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Displaying 159 of 2857 articles.

New study reveals gut segments organized by function, and opportunities for better drug design

New findings provide insights about how the intestine maximizes nutrient uptake, while at the same time protecting the body from potentially dangerous microbes.

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Researchers find genetic link to tuberculosis

Rockefeller scientists have identified a genetic condition that makes people prone to developing tuberculosis. In a British population, they found that the condition underlies one percent of cases of the disease—a finding that may ultimately lead to new treatment options.

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Gene-editing technique opens door for HIV vaccine

Researchers successfully modified immune cells to produce antibodies that fight HIV. This strategy could eventually be used to develop a vaccine against the virus, among other conditions.

Lysin therapy offers new hope for fighting drug-resistant bacteria

Increasingly, bacteria do not succumb to antibiotics. Rockefeller researchers have developed a new class of antimicrobial drug, lysin, with one compound showing promising results in a clinical trial—suggesting that an alternative to antibiotics may be on the horizon.

Study explains how geckos gracefully gallop on water

Geckos are amazingly agile. In addition to running across land and up trees, the animals can prance across the surface of water. A new study reveals how they do it.

Shape-shifting protein protects bacteria from invaders

Researchers have discovered how bacteria manage to destroy enemy DNA, while keeping their own genetic material safe.

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New gene-engineering technique will help scientists study the immune system

Using gene editing technology, researchers have developed a new way to study B cell activation in mice. This technique makes research more efficient, and has the potential to improve our understanding of immune responses in humans.

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Genetic mutation identified as culprit in rare infectious disease

Researchers have uncovered the genetic factors that make some people susceptible to Whipple's disease, an intestinal inflammatory disorder that causes diarrhea, pain, and weight loss.

Gaby Maimon and Luciano Marraffini are named HHMI investigators

Maimon, who studies cognition and decision-making, and Marraffini, who studies the bacterial defense system CRISPR-Cas, are among 19 scientists nationwide to receive this designation.

Jeffrey V. Ravetch to receive 2018 Robert Koch Award

Ravetch receives the award for his groundbreaking work analyzing the immune system’s antibody response. He has worked for decades on the Fc fragment of the antibody molecule and its binding partners, known as Fc receptors.

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New method allows scientists to study how HIV persists

Scientists have developed a new strategy to study the cells that host hidden reserves of dormant HIV, a step that may lead to new treatments that go beyond controlling the infection and instead aim to eradicate the virus entirely.

From infection-dodging stem cells, new tactics for research on viral disease

Among other superpowers, stem cells have a knack for fending off viruses like dengue and zika. Scientists have gained new insight into these curious defense strategies—knowledge they say could fuel the development of drugs against a range of diseases.

Scientists map the portal to the cell’s nucleus

The gateway to cellular headquarters has 552 components. A new map that shows how all these pieces fit together could help scientists study numerous diseases.

Scientists caution that a rare childhood liver cancer can spread to the brain

A new report details three cases of secondary brain tumors in people with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. The researchers say imaging tests could improve treatment for patients whose cancer spreads to the brain from the liver.

Molecule discovered in dirt could help against multi-resistant bacteria

In mining soil for natural drugs, scientists have discovered a brand-new antibiotic potent against many bacteria. They hope it could be used to treat infections that cannot be stopped with existing drugs.

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In brief: Tweaking RNA protects cells from harmful inflammation

New research has helped explain what goes wrong in Aicardi-Goutières syndrome, a rare brain disorder. Patients with the disease have genetic abnormalities that may put their cells at risk of accidentally triggering an antiviral response.

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In brief: Mutation explains why some people are more vulnerable to viral brain infection

Scientists identified mutations in a single gene that impair immunity to viruses in a region of the brain called the brain stem.

New tool for tracking “kiss-and-run” communication between cells could advance research in multiple fields

Virtually all aspects of life and disease depend of brief exchanges between cells. A new technique to study cell-to-cell contacts lets interacting cells “smear” one another with the biological equivalent of lipstick.

New immunotherapy approach boosts body’s ability to destroy cancer cells

A new treatment may help cancer patients who don't respond to traditional immunotherapy. Findings from the first-ever clinical trial reveal that it is effective in activating immune cells that kill cancer cells.

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In brief: Variation between strains may account for differences in people’s vulnerability to infection

New research shows that subtle differences between bacterial strains may cause dramatic differences in outcome between people infected with the same microbe.

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In brief: How the immune system curbs its own mistakes

Researchers discovered how apoptosis keeps potential cancer-causing mutations in check.

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In brief: Immune cells surveil intestine to prevent infections

Scientists found that immune cells called intraepithelial lymphocytes act as a surveillance force at the intestine, helping to generate an appropriate immune response to both friendly bacteria and dangerous pathogens.

Michel C. Nussenzweig wins 2017 Sanofi-Institut Pasteur Award

Nussenzweig was honored at a ceremony today at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.The award recognizes investigators for past or ongoing work demonstrating real scientific progress in the life sciences.

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In brief: A close look at how HIV-fighting proteins slow the virus down

A new study sheds light on how the body fights back against HIV by mutating the viral DNA.

New study points the way to therapy for rare cancer that targets the young

Scientists have engineered a mouse model to study a rare and often-fatal form of liver cancer. They’ve used it to clarify what drives these tumors at the molecular level, and discover new drug concepts.

In the fight against viral infection, spelling counts

Scientists have discovered a peculiarity in the genetic code of HIV that might explain how this and other viruses evolved ways to dodge our immune system. The findings could make it possible to develop safer vaccines.

Targeting a single protein might treat a broad range of viruses

Scientists have identified a protein that many viruses require to spread within a host—a discovery that could lead to fighting diseases as varied as parainfluenza, West Nile, and Zika with a single drug. This finding could also lead to the development of treatments for emerging viruses.

Gabriel Victora named 2017 MacArthur Fellow

One of the most prestigious funding programs in the world, the MacArthur fellows program awards grants to exceptionally creative individuals as an investment in their potential.

Stress has dramatically different effects on male and female mouse brains

Scientists have found unexpected differences in how male and female mice respond to stress. Their findings are raising big questions about sex discrepancies in the brain and their impact on neuropsychiatric disease.

Simple strategy could lead to a “universal” flu vaccine

To keep up with evasive flu viruses, new vaccines must be developed each year. Scientists are devising a strategy to better prevent the disease without annual shots.