SciGlow | All Science News In One Place
SciGlow is a newsletter of science stories from the major research labs. Headlines link to in-depth articles and editorials. SciGlow keeps scientists and others up-to-date on current research.
By folding snippets of DNA into the shape of a five-pointed star using structural DNA nanotechnology, researchers have created a trap that captures Dengue virus as it floats in the bloodstream. Once sprung, the trap – which is non-toxic and is naturally cleared from the body – lights up. It’s the most sensitive test for … Read more
Research preformed in the laboratory of Dr. Ryan Russell at University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine have developed a brand new method to monitor autophagy in multiple types of biological systems. On this work Dr. Russell states “The field of autophagy is rapidly evolving, with significant focus attracted to the field after Yoshinori Ohsumi was … Read more
A new mathematical model uses the size of a cancer patient’s initial, primary tumor to predict whether undetectable secondary tumors are already present. Stefano Avanzini and Tibor Antal of the University of Edinburgh, U.K., present the model in PLOS Computational Biology. As cancer grows, cells can spread from the initial tumor site to other parts of … Read more
A three-dimensional computer model enables scientists to quickly determine which genes are active in which cells, and their precise location within an organ. A team led by Nikolaus Rajewsky, Berlin, and Nir Friedman, Jerusalem, has published the new method and their insights based on this in Nature. Professor Nikolaus Rajewsky is a visionary: He wants … Read more
Synapses – specialized structures in neurons – allow these nerve cells to communicate with one another. In the synapse, one neuron emits chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, and an apposed neuron receives them using tiny structures called receptors. A specific type of receptor, the AMPA receptor, plays a crucial role in learning and memory processes. However, … Read more
Dr. Michael Fehlings, a Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute, and his research team have discovered a network of nerve cells that plays a key role in controlling our ability to walk. The group’s findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, challenge conventional perceptions of how the brain instructs and regulates the body while walking. Although walking may … Read more
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer in which malignant plasma cells, a type of white blood cell, accumulate in the bone marrow. This leads to bone destruction and failure of the marrow, which in healthy individuals, produce all the body’s red blood cells. The most recent data from the American Cancer Society estimates … Read more
A discovery about how the immune system responds to malaria infection could lead to better treatments for hepatitis C, HIV and lupus, say Australian researchers. The research team showed, in laboratory models, that strong inflammatory signals caused by malaria infection activate molecules that trigger the production of highly potent antibodies to fight the disease. The … Read more
New insight into how genetic information stored in human mitochondria is passed from one generation to the next could have important implications for genetic counseling of women planning pregnancies, according to a study by researchers at Penn State and the University of California, Berkeley. The findings are especially relevant to women carrying disease-causing mutations within … Read more
As we all know, schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder with prevalence of about ~1% lifetime risk across different populations. However, previously literatures mainly reported in European populations and the results remained ungeneralizable. The present study has explored the biological insights of schizophrenia in the largest sample size of East Asian populations up to now. … Read more