Journal Club

Highlighting recently published papers selected by Academy members

Category Archives: Medical Sciences

Journal Club: New clues in the mystery of the mechanism of general anesthetics

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Jessica P. Johnson

Anesthetics have been used in surgery since the mid-1800s, but their exact mechanisms of action continue to be the subject of intense investigation. Past studies have suggested they block neurotransmitter receptors postsynaptically. Now a new study, published January 9 in … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Cellular context determines whether factor promotes or tamps down cancer

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Charlotte Schubert

Some cellular factors have an impressive multitude of roles. One prime example is LKB1 (Liver Kinase B1). It controls both cell metabolism and cell polarity, telling cells which end is which. It also appears to act as both a tumor … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Cooler temperatures might make some mosquitoes better dengue spreaders

Posted on October 20, 2017 by Amber Dance

Migrating mosquitoes that carry diseases from the tropics to cooler climes might be better at spreading disease in their new, cooler home, according to a recent study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Researchers from Yale University in … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Twin study elucidates environmental, genetic contributions to mouth microbiome and oral health

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Helen Shen

Some of the mouth’s microbial communities may promote good health, while others contribute to cavities, gum disease, and possibly even heart disease. Now, scientists are learning more about how genetic and environmental factors influence the mouth’s microbial makeup, and how … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Mutation helps Zika virus evolve to more easily infect mosquitoes, spread infection

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Carolyn Beans

Scientists discovered the Zika virus over half a century ago. But it wasn’t until recent outbreaks in French Polynesia and South America that the mosquito-borne virus, now associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults and microcephaly in newborn babies, reached epidemic … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Metal-based compound shows rare specificity in early tests of its cancer-fighting capabilities

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Charles Choi

Many drugs used to fight cancer are based on metals. But such organometallic agents are generally thought to have low specificity for potential targets in cells, raising concerns that they may inflict collateral damage on healthy cells. Now scientists have … Continue reading →

Categories: Biochemistry | Journal Club | Medical Sciences | Tagged cancer, microtubules, organometallic compound, plectin, proteomics, ruthenium, tumors | Leave a comment

Journal Club: New chip allows for rapid, low-cost disease diagnosis from small DNA, RNA samples

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Charles Choi

A new point-of-care biochip enables rapid detection of nucleic acids in blood samples, paving the way for quick, cheap tests for HIV, MRSA, and numerous other diseases. Video Credit: Yeh et al. Sci. Adv. 2016;3:e1501645 Ideally, an urgent diagnosis occurs rapidly and at … Continue reading →

Journal Club: A new strategy for producing polio vaccine without live virus

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Carolyn Beans

The poliovirus, which once paralyzed children across the globe, is nearly eradicated in nature. There were just 74 cases of polio reported in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, down from an estimated 350,000 in 1988. Two vaccines contributed … Continue reading →

Journal Club: 3-D Microtumor Model Offers New Insights into Tumor Progression

Posted on June 27, 2016 by Charles Choi

Most cancer-related deaths are caused by metastasis, as cancers spreads to sites throughout the body. Breast cancer metastasis is strongly associated with tumor size, and scientists want to better understand how these factors are linked. Now researchers have developed a … Continue reading →

Categories: Journal Club | Medical Sciences | Pharmacology | Tagged 3-D model, animal models, cancer, cancer cells, metastasis, microtumor, tumor, xenograft | Leave a comment

Journal Club: A new take on why tumors develop drug resistance

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Charles Choi

Cancer’s notorious resistance to therapy is often explained as the result of natural selection of newly mutating cells. Cancer-killing drugs wipe out nearly all of a tumor’s cells, but random mutations may allow for drug resistance in some cells, and … Continue reading →