Gene Tied to Hearing Loss and Usher Syndrome Scientists discovered mutations in a gene that lead to hearing loss and also contribute to Usher syndrome. The finding adds to a growing body of knowledge about the biological pathways involved in these disorders. CIB2 (green and yellow) is found in inner ear hair cells, including the […]

Cell Phones Track Malaria’s Spread Researchers used mobile phone data to track malaria parasite movements across Kenya. The results may help guide the design of more effective disease control programs. Nearly a million people die of malaria each year—mostly infants, young children and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. The disease is caused […]

Bacterial Protein in House Dust May Spur Asthma A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergies that could lead to asthma, according to a new report. The finding gives insight into the link between allergic asthma and the environment. Asthma is caused by swelling and inflammation of the airways. When airways narrow, less […]

Brain Protein Structure Offers Clues for Drug Design Researchers have published the first highly detailed picture of how neurotensin, a molecule that plays an important role in the brain, interacts with its receptor. The achievement may help scientists design better drugs for certain disorders.   Neurotensin (see arrow) in the binding pocket of NTSR1. Image […]

Study Compares Women’s Incontinence Treatments A new study comparing treatments for a type of urinary incontinence in women found that each has benefits and drawbacks. Millions of women experience urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine. Pregnancy and childbirth, menopause and the structure of the female urinary tract make women twice as likely as men […]

Intestinal Mending Depends on Key Protein Scientists identified a protein that’s essential for mending injuries to the intestinal lining in mice. The finding might have implications for understanding and repairing damage to the human intestinal wall, which can be caused by factors including inflammatory bowel disease, infection and irradiation.   Crypts (dark green) are stem-cell-containing […]

New Insights Into Breast Cancer A careful analysis of genomic data further defined 4 primary subtypes of breast cancer, each with its own biology and survival outlook. One subtype shares many genetic features with high-grade serous ovarian cancer. The findings may help to guide future treatment strategies.   Illustration courtesy of NHGRI. Each year about […]

Therapy Repairs Ravaged Immune System Gene therapy can safely restore immune function in children with severe combined immunodeficiency and allow some to stop taking painful weekly injections. The finding, from a small clinical trial, offers hope for children born with this deadly condition. Children with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) can’t produce healthy microbe-fighting white blood […]

Early Antibiotic Use May Affect Weight New research suggests that early-life exposure to antibiotics affects gut microbes and changes how food is metabolized. The findings may explain how antibiotics fatten farm animals. They may also have implications for childhood obesity. For more than 50 years, the agricultural industry has used antibiotics to promote growth in […]

Gene Therapy Restores Sense of Smell in Mice Mice that were unable to smell from birth gained the ability to smell when researchers used gene therapy to regrow structures called cilia on cells that detect odor. The approach might one day lead to treatments for related human genetic disorders. Cilia on the surface of the […]