Research that began with the analysis of two developmental syndromes ultimately helped scientists understand how diverse epigenetic mechanisms can combine to drive tissue overgrowth in cancer.
A new study finds that neurons affected in Parkinson’s disease can shut down without fully dying, allowing them to also switch off neighboring cells. The findings might give scientists a better understanding of how the condition wreaks havoc in the brain, as well as ideas for new treatments.
Allis, whose pioneering research established that enzymes that modify histone proteins, which package DNA in the nucleus, regulate gene expression, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Scientists have found a group of brain cells that influence body mass in two ways, by controlling how much we eat as well as how much energy we burn. The findings could lead to new drugs to help people shed weight.
In autoimmune disorders, the body’s defense system erroneously attacks normal cells, leading to serious health problems. Researchers have developed new molecules that potentially could be used to treat many of these conditions.
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.
Recent research has shown that a drug known as MI-2 can kill cells that cause a fatal brain cancer. But only now have scientists been able to explain how the compound works: by targeting cholesterol production in tumors.