Vinay Ramabhadran, PhD – January 12, 2015 The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, hosted the 2014 annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology. There were over 5000 participants – students, postdocs, faculty (including a few nobel laureates) and exhibitors, spanning the breadth of basic biology. This was my 6th ASCB meeting and I
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract allows for the digestion of food, through muscle movement as well as the release of hormones and enzymes. Comprised of organs such as the esophagus, stomach and intestines, the GI tract clearly plays a critical role in everyday function. It is also involved in the immune system and various diseases, including
Mast cells are well-known components of the innate immune system. These effector cells regulate homeostatic and disease processes through the release of preformed and de novo synthesized mediators. The mediators include lipid mediators, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes; preformed mediators, such as histamine, heparin and proteases; and signaling molecules such as cytokines, chemokines and various
Marcos Salazar, PhD, Sales & Marketing Manager – December 4, 2014 Kerafast at Neuroscience 2014 Neuroscience 2014 was a great opportunity for us at Kerafast to meet researchers diligently working within the neuroscience field. We had a simple and clean booth display and were well-prepared to promote our “Reagents for the Greater Good” mission. As
Society for Neuroscience Blogger, Calvin Pohl – December 15, 2014 A Grad Student’s Perspective of SfN Society for Neuroscience 2014 was an amazing display of 21st century biomedical research, and I thank Kerafast for the amazing opportunity. I found that the most exciting aspect of SFN was their dedication to innovative techniques. I was most
December 1, 2014 Two different teams of researchers, both from the University of Chicago, have found that a recently discovered protein complex is critical to the body’s immune response to tumors. These complementary findings could help improve current immunotherpaies to allow the human body to better respond to tumors and cancerous cells. Both published in
November 24, 2014 New findings about the brains of people with autism may help lead to a better drug treatment for children diagnosed at a young age. A study recently published in the journal Neuron found that adults and children diagnosed with autism have extra synapses in their brain and have not gone through a
November 21, 2014 New research from the University of Texas at Austin may help unlock the secrets of parkinsonism disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology Somshuvra Mukhopadhyay, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., led a team that studied a mutation in the SLC30A10 gene, which may play a critical role in causing or facilitating
November 20, 2014 November is American Diabetes Month. The American Diabetes Association points to ADM as an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease, which affects 30 million Americans with 86 million more Americans at risk. The ADA explained on its website that it’s working to put focus on this common disease for the month
November 15, 2014 The Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting will kick off Nov. 15 and run through Nov. 19 in Washington, D.C. Nicknamed Neuroscience 2014, the event is expected to draw in 30,000 researchers, scientists, industry leaders and curious attendees. There are a variety of lectures, symposia and exhibits at the event, giving labs, universities