Animal models

Human monoclonal antibodies show promise as treatment and prevention for influenza B

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Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have made a significant breakthrough by isolating human monoclonal antibodies against influenza B. This virus is a notable public health threat, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. While seasonal flu vaccines provide coverage against both influenza A and B, they do not always … Read more

Scientists reveal sex-specific cognitive effects of astrocyte receptors

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Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered groundbreaking evidence that astrocyte receptors can have opposite effects on cognitive function in male and female preclinical models. This finding highlights the significant role of astrocytes—brain cells that support and regulate neurons—in sex-specific brain mechanisms. Traditionally, studies have focused on the behavioral effects of astrocytic receptors, predominantly in … Read more

New research reveals loss of intestinal stem cells as early trigger for colorectal cancer

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Research led by Weill Cornell Medicine has uncovered pivotal evidence suggesting that most colorectal cancers originate from the loss of intestinal stem cells prior to the onset of cancer-causing genetic mutations. This breakthrough, detailed in a study published on May 29 in Developmental Cell, challenges the longstanding theory of colorectal tumor initiation and opens new … Read more

Scientists design drug-like molecules to block early stage influenza infection

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Currently available flu medications only target the virus after it has already established an infection, but what if a drug could prevent infection in the first place? Now, scientists at Scripps Research and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have designed drug-like molecules to do just that, by thwarting the first stage of influenza infection. … Read more

Neurochemistry: Chemical Processes in the Nervous System

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Neurochemistry is the branch of neuroscience that focuses on the chemical processes occurring within the nervous system, including the synthesis, release, reuptake, and metabolism of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and other signaling molecules. It encompasses the study of molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal communication, synaptic transmission, neuroplasticity, and brain function. Understanding neurochemistry is essential for unraveling the molecular … Read more

Study links nonsense-mediated RNA decay to brain size control in mice

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Nonsense-mediated RNA decay, or NMD, is an evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanism in which potentially defective messenger RNAs, or mRNAs (genetic material that instructs the body on how to make proteins), are degraded. Disruption of the NMD pathway can lead to neurological disorders, immune diseases, cancers, and other pathologies. Mutations in human NMD regulators are seen … Read more

Mac-1 inhibitor compound shows promise in blocking SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell cultures

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Research appearing in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry shows for the first time SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can be inhibited from replicating in living cell cultures using a compound that targets “Mac-1,” a protein key to defending SARS-CoV-2 against the human immune response. University of Kansas researchers in the lab of Anthony Fehr, associate professor … Read more

Study links mutations in key brain cells to chronic opioid use disorder

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A study led by Ryan W. Logan, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobiology, has found mutations in key brain cells among individuals with chronic opioid use that could shift how we think about treatment strategies for opioid use disorder. “One thing we’ve been trying to think about is how can we heal the brain?” said … Read more