The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is an ever-growing problem that poses a significant threat to global health. An increasing number of infectious diseases are becoming more difficult, and in some cases impossible, to treat. While new antibiotics are being developed, it is unlikely that they will be effective against the most dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To
While the brain has been significantly studied and its various regions identified, a new study by researchers at the University of Southern California published in the journal Nature Neuroscience describes a detailed map of the hippocampus that holds promise for new treatments. The hippocampus The hippocampus is located at the base of the brain and
An Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) study describes camelid nanobodies with the capacity to block the activity of EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), a protein that is abnormally regulated in cancer cells. Nanobody overview Nanobodies are an exciting area of research with the potential to help in the generation
An international team of researchers has shown that MAIT cells, recently discovered immune cells whose exact function remains unclear, play a role in protecting against two strains of Legionella bacteria, which cause the lung infection Legionnaire’s disease. The results, published in Nature Communications, offer a potential new approach for protecting people against lung infections. We
Perhaps you have heard about the ice bucket challenge, a social media campaign from several summers ago. This challenge “dared” people to pour a bucket of ice water over their heads or give money to support ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and pass it on via social media. The inspiration
A recent study in the journal Immunity describes the isolation and identification of two monoclonal antibodies that effectively protect against three different Ebola viruses. The research was led by Dr. James E. Crowe, Jr. of Vanderbilt University, whose B Cell Activating Feeder Cell Line, used to generate B cell cultures yielding human monoclonal antibodies, is
This summer, Kerafast hosted a summer blog contest in which we invited our community to submit articles to our online blog. The winner is receiving a $500 Amazon gift card, and two runners up are each receiving $100 Amazon gift cards. The votes are in, and we’re excited to announce the results. Congratulations to our
Researchers from University of Wyoming have developed Metabocin, an anti-obesity drug derived from capsaicin, the part of a chili pepper that is responsible for its spicy burn. The capsaicin targets TRPV1 receptors to burn the energy in white fat cells rather than store it, and Metabocin has proven to effectively cause long-term weight loss in
Antibiotics have been effectively utilized for decades in the treatment against infectious agents. However, antibiotic use has been known to have detrimental effects, including the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and alterations to the microbiota. The microbiota is a community of bacteria that colonize the body and can influence metabolism, physiology, nutrition and immune function. An
Until a discovery in 2015, it was believed that the lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain did not exist. Since then, researchers from the University of Virginia have made a connection between the aging vessels and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers’ findings were published in the journal Nature. Lymphatic Vessels and the Brain In