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New tag could enable more detailed structural studies of mammalian proteins

To say our genes are resourceful is a gross understatement. Through ingenious combinations of a paltry 20 amino acids, the basic building blocks of life, genes engineer all of the tissues and organs that are the marvel of our working bodies.

6 May 2009

Scientists develop whole-genome sequencing approach to mapping mutations in fruit flies

The Stowers Institute's Hawley Lab and Molecular Biology Facility have developed a "whole-genome sequencing approach" to mapping mutations in fruit flies.

5 May 2009

Tiny gold particles home in on tumors

It has long been known that heat is an effective weapon against tumor cells. However, it's difficult to heat patients' tumors without damaging nearby tissues.

4 May 2009

Period proteins PER:PER homodimer crucial for circadian clock function in flies

Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London have discovered a new protein complex operating in fruit fly circadian clocks, which may also help to regulate our own biological clocks.

30 Apr 2009

Nanoneedle introduces minimal intrusiveness in penetrating cell membranes

Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a membrane-penetrating nanoneedle for the targeted delivery of one or more molecules into the cytoplasm or the nucleus of living cells.

30 Apr 2009

A new technique for modifying plant genes

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital have used a genome engineering tool they developed to make a model crop plant herbicide-resistant without significant changes to its DNA.

30 Apr 2009

Small differences in our genes shed light on human history

By examining very small differences in people's genes, scientists from Cornell University have developed a new tool for identifying big events in human history and pinpointing the origins of specific gene mutations.

30 Apr 2009

Dendrimers as synthetic gene vectors

In a recent issue of The Journal of Chemical Physics , published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP), a group of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Los Alamos National Laboratory describe the first comprehensive, molecular-level numerical study of gene therapy.

29 Apr 2009

Mites on hissing coackroach may benefit humans with allergies

Tiny mites living on the surface of Madagascar hissing cockroaches help decrease the presence of a variety of molds on the cockroaches' bodies, potentially reducing allergic responses among humans who handle the popular insects, according to new research.

29 Apr 2009

Research advances understanding of Darwinian evolution

As described in an article published this week in an advance, online edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the work demonstrates some of the classic principles of evolution.

29 Apr 2009

Nanotechnology: Its Promise and Challenges - talk by Vicki Colvin

Vicki Colvin of Rice University will give a talk titled "Nanotechnology: Its Promise and Challenges" at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory on Thursday, May 14, at 4 p.m. in Berkner Hall. The talk is free and open to the public. Visitors to the Laboratory age 16 and older must carry a photo ID.

27 Apr 2009

Green nanotechnology from tea

Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia report in the Journal of Materials Chemistry that chemicals in tea are the best yet discovered to make consistent, biologically safe gold nanoparticles. More importantly, these gold nanoparticles show promising anticancer properties.

27 Apr 2009

Nanoscopic 'pearl necklaces' track and attack cancer cells

A team of investigators at Purdue University has developed nanoscale probes that can help pinpoint the location of tumors and might one day be able to directly attack cancer cells.

27 Apr 2009

Hybrid metal and organic nanoparticles for targeting, imaging, and treating cancer

Using a set of three biocompatible polymers and a nanoparticle containing gadolinium, a team of investigators at the Colorado School of Mines has created a nanoparticle platform that has the potential to target, image, and treat cancer.

27 Apr 2009

Nanostrings bring 'artificial noses' closer to reality

These days, chemical analysts are expected to track down even single molecules.

23 Apr 2009

Using combinatorial libraries to engineer genetic circuits advances synthetic biology

Streamlining the construction of synthetic gene networks has led a team of Boston University researchers to develop a technique that couples libraries of diversified components with computer modeling to guide predictable gene network construction without the back and forth tweaking.

22 Apr 2009

DNA of uncultured organisms sequenced using novel single cell genome sequencing approach

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences have assembled high quality, contamination-free draft genomes of uncultured biodegrading microorganisms using a novel single cell genome sequencing approach.

22 Apr 2009