News by Subject Medicine & Health

The mysterious function of a key protein has been revealed following a breakthrough by University of Dundee scientists.

A research team has investigated the transport mechanism of a bacterial membrane protein using an artificially produced antibody fragment. The transport proteins, called ABC exporters, are present, for instance, in the cell membranes of bacteria and in large quantities in cancer cells and are responsible for transporting small molecules out of the cells. Some transporters can pump antibiotics or chemotherapy agents out of the cells, thus rendering therapies ineffective. In the current study, researchers showed how the transport mechanism can be blocked.

Attaching a removable lock to an arthritis drug can make it safer and more effective, according to a new study publishing June 13 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology led by Wen-Wei Lin of Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan. The findings suggest a new way to improve the efficacy of a drug taken by millions of patients throughout the world.

Researchers followed their intuition that a drug initially intended for heart failure could be effective in treating cancer.

Cardiovascular health and physical activity levels of prostate cancer patients improve following successful interventions by community pharmacies, new research in the British Medical Journal reports.

Alternatives to opioids for treating pain are sorely needed. A study in rats suggests that tetrodotoxin, properly packaged, offers a safe pain block.

A study, published today in PNAS, has found a potential treatment for patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).