The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has awarded two UTHSC researchers over $1.9 million to study the pathogenesis of white matter damage, a main contributing factor to dementia. Francesca-Fang Liao, PhD, and Fu-Ming Zhou, PhD, both professors in the Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, are co-investigators on the project titled "Blood-brain-barrier […]
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Key areas of measles virus polymerase to target for antiviral drug development
Targeting specific areas of the measles virus polymerase, a protein complex that copies the viral genome, can effectively fight the measles virus and be used as an approach to developing new antiviral drugs to treat the serious infectious disease, according to a study by the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University published in […]
Monkey malaria breakthrough offers possible cure for relapsing malaria
A breakthrough in monkey malaria research by two University of Otago scientists could help scientists diagnose and treat a relapsing form of human malaria. Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals with more than 200 million cases annually, particularly in Asia, the Pacific and South America. Symptoms include fever, tiredness, […]
Larger drug trials that intervene earlier needed for Alzheimer’s disease
There are currently no drugs that stop or inhibit Alzheimer’s disease. Despite drug trials showing plaque reduction in the brain, the patients’ cognitive function did not improve. Would the results be different if it were possible to design studies that intervene much earlier on in the disease, before cognition is affected? This is what an […]
Scientists uncover binding secret behind protein ‘superglue’: Mechanism found in Chinese herb helps to create lab-grown enzymes that may speed up drug development
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have pinpointed how a special class of plant-derived enzymes, known as peptide ligases, work to join proteins together. Such binding is an important process in the development of drugs, for example in specifically attaching a chemotherapy drug to an antibody that recognises tumour markers to target cancer […]
Could better tests help reverse the rise of drug-resistant infections? Modeling study says yes in theory; now comes a reality check
A growing number of infections — such as pneumonia, gonorrhea and tuberculosis — are becoming harder to treat, as bacteria evolve defenses against antibiotics faster than we can develop new drugs to replace them. Duke University game theorist David McAdams says faster, more accurate tests for drug-resistant infections are being developed that could, at least […]
Protect protruding teeth from damage and long-term consequences
Children with their first or early adult set of teeth that stick out have an increased chance of damaging them, but the risk can be easily reduced without being prohibitively costly. A study undertaken at the University of Adelaide of more than 50,000 children aged under 19 years published in the journal Dental Traumatology, confirms […]
On-chip drug screening for identifying antibiotic interactions in eight hours
A KAIST research team developed a microfluidic-based drug screening chip that identifies synergistic interactions between two antibiotics in eight hours. This chip can be a cell-based drug screening platform for exploring critical pharmacological patterns of antibiotic interactions, along with potential applications in screening other cell-type agents and guidance for clinical therapies. Antibiotic susceptibility testing, which […]
Cell-type specific mechanism for formation and retrieval of cocaine-associated memories
Scientists have revealed neuronal mechanisms underlying the formation and retrieval of cocaine use-associated memories. Their research sheds light on how drug addiction develops and reveals pathways that can be exploited for the development of strategies to treat cocaine addiction. The environmental context in which addicts experience the rewarding effects of cocaine can readily elicit cocaine-associated […]
Experts set out targets to eliminate tuberculosis within a generation: Tuberculosis can be treated, prevented and cured, yet it kills 1.6 million people a year, more people than any other infectious disease
A world free of tuberculosis (TB) is possible by 2045 if increased political will and financial resources are directed towards priority areas including providing evidence-based interventions to everyone, especially to high risk groups, and increasing research to develop new ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent TB. Funding this response will require substantial investments, and accountability […]