Advancing Medical Research
Foundations of Science
‘Bucket Brigades’ Gone Rogue: A New Path to Shutting Down Cancer Growth
The Action-Packed Search for Stability: A Breakthrough in the Fight Against RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a major global childhood infectious disease without a vaccine, kills approximately 120,000 infants a year worldwide. It’s the most common reason infants are hospitalized. Additionally, RSV sickens millions of elderly people each year.
When most people catch RSV, they get a mild cold and recover quickly. But some — especially infants and the elderly — can get very sick.…
Better, Faster, Smaller: How an Advance in Microfluidics Can Speed Up Drug Discovery
Before preparing a new recipe for 20 guests at Thanksgiving, the smart cook starts small, making the dish for their immediate family to test things out before the big holiday dinner. What does a scientist do when attempting to discover a molecule that has the properties that potentially could be a miracle cure for diabetes, high blood pressure or another troublesome disease? She also starts small, testing…
Medicine’s 2-Way Dance: What a Drug Does to the Body and What the Body Does to a Drug
We all know that a tremendous amount of brain power, time and resources goes into creating a new medicine. While much attention is given to the “discovery” aspect of translating scientific insights into new therapies, an equally important part of the process involves studying how a potential new medicine will affect the human body and what is the safest and most effective dose.
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Prized Research Skill? Fluency in Computer Science and Biology
The ‘Immortalized’ Cells That Sparked an International Incident and Their Role in Producing Medicines
When Cancers Develop Resistance, ‘Stealthy’ Medicines Can Help
In the quest for better cancer therapies, Dr. Martin Edwards is one of the scientists on the frontlines informally known as “drug hunters.” His preoccupation these days is hunting for medicines that are more “stealthy” in their fight against cancer tumors—especially tumors that are resistant to conventional treatments.
“There are people today who get cancer for which there is no treatment. Our job is to…
How Finland’s Unique Genetic Heritage Is Being Used to Study the Links Between Genes and Diseases
The unique genetic heritage of the Finns — marked by repeated population bottlenecks and isolation from their neighbors in northern Europe — is helping scientists embark on a search for the complex links between genes and diseases.
An On/Off Switch for Genes: Meet Zinc Finger Transcription Factors
Scientists made a surprising discovery in 1985 while studying the African clawed frog. Along the frog’s DNA, they noticed elongated loops resembling fingers that tightly gripped tiny segments of genes. They soon learned that these “zinc fingers” (so called because they’re bound by a zinc ion) are like homing devices that recognize and bind to specific sites on DNA. Abundant in higher organisms, these sticky…