The Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM aims to provide research-based resources for addressing issues of harassment. The consortium's model policies will be developed through contributions from its 53 member organizations.
The ASCB has awarded seven 'Science Sandbox' grants to public engagement projects, including programs that promote STEM education and community outreach. These initiatives aim to increase public scientific literacy and engage local communities in the process of science.
The ASCB Celldance program premiered two new videos at the 2017 ASCB|EMBO Meeting in Philadelphia. The videos, created by Guillaume Duménil, Dyche Mullins, and Lillian Fritz-Laylin, visualize how pathogens invade the body and proliferate, as well as single cells crawling through complex environments.
Don Cleveland and Peter Walter are recognized for their pioneering work in cell biology, with focus on protein synthesis and chromosome movement. The Breakthrough Prize acknowledges their contributions to advancing our understanding of cellular mechanisms.
The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) has announced 67 new Fellows, recognizing their significant and sustained impact on the discipline of cell biology. The honor is bestowed by peers and acknowledges not only outstanding scientific contributions but also service to ASCB and its missions.
Researchers at UC Berkeley discovered a bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, releases an enzyme that induces choanoflagellates into full mating frenzy. This finding suggests bacteria may influence animal mating.
The latest ASCB celldance videos offer an immersive look at living cells through powerful imaging technologies. The three selected labs showcased their research using innovative storytelling methods, including spoken word and animation. The videos provide a glimpse into the intricate cellular dance of life.
A recent study of science PhDs found that nearly two-thirds chose employment outside academic science, with reasons including autonomy, leadership roles, and high salaries. The researchers suggest that formal support networks could have provided an opportunity for URM PhDs to stay in faculty career paths
A survey of 249 freshmen found that URM first-gen students with a strong belief in science's community benefit were more likely to become scientists. Traditional science values like curiosity also drove motivation for all groups. However, broader prosocial goals played a greater role for URM students from all backgrounds.
Researchers analyzed responses from over 600 URM undergraduates to identify sources of research self-efficacy and confidence in their abilities. The study found that African-American men reported greater anxiety about research performance, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these disparities.
Researchers have discovered two new genes, Aip1 and AncA, that protect human airway cells from damage caused by cigarette smoke. These findings provide a promising approach to developing new treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Researchers reveal brain cancer's highly organized structure, with glioma cells forming streams, swirls, and spheres to protect and spread tumor growth. These structures are not related to specific cancer mutations and can be targeted for treatment.
The ASCB's Celldance Studios released three new award videos featuring eye-popping live cell imaging, showcasing cancer research breakthroughs and the dynamic cell membrane. The videos capture moments of metastasizing cancer cells breaking through blood vessel walls and the exploration of churning lipids and proteins on the cell surface.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered that cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) rearrange the extracellular matrix into parallel fibers of fibronectin, creating a road for migrating cancer cells to follow. This allows CAFs to exert traction forces on the ECM, enabling cancer cells to move in a single direction.
Researchers identify two cancer phenotype clusters based on endocytic dysfunction in non-small cell lung cancers, one marked by KRAS mutations and the other by epithelial changes. This study provides a new approach to distinguishing cancer subtypes using endocytic activity.
Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to guide human pluripotent stem cells into becoming a lab model for polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a common inherited disorder. The system produced stable, biologically accurate human models with cyst-like structures in kidney tubules.
Researchers use super-resolution technologies to observe muscle stem/progenitor cells migrating into place guided by 'ghost fibers,' remnants of the old extracellular matrix left by dying muscle fibers. This study reveals that these ghost fibers serve as architectural units guiding the regeneration of muscle tissue.
Early-career cell biologists Clifford Brangwynne, Ahmet Yildiz, and Meng Wang have won the ASCB-Gibco Emerging Leaders Prizes for their groundbreaking research in cell biology. Their work has launched new research fields at the interface of biology and physics.
The American Society for Cell Biology announced the winners of the 2015 Kaluza Prizes, recognizing outstanding graduate student bioscience research. Ten young scientists received cash and travel awards for their contributions to cell biology.
A new, physiologically realistic in vitro model of the pediatric blood-brain barrier has been developed and successfully tested. The model, called B3C, mimics the human BBB's structure and function, and has shown promise for studying neurological diseases and testing novel therapies.
Researchers found that gravity limits cell size, with a softer-than-jello actin mesh resisting force. The mesh allows flexibility and rigidity in the cell nucleus to support life.
Researchers have successfully created induced neurons that model Alzheimer's disease by starting with fibroblasts taken from skin biopsies. The differentiated cells express normal neuronal markers and proteins associated with the neurodegenerative disorder, including amyloid beta and tau.
Researchers use photoactivatable complementary fluorescent proteins to observe and quantify protein-protein interactions in live cells with single molecule level precision. The technique reveals a surprisingly critical role for a previously uncharacterized EB1 linker region in tracking microtubule plus-ends.
Researchers have developed a novel approach to drug screening that could more precisely tailor chemotherapy to a patient's individual blood cancer type. By correcting for the matrix effect, Shin and Mooney believe their approach could identify a subset of drugs that will be more likely to be effective against chronic myeloid leukemias.
Researchers found that Golgi fragmentation accelerates APP trafficking and production of toxic Aβ protein in AD. Rescuing the Golgi by blocking cdk5 or GRASP65 reduces Aβ accumulation, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for slowing Alzheimer's progression.
Researchers found that cancer cells and fibroblasts collaborate to invade the basement membrane, a process that begins long before the actual movement of cancer cells. CAFs secrete more proteases and matrix proteins than normal fibroblasts, which helps them remodel the basement membrane.
Researchers have found that controlling levels of reactive oxygen species can break the cycle of wounds that refuse to heal. Antioxidant supplements such as vitamin E and N-Acetyl cysteine were able to normalize conditions and promote healing in chronically infected wounds.
Research finds that suppressing fidgetin enzyme regrows injured nerve cells and their connections, potentially offering a new therapeutic approach for tissue regeneration and repair. The study's findings have implications for treating spinal cord injury, myocardial infarction, and chronic cutaneous wounds.
Scientists have identified a biological pathway linking Gaucher disease and Parkinson's disease. The connection is attributed to the accumulation of defective proteins, leading to an overload of cellular machines that dispose of defective proteins. This cascade triggers cell death in dopamine-producing cells, resulting in PD symptoms.
The study found that the Sunday Driver gene regulates myonuclear positioning and muscle function. Mutations in this gene lead to unevenly spaced nuclei and defective muscle contraction, indicating that mispositioned nuclei may be a possible cause, not consequence, of human congenital myopathies.
Researchers used high-resolution 3D imaging to study the disassembly process of the Golgi apparatus during cell division. The results show that the Golgi apparatus is tightly linked to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and redistributes into the ER during mitosis, resolving a basic cellular question.
Research found that reducing glucose metabolism weakens the ability of influenza viruses to infect mammalian cells in lab cultures. The study suggests that altering glucose metabolism may be a potential new approach to inhibit influenza viral infection.
A team of researchers has identified a critical balance point between tau and a master cellular regulator disrupted by amyloid-beta oligomers, driving adult neurons into cell cycle re-entry and eventual death. The study suggests that the protein complexes mTORC1 and mTORC2 play a key role in regulating this process.
The American Society for Cell Biology's Celldance 2013 video contest recognized top videos showcasing cellular processes. The first-place winner received a $500 cash prize for his time-lapse video of muscle cell differentiation, while two second-place winners shared a $250 cash prize each.
Research reveals that fusion between cancer cells and macrophages empowers cancer cells to spread, forming tumors more rapidly. The study's findings suggest a new mechanism by which cancer progression is driven.
Research suggests nicotine drives cell invasion contributing to atherosclerosis and plaque formation in coronary arteries. E-cigarettes may not significantly reduce smokers' risk for heart disease, according to Brown University study findings.
Researchers have found that an experimental drug targeting tumor-associated macrophages decreases glioblastoma growth and extends the survival of laboratory mice with the cancer. The treatment increases rates of programmed cell death in both the macrophages and tumor cells, leading to reduced tumor proliferation and increased survival.
Randy Schekman and James Rothman, Nobel laureates in cellular vesicle transport, criticize federal research funding cuts and commercialized scientific journals. They emphasize the importance of preserving basic research and promoting alternative measures of individual research value.
Two pioneering online biology video sites have merged to create a new platform offering world-class biologist videos for free. The new site features an expanded 'iBioEducation' section with microscopy courses, lecture series, and assessments for educators, reaching over 1.4 million views across 180 countries.
A matched-peer controlled study found that an outside mentoring support program increased the number of peer-reviewed research publications, federal grants, and professional activities among minority-serving science faculty members. The program showed significant results in advancing academic interests.
The ASCB Kaluza Prize recognizes graduate students for their outstanding research contributions. The competition is open to ASCB members and applicants, with a focus on the quality and significance of the work rather than journal impact factors. The $5,000 prize winner will be honored at the 2013 ASCB Annual Meeting.
Researchers have discovered a new type of cell division called klerokinesis, which appears to be an evolutionary failsafe mechanism that could rescue cell functions during embryonic development. By analyzing human retinal pigment epithelial cells, the team found that klerokinesis can help maintain genomic integrity and potentially prev...
Changes in progenitor cell populations in breast tissue may contribute to breast cancer development, according to new research. The study found that aging leads to a decrease in myoepithelial cells and an increase in multipotent progenitors, which can fuel malignant growth.
Researchers discovered that neutrophil membrane tethers act like slings to anchor the cell and maintain control during high-speed blood flow. This unique structure enables neutrophils to navigate through narrow venules without being swept away, allowing them to effectively present their antigen-sensing ligands at the infection site.
Researchers have developed a new method to measure electrical activity in neural networks, cardiac cells, and developing embryos using re-engineered optogenetic switches. This breakthrough allows for faster and more efficient screening of potential drugs for various cardiac diseases.
A new stem cell-derived system can identify cardiotoxic effects in experimental drugs early, potentially saving time and lives. The assay uses fluorescent imaging to monitor calcium ion levels during contractions, revealing beat rate and pattern irregularities.
Bioengineers at UC Berkeley developed CellScope, a mobile phone-microscope that can be used in developing countries and classrooms. The device is being tested for educational outreach, allowing students to take macroscopic and microscopic pictures of objects in their homes and environments.
Researchers found that combining insulin and an EGF inhibitor preserved vascular integrity in diabetic mice, limiting vision damage from diabetic macular edema. The study suggests a potential therapeutic combination to prevent DME in people with diabetes.
Researchers found that breast cancer cells can reorganize into normal structures when exposed to compression force, suggesting a possible new approach to treating the disease. The study used 3D-matrix and elastic chamber to apply forces and observed significant changes in cell behavior.
The American Society for Cell Biology's Celldance awards recognized top videos showcasing cellular mechanisms in development, health, and disease. Winners included a time-lapse of fruitfly embryonic development and a cancer cell movement video.