Adverse genetic mutations can cause harm and are due to various circumstances. “Jumping genes” are one cause of mutations, but cells try and combat them with a specialized RNA called piRNA. For the first time, researchers from the University of Tokyo and their collaborators have identified how…
Category: 5. Health
-
Scientists use cellular programming to mimic first days of embryonic development
The earliest days after fertilization, once a sperm cell meets an egg, are shrouded in scientific mystery.
The process of how a humble single cell becomes an organism fascinates scientists across disciplines. For some animals, the entire process of cellular multiplication, generation of…
Continue Reading
-
Breakthrough molecular movie reveals DNA’s unzipping mechanism with implications for viral and cancer treatments
Scientists at the University of Leicester have captured the first detailed “molecular movie” showing DNA being unzipped at the atomic level — revealing how cells begin the crucial process of copying their genetic material.
The groundbreaking discovery, published in the journal Nature, could…
Continue Reading
-
New function discovered for protein important in leukemia
Researchers from Northwestern University have stumbled upon a previously unobserved function of a protein found in the cell nuclei of all flora and fauna. In addition to exporting materials out of the nucleus, the protein, called Exportin-1 (also called Xpo1 or Crm1), seems to play a role in…
Continue Reading
-
Beating the clock: Melanoma starts evading treatment within hours — here’s how to stop it
Researchers have uncovered a stealth survival strategy that melanoma cells use to evade targeted therapy, offering a promising new approach to improving treatment outcomes.
The study, published in Cell Systems and conducted by researchers at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) and…
Continue Reading
-
The cell’s powerhouses: Molecular machines enable efficient energy production
Mitochondria are the powerhouses in our cells, producing the energy for all vital processes. Using cryo-electron tomography, researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, have now gained insight into the architecture of mitochondria at unprecedented resolution. They discovered that the…
Continue Reading
-
Pediatric Brain Tumor Classification Improves Therapy
Cancer is the rapid proliferation of malignant cells that permeate tissue and cause dysregulation of the body’s daily functions. Many cancers can be characterized by the mutation cells have and how the tumors behave. Specifically, tumors are graded based on…
Continue Reading
-
Immune Cell Mechanism Improves Antibody Production
Our immune system works to fight infections immediately, but also maintain long-term immunity. Two waves of protection help neutralize and eliminate disease, including the innate and adaptive immune responses. Innate immunity comprises of non-specific immune…
Continue Reading
-
5 years on, true counts of COVID-19 deaths remain elusive − and research is hobbled by lack of data
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers struggled to grasp the rate of the virus’s spread and the number of related deaths. While hospitals tracked cases and deaths within their walls, the broader picture of mortality across communities remained frustratingly…
Continue Reading
-
Insomnia can lead to heart issues − a psychologist recommends changes that can improve sleep
About 10% of Americans say they have chronic insomnia, and millions of others report poor sleep quality. Ongoing research has found that bad sleep could lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease.
Dr. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral…
Continue Reading