Quality Control and Brain Health

Beyond their use as fuel during fasting, the body's production of ketones plays a part in controlling cellular functions and aging processes.

3 Dec 2024

Bacteria Alter Ribosomes to Resist Common Antibiotics

Bacteria modify their ribosomes when exposed to widely used antibiotics, according to research published today in Nature Communications.

2 Dec 2024

New Research Challenges Views on Human Brain Evolution

Modern humans, Neanderthals, and other recent relatives on our human family tree evolved bigger brains much more rapidly than earlier species, a new study of human brain evolution has found.

2 Dec 2024

The Immune System’s Role in Neurodegenerative Disease

Researchers have discovered a new connection between Parkinson’s disease development and the immune system.

2 Dec 2024

Comprehensive Review of Intracellular Checkpoints in NK Cell Biology and Cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in the innate immune response to cancer and viral infections, and their presence in tumors correlates with improved patient outcomes in a variety of cancers.

29 Nov 2024

Novel Role for Viscoelasticity in Cellular Signaling and Response

An important mechanism in fat cells (adipocytes) that allows them to safely enlarge to store energy has been discovered by a team at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), led by Professor Miguel Ángel del Pozo Barriuso, who leads the CNIC's Mechanoadaptation and Caveolae Biology group.

29 Nov 2024

The Critical Role of TRiC in Brain Development and Function

In 1992, Judith Frydman, PhD, discovered a molecular complex with an essential purpose in all of our cells: folding proteins correctly.

29 Nov 2024

Mathematical Approach Helps Understand Complex Neural Systems

In an article published in the scientific journal PNAS Nexus, researchers from the Neuromorphic Engineering Laboratory at the University of Liège reveal a fascinating brain mechanism: the ability of neurons to maintain reliable functions despite significant variability in their physiological components.

29 Nov 2024

Systemic Metabolic Adaptation Supports Tissue Regeneration in Axolotls and Fruit Flies

Regenerating tissues following injury is a demanding task most multicellular organisms master to different levels. In order to better understand the mechanisms common to many species behind tissue regeneration, researchers from the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden and the BIOTEC (TU Dresden), decided to examine changes in systemic metabolism during regeneration.

29 Nov 2024

Reduced Protein Mobility Linked to Chronic Diseases and Their Complications

Chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and inflammatory disorders have a huge impact on humanity. They are a leading cause of disease burden and deaths around the globe, are physically and economically taxing, and the number of people with such diseases is growing.

28 Nov 2024

Novel DNA-Based Platform for Biomolecular Interactions

Researchers at The University of British Columbia Okanagan have created a first-of-its-kind artificial adhesion system that closely resembles biological connections.

28 Nov 2024