Genetics & Molecular Biology

Biomarkers Higher In Binge Drinkers

A biomarker found in the blood of alcohol users is significantly higher in binge drinkers than in those who consume alcohol moderately, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The biomarker, called phosphatidylethanol ...

Article - News Staff - Jul 29 2015 - 9:30am

How To Become A Cellular T Follicular Helper

Follicular helper Tcells (TFH cells), a rare type of immune cell that is essential for inducing a strong and lasting antibody response to viruses and other microbes, have garnered intense interest in recent years but the molecular signals that drive their ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 6 2015 - 6:30am

Depressed Females Have Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene

Numerous genes that regulate the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain have been found to be abundant in brain tissue of depressed females. This could be an underlying cause of the higher incidence of suicide among women, according to new research. ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 7 2015 - 6:30am

How White Blood Cells Limit Muscle Regeneration

Researchers have identified a protein produced by white blood cells that puts the brakes on muscle repair after injury. By removing the protein CD163 from mice, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine could boost muscle repair and recovery of bl ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 7 2015 - 10:00am

New Vitamin B3 Pathway Identified

Researchers have identified a new vitamin B3 pathway that regulates liver metabolism. The discovery provides an opportunity to pursue the development of novel drug therapies to address obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic diseases.  The new find ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 11 2015 - 7:00am

Molecular Biology And The Evolution Of Beer

From Austrian monks to American craft brewers, beer geeks are everywhere. But making a good beer not only depends on the best ingredients, but also the best yeast. The beer world is divided into ales and lagers. The original and highly versatile yeast, Sa ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 12 2015 - 8:38am

South Dakota Wine? New Grape Genetically Optimized For Extreme Temperatures

By Joel Shurkin, Inside Science — Wine grapes specially bred for extreme temperatures may have a future, despite any laughs connoisseurs might have at the thought of wine labels extolling the virtues of the terroir of Deadwood or Fargo. A grape-breeding p ...

Article - Joel Shurkin - Aug 19 2015 - 7:45pm

Transparency Weaponized Against Scientists

    How could you destroy someone with their own words, if their words present no evidence of wrongdoing?  It actually is amazingly simple, and illustrates the danger of limitless access to personal emails through public records requests.  In this post I ...

Article - Kevin M. Folta - Aug 16 2015 - 4:53pm

Science And Technology Adviser To Condoleezza Rice: GMOs "Critical" To Feeding The World

Nina Fedoroff, molecular biologist and former Science and Technology Adviser to Condoleezza Rice and then Hillary Clinton, says that genetic modification (GM) is the most critical technology in agriculture for meeting the challenges of feeding a growing g ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 28 2015 - 3:15pm

Antibodies In The Blood Provide Clues To Transplant Recipients' Likelihood Of Rejection

The dominant antibody type present in the blood of transplant recipients may indicate their likelihood of experiencing organ rejection, according to a study which may help doctors identify patients who need aggressive treatments to safeguard the health of ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 26 2015 - 4:59pm