News by Subject Biology

A study by UC San Diego biologists uncovered a new mechanism linking a human gene's function to chronic inflammation. Through large-scale genomic analyses, the researchers discovered that 'mutant p53' amplifies the impact of inflammation, leading to increases in the invasive behavior of cancer. Thus, rather than fighting tumor growth, mutant forms of p53 appear to be tapping into the body's immune response system to fuel pro-inflammatory responses that increase cancer growth.

UAB researchers have solved the last unknown protein structure of HIV-1, the retrovirus that can cause AIDS. Knowledge of this structure, called the cytoplasmic tail of gp41 protein, will further explain how the virus infects human cells and how progeny viruses are assembled and released from infected cells. The cytoplasmic tail appears to play a key role in virus assembly to help incorporate the envelope spike structures into the surface of viral particles.

Using a revolutionary live-cell microscopy technique, an international team of scientist has observed for the first time individual receptors for hormones and widely used drugs at work in intact cells.

New findings by a Harvard Medical School team suggest that palbociclib, a drug that is FDA-approved to treat advanced breast cancer, may be able to overcome vemurafenib resistance in PTC.

Could studying molecular biology ever be as fun as watching a Star Wars movie? Two scientists from the Wyss Institute at Harvard University decided to create their own science film to entertain viewers, and ended up making new scientific discoveries in the process. The researchers-turned-filmmakers used a novel combination of computer animation and simulation softwares to create a scientific model that is accurate down to the atomic scale, and hope that their success inspires more scientists to approach their work like artists.