University of Leeds genetics researchers are part of an international project to determine the genome sequence of the fast-growing moss, Physcomitrella patens. Understanding how this British weed works will help scientists get to the root of how other species live and grow and, potentially, improve their resilience.

The quick-growing moss has been used in plant research for over 30 years as it’s easy to cultivate in laboratories. Genetic information from the project will help

A gigantic protein complex responsible for looking after bent out of shape proteins has been visualised by scientists working in Japan and the UK.

The structure of the chaperonin complex of the bacteria Thermus thermophilus reveals clues about how the important molecule may do its job of folding new or damaged proteins within cells. Led by Professor So Iwata of Imperial College London, the team of scientists announce their findings in this month’s edition of the journal Structu

Scientists at the Babraham Institute have discovered that conflict between genes inherited from our parents may affect our ability to adapt to life after birth, and have lasting effects on our weight. We inherit similar sets of genes from both our parents, but of a small number of genes only one of the copies is active, the copy from the other parent being ‘imprinted’ to be silent.

The research group, headed by Dr Gavin Kelsey has published a study in Nature Genetics which describes

Scientists at the Babraham Institute are developing new methods to aid research into the causes of diabetes, a condition suffered by around 2.5 million people in the UK. A new study, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, describes an effective model of a rare form of the disease called transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM), which affects approximately 1 in 600,000 newborn babies. Babies born with TNDM initially cannot produce insulin, but symptoms disappear after about 3 mon

Babraham Institute scientists have identified chromosome ‘loops’ which have implications for healthy growth of babies in the womb. Disruption of these loops can lead to Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS) – over-large babies with various tumours – which affects 1 in 13,000 births. The risk of developing the syndrome is increased four-fold in babies born following IVF treatment.

Confirmation of the existence of the loops, described in an article published in Nature Genetics, was made

A Mayo Clinic researcher is the first to develop a series of three-dimensional (3D) models of an enzyme responsible for the replication of the deadly SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory syndrome) virus. These instantaneous “structures-in-time” are central to designing an anti-SARS drug — and are therefore a welcome advance as the virus continues to threaten public health.

The structure and dynamics of the SARS viral enzyme, called chymotrypsin-like cysteine proteinase, is described in

May lead to treatment for severed spinal cords

University of Toronto researchers have designed a method to facilitate nerve cell repair that could ultimately lead to treating severed spinal cords.

The technique, outlined in the July 6 online version of Biomaterials, involves imbedding a series of fibrous rods into a gel substance and then dissolving the rods, leaving a series of longitudinal channels. These channels are then injected with peptides, molecules that stimulate

A team of researchers have developed a method that could vastly improve the ability of atomic force microscopes to “see” the chemical composition of a sample, follow variations of the sample, as well as map its topographic structure.

The advance could have significant implications for drug development by allowing scientists to monitor the effects of potential drugs on an ever-smaller scale, according to Stuart Lindsay, director of the Center for Single Molecule Biophysics at the Bi

With the help of snake venom and sophisticated laboratory testing, scientists believe they’ve uncovered the reason why a group of new heart medications were doing some patients more harm than good. Researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues report the findings in the current on-line issue of The Journal of Molecular Biology.

“Our findings suggest that drug developers should take a different approach,” said Roy Hantgan, Ph.D., principal invest

A rapid test that can be performed during surgery to determine if melanoma has spread to lymph nodes has been developed at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The reagent making this possible has been standardized at the Medical College and is called the “MCW Melanoma Cocktail”. The test is capable of detecting even very few melanoma cells, a significant factor in managing the disease. The test for cancer spread may spare a patient an additional operation.

Melanoma is the most deadly

A type of ‘friendly bacteria’ has been the key for researchers at the University of Dundee who have just developed a treatment that offers the opportunity of new therapies for the management of one of the UK’s most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease – ulcerative colitis. Results from a four-week patient trial led by Professor George Macfarlane showed that many of the patients’ symptoms were dramatically reduced to near normal levels.

Affecting an estimated fifty thous

An important study investigating whether certain training techniques help Parkinson’s Disease (PD) sufferers overcome concentration difficulties is taking place in the School of Psychology at the University of Reading. The researchers believe that, if successful, their work could eventually help improve the lives of the tens of thousands of PD sufferers in the UK alone.

Dr John Harris and his research team, who have been funded by the Parkinson’s Disease Society, are now looking for

One of every three to four people with deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot) in the leg develops complications. These complications range from swelling, skin discoloration and numbness, to chronic pain, hardening of the skin, and leg sores.
A new study finds that wearing below-the-knee elastic compression stockings every day reduces chances of developing DVT complications for up to two years. The study is published in the August 17, 2004, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Certain rare gene mutations can contribute significantly to low levels of a beneficial form of cholesterol in the blood, researchers have found. Low levels of this cholesterol, known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL), are a major risk factor for heart disease.

Gene mutations previously known to affect HDL levels had small effects individually, and it was thought many such mutations needed to accumulate before HDL levels were significantly reduced. The new finding, however, demonst

A look inside a wristwatch reveals that timekeeping is a complex affair, involving the coordination of mechanical parts providing the impulses and feedback needed to achieve precisely recurring movement. Biological clocks are equally complex, regulated by a network of genes and transcriptional factors that interact to stabilize the rhythms of numerous physiological systems. Unlike the wristwatch, however, there is no visible readout or display showing an individual’s body time, a lack which h

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers have designed a blood test to detect ovarian cancer using three proteins found in common in the blood of women with the disease. Their preliminary studies with the new test suggest a molecular signature exclusive to this deadly cancer, known for its ability to remain undetected and spread quickly.

The Hopkins test, described in the August 15 issue of Cancer Research, identifies the proteins as a truncated form of transthyretin, a fragm