The origin and expansion of the genetic code is the basis for explaining the evolution of life. In Science Advances, a team of biologists specializing in this area explain a limitation that halts further development of the genetic code, the universal set of rules that all organisms use to translate DNA and RNA into the
Research published recently in the journal Nature sheds light on the means by which haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) derived from umbilical cord blood may become more applicable for adult regenerative therapies. The study, led by principal investigator Dr. Kristin Hope, found that the RNA-binding protein Musashi-2 leads to an increase in the number of cord
Researchers have used airway gene delivery to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in a large animal model. Led by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the study was published in the May 3 edition of Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A rare disease with no cure Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and more than 1.6 million new cases are expected to be diagnosed in the United States alone in 2016. Tumor cells are able to spread to distant sites within the body, a process known as metastasis, which is responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths. Metastasis
Company aims to help accelerate progress toward a vaccine or treatment for this global health threat Boston, MA.,(May 3, 2016)— Kerafast Inc., developers of an online platform that facilitates accessibility to unique bioresearch materials from laboratories across the globe, today announced the availability of a Zika virus antibody from Vanderbilt University. While researchers scramble to
New research from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) may pave the way toward more effective seasonal influenza vaccines. Traditionally, flu vaccine strains have been evaluated by their ability to induce high levels of one type of antibody. The new study, published this April in the journal mBio, suggests another type of
Anthony M. Franchini, Ph.D., April 14th, 2016 First, let me say I’m excited and happy to contribute to the Kerafast blog and share my experiences with you all. I’m here today to talk about my time at the 55th Annual Society of Toxicology (SOT) Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, from March 13th to 17th.
This April 25 marks the 14th annual National DNA Day, an event organized by the US National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to commemorate the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, as well as the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953. An interactive map on the NHGRI website shows that more
A team of 28 scientists from four countries has discovered a male-determining gene in the mosquito species that carries malaria. This discovery may lead to methods that aide in the control of diseases such as malaria, Zika and dengue. Male mosquitoes offer the opportunity to develop novel vector control strategies to combat these viruses because
AIDS has been a major global health issue since its emergence in the mid-1900s, and currently, more than 35 million people are infected with HIV-1 with a reported 2 million new cases each year. There is no cure for AIDS, but advances in treatment, such as antiretroviral therapy (ART), have helped to prevent the onset