Heat shock proteins perform a range of functions related to protein quality control. Among them: breaking down dangerous protein aggregates called amyloid fibers. The buildup of certain amyloids has been linked to neurodegenerative disease. But the exact mechanism by which … Continue reading
Journal Club
Highlighting recently published papers selected by Academy members
Category Archives: Medical Sciences
PREVIEW News Feature: To counter the pandemic, clinicians bank on repurposed drugs
Teams are pursuing a dizzying array of therapeutic strategies to stymie COVID-19. It’s not yet clear which approach, or combination of approaches, will work best. *Editor’s Note: We’re providing a preview of this content due to the urgent and rapidly … Continue reading
Categories: Cell Biology | Immunology | Infectious disease | Medical Sciences | News feature | Pharmacology
Tagged choloroquine, COVID-19, hydroxycholoroquine, novel coronavirus, pandemic, remdesivir, SARS-Cov-2, TMPRSS2
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Fluid dynamics work hints at whether spoken word can spread COVID-19
As of April 3, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising that everyone—sick or healthy—wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Recent research on how fluids travel from our respiratory tracts when we sneeze, speak, or … Continue reading
Categories: Applied Physical Sciences | Immunology | Infectious disease | Journal Club | Medical Sciences
Tagged aerosol particles, coronavirus, cough, COVID-19, facemask, fluid dynamics, saliva, SARS-Cov-2, sneeze, social distancing
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PREVIEW Inner Workings: Molecular biologists offer “wartime service” in the effort to test for COVID-19
*Editor’s Note: We’re providing a preview of this content due to the urgent and rapidly unfolding events surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic. An updated version will appear in PNAS in the coming weeks. As COVID-19 spreads, communities across the United … Continue reading
Categories: Inner workings | Medical Sciences
Tagged coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 testing, pandemic, qPCR, RNA extraction, SARS-Cov-2
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Mouse gut bacteria cure rotavirus infection, pointing to treatment for humans
Despite available vaccines, over 200,000 children die annually from severe diarrhea cause by rotavirus, which infects intestinal cells. A recently published study, facilitated by a research team’s lucky break, suggests bacteria in the mouse gut microbiome could actually help prevent … Continue reading
Categories: Infectious disease | Journal Club | Medical Sciences | Microbiology | Uncategorized
Tagged bacteria, microbiome, microbiota, rotavirus, segmented filamentous bacteria
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Hydrogel uses biology and light to release proteins on demand, advancing hopes for synthetic tissues
A wiggly cylinder of protein, hydrogel, and human cells, about the size of a wristwatch battery, could one day serve as a building block for synthetic tissues. The implications could be big for biological research and even organ transplants, according … Continue reading
New insights into how influenza evades human immunity
Some viruses can only infect people once—measles for example. But other viruses, notably influenza, are capable of infecting repeatedly. Scientists have long puzzled over how the flu virus evades human immunity. Recent work in eLife clarifies exactly how the virus … Continue reading
Categories: Immunology | Infectious disease | Journal Club | Medical Sciences
Tagged antibody, immunity, influenza, vaccine, virus
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New protein structure reveals hotspot for cystic fibrosis drug binding
The newly revealed structure of a cystic fibrosis drug, captured in tandem with its target channel protein, could help scientists design better medications for the condition. Cystic fibrosis results from mutations in the gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane … Continue reading
Journal Club: In big advance for lab-grown organs, 3-D printing better replicates tissue complexity
The lung is a feathery web of blood vessels and air sacs that branch closely together, but never touch. They’re nestled near enough that oxygen can diffuse into the bloodstream, but far enough that blood and air flow through separate … Continue reading
Categories: Engineering | Journal Club | Medical Sciences
Tagged 3-D printing, bioengineering, lung, photoabsorber, regenerative medicine, stereolithography, tissue engineering
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Journal Club: Newly discovered ion channel gene promises disease insights
The molecular identity and precise function of a commonly expressed cell-membrane chloride channel has long been a mystery. A recent study in Science uncovers the gene responsible for the channel, potentially shedding light on its role in the body. Researchers … Continue reading
Categories: Cell Biology | Journal Club | Medical Sciences | Neuroscience
Tagged acidosis, ASIC, chloride channel, CRISPR, gated pore, heart attack, ion channel, membrane protein, PAC, stroke, TMEM206
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