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Case Western Reserve University


Obesity is shifting cancer to young adults

A meta-analysis by Case Western Reserve University researcher Nathan Berger reveals that obesity increases risk of 13 different cancers in young adults, with certain cancers now reported in people under 50. Obesity can alter cellular mechanisms promoting cancer and increase cancer rates as it rises among younger demographics.

Understanding the smallest brain circuits

Researchers recorded electrical activity of hundreds of neurons in a mouse model for up to half an hour, discovering competing neural networks that operate at different timescales. The findings show that certain networks can synchronize their activity, while others slow down or speed up in a coordinated manner.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalScientific Reports·DateFeb 28, 2018

Living human tracheas

Case Western Reserve University scientists have engineered natural windpipe replacement structures using patient cells and self-assembling modules. This approach overcomes challenges in current tissue-engineering methods, enabling the creation of functional living tracheas that can be implanted into patients with damaged airways.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalAdvanced Science·DateFeb 14, 2018

Zooming in on protein to prevent kidney stones

Researchers used cryo-electron microscopy to visualize the structure of the TRPV5 protein, which serves as a passageway for calcium across kidney cell membranes. The study reveals how inhibitor molecules attach to and close the channel, leaving calcium stranded in the urine where it can form kidney stones.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·DateJan 2, 2018

Researchers repurpose immune-activating cytokine to fight breast cancer

Researchers have discovered that interferon-β can impair the migration and formation of tumors in triple-negative breast cancer cells, suggesting a potential new treatment option for patients. Elevated interferon-β levels in breast tissue correlate with extended patient survival and lower cancer recurrence rates.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 18, 2017