March 1, 2013--------News Archive

Air Sacs Created in Mice Using a New Growth Factor
Johns Hopkins scientists used hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to regrow alveoli and restore lung structure in mice genetically engineered to develop a human-like form of emphysema. Their results may prompt new methods to improve function in diseased lungs or suggest new therapy for premature infants born before their lungs are fully developed

New Promise of Cell Therapy for Bowel Disease
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and colleagues have identified a special population of adult stem cells in bone marrow that have the natural ability to migrate to the intestine and produce intestinal cells, suggesting their potential to restore healthy tissue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Balancing Two Proteins Key in Preventing AML Cancer
Two proteins that scientists once thought carried out the same functions are actually antagonists of each other. Keeping them in balance is key to preventing diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and some other cancers

February 28, 2013--------News Archive

Nuclear Envelope Could Be Key to Inherited Disease
Fresh insights into the protective seal that surrounds the DNA of our cells could help develop treatments for inherited muscle, brain, bone and skin disorders

Tweaking Gene Expression to Repair Lungs
Lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are on the rise, according to the American Lung Association and the National Institutes of Health. Now, Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine is looking at epigenetic controls for lung repair and regeneration

New Therapy for Killing Glioblastoma Tumor Cells?
Glioblastoma, the most common and lethal form of brain tumor in adults, is challenging to treat because the tumors rapidly become resistant to therapy. Cancer researchers have discovered one molecular pathway—called the mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR—that might lead to new targeted therapies to treat this deadly cancer

February 27, 2013--------News Archive

BPA May Disrupt Gene Regulation in Developing Brain
Environmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread chemical found in plastics and resins, may suppress a gene vital to nerve cell function and to the development of the central nervous system, according to a study led by researchers at Duke Medicine

IVF Complications May Be Due to Extremely High Estrogen Levels
Freezing embryos for later transfer when hormone levels were lower reduced undersize infants, eliminated preeclampsia in small study

Pregnant Blood Pressure Affects Child's Outcome
Up to 10% of all women experience some form of elevated blood pressure during pregnancy. Research shows that mild maternal hypertension early in pregnancy actually benefits the fetus, but that late-pregnancy hypertension has negative health consequences for the child

February 26, 2013--------News Archive

Ability of Brain to Protect Itself from Damage Revealed
The origin of an innate ability the brain has to protect itself from damage that occurs in stroke has been explained for the first time

Genomic Detectives Crack the Case
Despite years of research, the genetic factors behind many human diseases and characteristics remain unknown. The inability to find the complete genetic causes of family traits such as height or the risk of type 2 diabetes has been called the "missing heritability" problem

Blood Stem Cells Form in Distinct Bone Marrow Niches
In research that could one day improve the success of stem cell transplants and chemotherapy, scientists have found that distinct niches exist in bone marrow to nurture different types of blood stem cells

February 25, 2013--------News Archive

Fragile X Makes Brain Cells "Talk Too Much"
The most common inherited form of mental retardation and autism, fragile X syndrome, turns some brain cells into chatterboxes, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report

Human Neurologic Genes Found in Sea Lamprey
The discovery will accelerate research on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury

Watching Molecules Grow Into Microtubes
Sometimes the best discoveries come by accident. Researchers found how tiny single molecules spontaneously grow into centimeter-long microtubes simply by leaving a petri dish unattended in the frig