Advancing Medical Research
Foundations of Science
Cytokines of Interest: Understanding Their Paths to Disease
In the diverse universe of cytokines, signaling proteins secreted by our cells that affect nearly every biological process in the body, there is a specific subset that scientists pay extra attention to for their role in…
Inside "Custom Cars” For Gene Delivery
Gene therapy shows great promise to be potentially transformational treatments for a number of single-gene disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, hemophilia and cystic fibrosis.
Gene therapy uses…
Touching Base: the Speed and Accessibility of Next Generation Sequencing
When German engineer Carl Benz took the world’s first automobile out for a spin in 1886, most observers were underwhelmed. With an engine that generated 0.75 horsepower and a top speed of 10 miles per hour, not many people rushed out to buy Benz’s first car. The $1000 price tag, an outrageous sum at the time, also discouraged all but the wealthiest would-be auto enthusiasts.
But subsequent generations of…
Bespoke Is Often Better: How Scientists Are Customizing Gene Therapy
Breathing New Life Into Lung Cancer Research
The story of cancer was long seen as a single narrative: a cell acquires genetic mutations, starts to divide uncontrollably and then spreads.
But in recent years, this tale has become more complex. Scientists are increasingly aware that a…
The Evolution of Inflammation
Hunting wooly mammoths with stone age technology took guts. If the archaeological record is to be believed, it also took an incredible ability to bounce back from serious injuries.
Stone age burial sites are filled with examples of early humans who recovered from broken bones, dislocated limbs and infected wounds, all without any help from modern medicine. The active lifestyle required to feed oneself led…
New RNA Technology Could Get the Flu Vaccine Right, Every Year
We’ve been making the flu vaccine in nearly the same way for 70 years. A new technology based on RNA could disrupt that. Developing the flu vaccine each year is like a game of prediction.
What is Green Chemistry?
The way contemporary chemists work is a lot different than the way their predecessors worked only a few generations ago. You might think that the change is due to new technologies or breakthroughs in scientific understanding, but that’s only partly right. One of the major reasons chemistry is different today is because of songbirds.
Throughout the 20th century certain human-synthesized chemical compounds in…
Scientific ‘Swap Meet’: Pharma Competitors Form Novel Consortium to Share Materials
Just as an amazing meal often begins with the best ingredients, the most innovative compounds are likely to emerge when scientists have access to diverse and high-quality chemical building blocks.