Illustrated gray molar covered with colorful bacteria- and virus-like forms, representing oral infection and dental hygiene.
June 6, 2019

Mouth microbes and colorectal cancer

Microbial species in the mouth could be playing a role in colorectal cancer development, according to new research from epidemiologists at VUMC.

Three researchers pose in a laboratory beside large scientific instruments and a connected metal vacuum line.
May 29, 2019

Study details regulation of a multi-drug transporter

P-glycoprotein distinguishes between chemicals that it will expel from a cell and inhibitors that block its action.

Woman applying sunscreen to a baby’s face while sitting under a beach umbrella beside the sea.
May 15, 2019

Protecting the skin from damaging sun rays is as easy as “slip, slop, slap, slide and shade”

Portrait of William Tansey, Ph.D., wearing glasses, a dark jacket, and a light blue collared shirt against a brown background.
May 3, 2019

Researchers putting the brakes on lethal childhood cancer

Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is one of the most aggressive and lethal childhood cancers. Although rare — about 20 to 25 new cases are diagnosed annually in the United States — there is no standard effective treatment for the disease, which is driven by loss of an anti-cancer protein called SNF5. The chances are very small that a child will survive a year after MRT diagnosis.

Laboratory pipette dispensing an amber liquid into a clear multiwell test plate, with a blurred chemical structure in the background.
March 28, 2019

Cancer’s SOS

Stephen Fesik and colleagues are advancing cancer drug discovery with the characterization of small molecules that modulate RAS, an important target for anti-cancer therapies.

Blue-toned scientific illustration of intertwined DNA double helices with molecular structures in the foreground and background.
March 14, 2019

Correctly copying DNA

A precise understanding of how the enzyme topoisomerase II cuts DNA could lead to better anti-cancer therapies.