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Researchers find a way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to cells

On July 1, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station's (TEES) National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing (NCTM) received funding from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) to help find a way to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from binding to cells, protecting people from future infections.

20 Jul 2020

Small, compact Cas proteins found in bacteriophages are ideal for gene editing

The DNA-cutting proteins central to CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene-editing tools originally came from bacteria, but a newfound variety of Cas proteins apparently evolved in viruses that infect bacteria.

20 Jul 2020

Researchers estimate the cost-effectiveness and health impact of BRCA testing

Screening entire populations for breast and ovarian cancer gene mutations could prevent millions more breast and ovarian cancer cases across the world compared to current clinical practice, according to an international study led by Queen Mary University of London.

20 Jul 2020

Simple blood test could advance life-saving treatment for heart failure

Biomedical experts believe that half of heart failure patients likely have low levels of the thyroid hormone T3 in their cardiac tissue.

20 Jul 2020

Rapid laboratory test can aid in early diagnosis of COVID-19 in patients

A rapid laboratory test, the eosinophil count, readily obtained from a routine complete blood cell count (CBC) can aid in the early recognition of COVID-19 in patients, as well as provide prognostic information, according to new research in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

20 Jul 2020

Ultra-small titanium dioxide crystals may help produce methane and other fuels

Imagine tiny crystals that "blink" like fireflies and can convert carbon dioxide, a key cause of climate change, into fuels.

From Rutgers University 20 Jul 2020

A fast and less expensive technique to count sperm in lobsters

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have identified a quicker and less expensive way to count sperm in lobsters that could help scientists looking at any animal better understand mating, a key aspect of species survival.

20 Jul 2020

SARS-CoV-2 protein effectively shuts down host protein production, shows study

A detailed study of a SARS-Cov-2 protein, Nsp1, with a central role in weakening the host anti-viral immune response shows that it effectively shuts down production ofproteins in the host.

20 Jul 2020

Research may help design new, highly selective generation of Alzheimer's drugs

With over 1.2 million people affected in Germany alone and over 50 million people worldwide, Alzheimer's disease, also referred to simply as Alzheimer's, is one of the greatest medical and social challenges of our time.

20 Jul 2020

Using blood samples to detect positive COVID-19 cases in 20 minutes

World-first research by Monash University in Australia has been able to detect positive COVID-19 cases using blood samples in about 20 minutes, and identify whether someone has contracted the virus.

20 Jul 2020

Type 1 interferon deficiency in the blood could be a hallmark of severe COVID-19

Approximately 5% of people with Covid-19 progress to a severe or critical form, including the development of severe pneumonia that progresses to acute respiratory distress syndrome.

20 Jul 2020

Emerging hydrogel material could improve delivery of oral drugs

An emerging hydrogel material with the capacity to degrade and spontaneously reform in the gastrointestinal tract could help researchers develop more effective methods for oral drug delivery.

From Lehigh University 20 Jul 2020

Yale researchers uncover mechanism driving Wolfram Syndrome

Yale pharmacology professor Barbara Ehrlich and her team have uncovered a mechanism driving a rare, lethal disease called Wolfram Syndrome and also a potential treatment.

20 Jul 2020

Researchers construct “DNA droplets” that exhibit dynamic functions

DNA is considered the storage unit of all genetic data in living organisms.

20 Jul 2020

Study shows how proteins prevent DNA replication errors

Two rereading proteins on the DNA assembly line collectively work as an emergency stop button to inhibit replication errors.

20 Jul 2020

Study shows flotillin proteins have direct influence on cell membrane structure

Similar to all cells, bacteria have a membrane that protects them from the outside just like skin.

20 Jul 2020

Genetic sequencing can reveal evolutionary differences in reef-building corals

Globally, the rising water temperatures caused by pollution and global warming have impacted the coral reefs that are dwindling at an alarming speed.

20 Jul 2020

Study: High levels of iron in the blood can prevent age-related damage

Genes linked to ageing that could help explain why some people age at different rates to others has been identified by scientists.

17 Jul 2020

Hypercompact CRISPR enzyme from bacteriophages expands genome editing toolbox

A recently discovered hypercompact CRISPR enzyme found only in huge bacteriophages, and known as CRISPR-CasΦ, is functional, a new study by Patrick Pausch, Jennifer Doudna and colleagues reports, and it provides a powerful new tool in the CRISPR genome editing toolbox, including because it can target a wider range of genetic sequences compared to Cas9 and Cas12

17 Jul 2020

Study shows how cells respond to nutrient deprivation

The idea of the cell as a city is a common introduction to biology, conjuring depictions of the cell's organelles as power plants, factories, roads, libraries, warehouses and more.

From Harvard Medical School 17 Jul 2020