Rockefeller University biologist Michael W. Young, who studies the biological clocks that regulate sleep, metabolism, and response to disease, is this year’s recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
In the rats that roam New York City’s streets and tunnels, scientists have found a virus that resembles hepatitis C. They have used it to create the first animal model of the human disease, a breakthrough that potentially could yield a much-needed vaccine.
Allis has received the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology. The award, given to investigators whose research offers hope for the prevention and treatment of birth defects and other infant diseases, honors Allis for his groundbreaking work on gene regulation.
Scientists have long seen parallels between healing wounds and growing tumors. In studying the molecular changes that occur within both, a research team has discovered a new cancer-fuelling mechanism that potentially could inform drug development.