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T cells use 'handshakes' to sort friends from foes

Researchers developed DNA-based tension sensors to study T cell interactions. They found that T cells use precise mechanical tugs to test whether a cell is a friend or foe, with stronger tugs indicating a foreign invader. This discovery could aid in the development of immune therapies for cancer and treatments for autoimmune diseases.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 5, 2016

A dictionary of the language of cells

A RIKEN-led team has developed a large-scale map of primary cell-to-cell interactions, revealing common signaling routes between cells and new insights into receptor evolution. This data can contribute to the development of medical treatments by identifying potential targets for therapies in various diseases.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 22, 2015

Inventing a 2-D liquid

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed nanoparticles that can interact with oil-water interfaces without clumping together. By measuring pressure and density, they've established universal rules governing the physics of these systems, which could lead to advances in nanomanufacturing, catalysis, and photonic devices.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateApr 7, 2015

A single DNA tweak leads to blond hair

HHMI researchers have pinpointed a single-letter change in the genetic code that generates blond hair in humans. This variation is common in Northern Europeans and fine-tunes the regulation of an essential gene involved in hair color, showcasing how independent changes can be encoded to produce specific traits.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalNature Genetics·DateJun 1, 2014

Surprising new way to kill cancer cells

Scientists at Northwestern University have discovered that cancer cells rely on the FAS receptor and its binding component for survival, making them vulnerable to elimination. The team created a cancer cell completely devoid of CD95, which resulted in DNA damage and cell death, offering a promising new approach to kill cancer cells.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalCell Reports·DateMar 20, 2014

JCI online ahead of print table of contents for Feb. 24, 2014

Researchers evaluated the effectiveness and safety of an anti-FGF23 antibody in patients with X-linked hypophosphatemia, finding improved renal phosphate reabsorption and increased serum phosphate levels. Additionally, studies on natural killer cells suggest that targeting specific ligands may enhance cancer therapies by protecting tum...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 24, 2014

Better protein capture a boon for drug manufacturers

Researchers create method to pinpoint locations for single proteins and improve chromatography process, leading to faster and cheaper drug production. This breakthrough could widen bottleneck in pharmaceutical industry and expand application to other industries.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 22, 2014

Salk scientists crack riddle of important drug target

Researchers at the Salk Institute created a new approach to determine the structure of key cellular receptors using artificial amino acids, revealing crucial details about their binding pockets. This breakthrough could aid in designing drugs that target diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalCell·DateDec 2, 2013

Watching catalysts at work -- at the atomic scale

Scientists from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin used RIXS spectroscopy and ab initio theory to study the iron carbonyl complex. They discovered a strong orbital mixing between metal and ligands, weakening the chemical bond during excitation. This fundamental insight can help control catalytic properties and produce novel materials.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateJul 25, 2013

An innovative material for the green Earth

Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have developed a novel method to synthesize hierarchically nanoporous frameworks of nanocrystalline metal oxides for CO2 adsorption. The material exhibits exceptionally high CO2 adsorption capacity, offering a potential solution to environmental pollution.

SourceUlsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 17, 2013

Fingerprints of a gold cluster revealed

Scientists have successfully characterised the absorption spectrum of a gold cluster, shedding light on its electronic properties. The research provides valuable insights for future applications in catalysis, sensing, and molecular electronics.

SourceAcademy of Finland·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateFeb 28, 2011

Metallic molecules to nanotubes: Spread out!

A Rice University lab has created a technique to disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes in water using ruthenium complexes, keeping their unique properties intact. The new approach allows for the simultaneous addition of functionalities, advancing applications in imaging sensors, catalysis, and solar-activated hydrogen fuel cells.

SourceRice University·JournalChemical Communications·DateFeb 23, 2011

Purifying proteins: Rensselaer researchers use NMR to improve drug development

Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to understand and improve an important protein purification process. The study validated the effectiveness of multimodal chromatography, a method that separates proteins from their surrounding materials using molecular glue.

SourceRensselaer Polytechnic Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 29, 2010

Researchers use supercomputer to track pathways in myoglobin

An interdisciplinary team used computational methods to study myoglobin's structure and function, revealing that oxygen follows two pathways with branches, mainly through alpha helices. The simulations showed ligand migration is local and short-lived, and occurs between protein scaffolds.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 30, 2008