Aliquots - Research Briefs

moldy bread
October 7, 2011

Fungus toxin gets in the way in DNA

Structural studies are providing insight to how aflatoxin – a toxin produced by fungi – contributes to cancer development.

By Leigh MacMillan
brain
October 5, 2011

Parkinson’s deep brain target fired up

Neuronal activity in a deep brain region increases as Parkinson’s disease advances, a new study suggests.

By Leigh MacMillan
HIV molecule
September 8, 2011

Host countermeasure hinders HIV

New details about a host mechanism that fights off HIV may reveal strategies for therapies to treat or prevent HIV infection.

By VUMC News and Communications
July 29, 2011

Deciding who’s who in heart valves

Identification of a gene that is involved in the development of heart valves offers new insights into congenital heart valve disease.

By Leigh MacMillan
July 29, 2011

Connecting the dots in schizophrenia

Abnormalities of the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped brain region involved in learning and memory, may play a role in the psychotic symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia.

By VUMC News and Communications
Cocaine
July 22, 2011

Stress circuitry key to drug relapse

Brain systems involved in the body’s stress response may drive drug relapse.

By VUMC News and Communications
July 21, 2011

Give me some skin

A new understanding of the biochemical pathway that builds our skin barrier could lead to treatments for skin diseases.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 20, 2011

Dad’s diet influences birth timing

It may be possible to prevent preterm birth by modifying the father’s diet before a baby's conception.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 29, 2011

Protecting brainpower during radiation

Blocking a certain protein during radiation to treat brain cancers could protect the brain’s thinking powers.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 28, 2011

Inflammation relief: what’s the delay?

New research offers hope for patients needing the anti-inflammatory benefits of glucocorticoids without the adverse side effects associated with them.
By VUMC News and Communications
June 24, 2011

Antioxidant genes keep stomach moving

Antioxidant genes may be good targets for treating a stomach disorder that affects up to 40 percent of patients with diabetes.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 24, 2011

Fine-tuned protein makes memories

Researchers discover new wrinkles in how proteins build memories.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 24, 2011

Cocaine’s effects on the teenage brain

Cocaine exposure during the teen years causes long-lasting brain and behavioral changes in rats.
By VUMC News and Communications