Articles tagged with Chemical Biology
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have identified a biological mechanism controlling electron transport in cyanobacteria, which could lead to more efficient solar-powered biofuel production. The discovery was made by exposing cells to different light conditions and observing the changes in electron transport pathways.
A six-food elimination diet significantly improves symptoms in adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, reducing inflammation and improving digestion. The study identified specific food triggers that cause symptoms like heartburn and difficulty swallowing.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara developed synthetic platelets with unique physical and biochemical properties to mimic natural platelets. These particles could be used for various biomedical applications, including wound healing, targeting damaged blood vessels, or delivering drugs that dissolve blood clots.
Researchers at Temple University and State University of New York Buffalo have published groundbreaking techniques for detecting biological threats using electricity-free devices. The articles, sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, provide a safer world by reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction.
The Dip Chip technology uses genetically modified microbes to detect toxicity in real time, providing a quick and accurate diagnosis. The device can identify overall toxicity levels, picking up on any toxic materials, including those that have not been discovered yet.
A new essay examines what constitutes 'life' and the probability of discovering new life forms. Professor Gerald Joyce argues that a truly new life form would arise through chemistry, not biology, and that humans long for intelligent life in the universe.
Researchers developed a graphene liquid cell to visualize nanoscale processes in fluids with atomic-level resolution. The technology enables real-time imaging of platinum nanocrystals in solution, shedding light on atomic-level dynamics and coalescence.
Bioorthogonal chemistry allows doctors to administer separate ingredients that combine to produce medicine inside patients' bodies. This emerging field has the potential to revolutionize drug development and diagnosis by enabling targeted treatment of diseases.
The ACS Presidential Sessions emphasize communicating science to the public, with speakers including Roger Tsien, Laura Kiessling, Samuel Stupp, J. Craig Venter, Carolyn Bertozzi, and Paul Raeburn. The sessions also explore innovative chemistry applications, such as producing fuels directly from sunlight.
A study by Queen Mary University of London found that common carp have driven Louisiana red swamp crayfish away from Lake Naivasha, leading to a shift in the food web. The carp's dominance has resulted in the crayfish being forced to eat lower-quality diets, making it nearly impossible to catch them.
Sandia's decontamination foam is now used to clean up illegal methamphetamine labs, leaving chemicals harmless and surfaces safe for reuse. The foam contains mild, non-toxic chemicals that break down agent molecules into nontoxic pieces.
The new approach allows for reliable sensing with compact devices, opening up potential applications in national security, food processing, breath analyzers, industrial monitoring, and more. Researchers have improved the performance of microsensors using tiny vibrating microcantilevers to detect chemical and biological agents.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have successfully created self-assembling cell membranes using a simple metal catalyst. This breakthrough could be a crucial step in making artificial life forms from scratch and understanding the origins of life on Earth.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London study geothermally-heated streams in Iceland to explore how temperature affects respiration rates. The research reveals that the intrinsic temperature sensitivity of respiration is consistent across a range of organisms, adapted to different temperatures.
Researchers at Brandeis University discover that fruit flies use two forms of TRPA1 to sense warmth and chemicals, providing potential solutions for chronic pain and disease control. The study's findings have implications for developing bug sprays and traps to combat mosquito-borne diseases.
Researchers have made a fundamental discovery about enzymes, revealing that flexibility is an essential feature of enzyme function. This finding has significant implications for improving the efficiency of enzymatic processes and developing new treatments for diseases such as AIDS.
A new device developed at the University of Sheffield enables real-time monitoring of liquid flow and rheology, making it easier to control product properties. The technology ensures that companies producing liquids can incorporate the device into their development process, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
A team of UGA scientists has successfully determined the structure of a glycosaminoglycan proteoglycan for the first time, identifying key sites of sulfation and paving the way for future research on its role in diseases such as cancer.
A team of researchers has discovered a pervasive human RNA modification that contributes to obesity and type II diabetes. The study shows that this modification process, called methylation, impacts protein expression and function through its action on a common RNA base: adenosine.
A newly developed method allows scientists to match compounds produced in the wild back to their genomic origins, revealing core structural details and biosynthetic pathways. This approach has the capability of changing the way natural products are discovered in nature, offering a paradigm shift in the field.
A new algae monitoring method developed by USC scientists aims to predict when and where toxic algal blooms will occur. The research focuses on the increase of harmful toxins in shellfish due to neurotoxin-producing algae.
The Elsevier Foundation OWSD awards recognize eleven talented women scientists from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean for their research excellence. The winners will receive a cash prize of US$5,000 and are expected to act as role models to other girls and young women considering a career in science.
Researchers at UC Davis have developed a self-cleaning cotton fabric that can kill bacteria and break down toxic chemicals like pesticide residues when exposed to light. The new fabric uses 2-AQC, a chemical that bonds strongly to cellulose in cotton, producing reactive oxygen species that kill bacteria and break down toxins.
A new study reveals that global warming can lead to a phenomenon where animals shrink due to the decoupling of growth rate and development rate. This effect is observed in marine planktonic copepods, which show increased growth but mature faster at warmer temperatures.
Researchers at Salk Institute developed bacteria that can incorporate unnatural amino acids into proteins, enabling the creation of new synthetic chemicals. This breakthrough may lead to the development of drugs that last longer in the bloodstream and environmentally friendly manufacturing methods.
A novel molecule, QUASIMODO (QSM), has been discovered as essential for relaying light-information to the circadian clocks of fruit flies. This molecule plays a crucial role in synchronizing the internal biological processes, such as sleep/wake cycles, with external time.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne have successfully tracked a quantum atom inside a living human cell, paving the way for new drug discovery methods. The sensor detects biological processes at a molecular level, providing critical information about drug delivery and uptake.
A Baylor University study reveals that polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a common fire retardant, can cause developmental malformations, changes in behavior, and death in zebra fish. The research found that lower brominated congeners were more toxic than higher ones.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new approach using magnetic nanobeads to detect chemical and biological agents, enabling rapid and accurate sensing in various fields. The technology has potential applications in bioterrorism detection, environmental monitoring, and medical diagnostics.
Scientists have discovered how nifurtimox kills parasites by converting it into a toxic form through an enzyme in the parasite. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new anti-parasitic medicines with fewer side effects and improved efficacy.
Researchers unveiled groundbreaking cellular analysis tools, drug-delivery methods, and novel approaches to high-throughput drug discovery. The session highlighted advances in imaging and simultaneous identification of biological compounds, as well as the use of peptides as potential drugs and biological probes.
Researchers developed a chemical cocktail to convert mouse muscle fibers into cells that form the first stages of regenerating limbs. The methods have implications for regenerative medicine and stem cell biology, potentially speeding wound healing and creating new tissues.
Research by Prof. Ron Naaman and colleagues reveals that biological molecules, such as DNA, can discern between quantum states of spin, a phenomenon previously thought irrelevant to their function due to their size and temperature. This chiral property enables them to selectively interact with electrons carrying specific spins.
Zewail's 'ultrafast-motion' imaging provides deep insights into materials behavior and biological functions. His work has yielded qualitatively new insights into atomic and molecular origins of complex chemical, physical, and biological behavior.
The US Secret Service is now using a virtual training environment called Virtual Tiny Town to prepare agents for real-life incidents. The new platform combines gaming technology and 3D modeling to simulate site security plans, allowing students to practice responding to scenarios such as chemical releases and suicide bombers.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new type of biological and chemical sensor using thin stripes of a gelatinous material called a hydrogel. The sensor is highly sensitive and can measure changes in pH smaller than one-1,000th on the scale, enabling environmental monitoring and glucose monitoring.
A team of researchers from the University of California - San Diego discovered a molecule dubbed 'longdaysin' with the most potent effects on the biological clock, slowing it down by more than 10 hours in larval zebra fish. The compound could be used to treat severe sleep disorders or quickly reset jet-lagged travelers' clocks.
Georges Belfort has made seminal contributions in liquid-phase pressure-driven membrane-based processes, bioseparations engineering, interfacial science, and affinity separations. He is honored by the American Chemical Society for his outstanding research and practice contributions to the advancement of science and technology.
Researchers aim to create an integrated chip that detects multiple biological and chemical agents simultaneously, using integrated photonics and surface coatings. The goal is to achieve high sensitivity and specificity for detecting various threats.
A Tel Aviv University scientist has developed a small, portable sensor that can detect multiple kinds of explosives with unprecedented reliability and efficiency. The sensor, which uses nanotechnology advances, is more sensitive and reliable than any sniffer dog and can detect explosives at a distance.
Researchers trap and observe intermediate stage of DNA repair protein Al McBiotically theft, a process that regulates health conditions such as obesity, cancer, and diabetes. The study provides new insights into how proteins chemically alter biological molecules via oxidative demethylation.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution for Science have successfully watched nanoparticles grow from the earliest stages of formation using high-energy X-rays. This breakthrough allows for the development of new techniques to control growth conditions, paving the way for improved solar-cell technology and chemical sensors.
The Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE) will use a wave tank simulator to study aerosol particles' impact on climate. Researchers will add various atmosphere-changing ingredients to measure effects of different variables, aiming to improve representation of aerosol mechanisms in global climate models.
Oregon State University researchers have successfully loaded biological molecules onto nanosprings, a nanostructure that maximizes surface area in microreactors. The findings may lead to new nanotech applications in pharmaceuticals, biological sensors, and biomedicine.
A study published in PLoS ONE found that organic strawberry farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier and more genetically diverse. The researchers also discovered that organic soils excelled in various key chemical and biological properties, including carbon sequestration and microbial biomass.
A study comparing 31 commercial strawberry farms found that organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier and more genetically diverse. The research team analyzed multiple sampling times on over two dozen fields, finding significant advantages of organic farming systems.
A Northwestern University team has developed a low-cost, high-throughput method for creating and mass-producing large-area nanoscale patterns using Shrinky Dinks. This solvent-assisted nanoscale embossing (SANE) method offers unprecedented opportunities to manipulate electronic, photonic, and magnetic properties of nanomaterials.
Researchers will focus on exploring chemical processes that enable the spontaneous formation of functional polymers, such as proteins and DNA. The five-year grant will support research in over 15 laboratories at top institutions, aiming to understand the chemistry behind life's origins.
The University of Hawaii's School of Ocean Earth Science and Technology completed a three-year study of Sea Disposal Site Hawaii Number 5, finding over 2,000 munitions on the seafloor with no detected chemical agents or explosives. The investigation also found that sediment and water samples showed little influence from human activities.
The MERMAID project developed automatic sensors and analyzers to sample, measure, and record chemical and biological changes in water, providing accurate early warnings of pollution. This technology has been adopted worldwide, including the use of FerryBoxes on ships and gliders in open sea areas.
Mobile cells may be more sensitive to chemical signals than thought, following trails with improved accuracy. Researchers found lower-than-expected noise levels in these cells, enabling them to detect and respond to chemical cues more effectively.
Chemical biologist Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi has made groundbreaking contributions to biotechnology, including bioorthogonal chemical reactions and genetically-encoded aldehyde tag technology. Her work has the potential to facilitate early cancer detection and develop novel protein drugs.
Underhill will investigate how interactions between bacteria lead to collective responses, developing a theoretical framework and computer simulation methods. The award includes educational tools for exploring the role of fluid mechanics in bacterial systems.
Researchers at NC State are creating a comfortable and functional leather HazMat boot that meets both criteria. The new boots use special materials that repel toxic chemicals, making them easy to clean and decontaminate.
Scientists have developed a new method for synthesizing complex carbohydrates, enabling researchers to study their function in cellular processes and diseases. The method, reported in Nature Chemistry, allows for rapid and controlled synthesis of oligosaccharides, paving the way for the creation of libraries of carbohydrate molecules.
Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory are testing lasers to scrub surfaces clean of sulfur mustard gas and VX, a nerve agent. The tests have proved successful on complex, porous surfaces like concrete.
Researchers create powerful new tool for calculating Casimir forces, allowing repulsion in microelectromechanical systems. This breakthrough could significantly reduce the failure rate of existing MEMS devices and enable affordable, new technologies.
Matthew Lux, a Virginia Tech Ph.D. student, has been awarded a US Department of Defense SMART scholarship to explore opportunities in synthetic biology for defense applications. His research involves developing intelligent sensors and countermeasures using calibrated genetic parts.
Researchers found that each junco has a unique and recognizable odor profile stable over two weeks, distinguishable from other individuals. The study's findings suggest that smell could play a role in reproductive isolation and the origin of new bird species.
A new multifunctional polymer material can rapidly neutralize both biological and chemical toxins, including bacteria, viruses, and nerve agents. The material has been shown to be effective in restoring enzyme activity after exposure to toxins.