Monthly Archives: March 2016

Manipulating mouse genes to order, CRISPR or old-school

March 30th, 2016 (No Comments)

A comparison of the new vs old ways of doing gene targeting in mice. Plus, the dazzling array of options available to investigators.

Three-stage delivery for platinum-based ‘cluster bombs’ against cancer

March 29th, 2016 (No Comments)

Scientists have devised a triple-stage “cluster bomb” system for delivering the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, via tiny nanoparticles designed to break up when they reach a tumor. They have not been tested in humans, although other approaches to packaging cisplatin are in clinical trials.

Rare inherited musculoskeletal disorder illustrates broader themes

March 25th, 2016 (No Comments)

Studying rare mutations can lead to blockbuster drugs — PCSK9 inhibitors are a prominent example. In the case of FHL1, it hasn’t happened yet, but the diverse set of effects FHL1 mutations have on skeletal and cardiac muscle are intriguing.

Measuring microbiome disruption

March 21st, 2016 (No Comments)

The diversity of our internal gardens could be measured by a “microbiome disruption index”. Paper from Colleen Kraft and Emory + CDC colleagues. The illustration comes from a 2014 Emory Medicine article on fecal microbial transplant.

Starvation signals control intestinal inflammation in mice

March 16th, 2016 (No Comments)

Intestinal inflammation in mice can be dampened by giving them a diet restricted in amino acids. Critical role for the amino acid sensor GCN2. Nature paper from Bali Pulendran and colleagues.

Two Emory connections for Zika brain research

March 11th, 2016 (No Comments)

Two Emory connections to a recent Cell Stem Cell paper, showing how Zika attacks cortical progenitor cells.

Lung cancer cells go amoeboid

March 7th, 2016 (No Comments)

When lung cancer cells get more dangerous, they become more amoeboid