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Analogues of a natural product are drug candidates against malaria

Scientists at IRB Barcelona have identified two derivatives of borrelidin that completely remove the parasite load from mice and confer immunological memory to fight future infections. These compounds act on the protein production machinery of the parasite, making them efficient in all phases of infection.

SourceInstitute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 10, 2014

Stressed-out cancers may provide drug target

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered that cancer cells with chromosomal instability are vulnerable to mild metabolic disruption, making them a potential target for new therapy. The study's findings suggest that targeting these unstable cells could lead to more effective treatments with fewer side effects.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalOncogene·DateDec 1, 2014

How cells know which way to go

Two new studies from Johns Hopkins shed light on how complex cells detect and respond to minute differences in chemical concentrations. Cells use their internal 'skeleton' to influence gradient detection and movement, with implications for development, immune response, wound healing, and cancer metastasis.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 27, 2014

Precise and programmable biological circuits

Bio-engineers at ETH Zurich have created a biological circuit that controls sensor components using internal timers, enabling precise signal transmission. This breakthrough could lead to reprogramming cancer cells and creating complex bio-computers to detect and kill cancer cells.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateOct 23, 2014

Researchers develop personalized ovarian cancer vaccines

The study identifies tiny differences in protein sequences between cancer cells and healthy tissue, enabling the creation of personalized vaccines. The research aims to improve treatment outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer, which often responds well to surgery and chemotherapy but returns lethally within a year or two.

SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateOct 16, 2014

New rules for anticancer vaccines

Researchers have identified a better measure of predicting cancer neoepitopes, which are specific protein sequences recognized by immune cells. This new approach has the potential to improve current methods for generating anticancer vaccines, increasing their effectiveness in combating cancer.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateSep 22, 2014

New tool aids stem cell engineering for medical research

Researchers have created an online analytic platform called CellNet to aid stem cell engineering. The tool uses network biology methods to analyze and predict cell fate and corresponding engineering strategies, offering a reliable shortcut for drug development and individualized cancer therapies.

SourceMayo Clinic·JournalCell·DateAug 28, 2014

Promising new cancer therapy uses molecular 'Trash Man' to exploit a common cancer defense

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center have developed a novel cancer therapy that leverages the autophagy defense mechanism to induce cell death in multiple myeloma cells. By targeting the p62 protein, the therapy disrupts autophagy and triggers apoptosis, resulting in increased effectiveness compared to t...

SourceVirginia Commonwealth University·JournalMolecular and Cellular Biology·DateAug 27, 2014