Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to fine-tune the molecular assembly line that creates antibiotics via engineered biosynthesis. The work could allow scientists to improve existing antibiotics as well as design new drug candidates quickly and efficiently. Bacteria – such as E. coli – harness biosynthesis to create molecules that are…
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers have shown that psilocybin–the active chemical in “magic mushrooms”– still works its antidepressant-like actions, at least in mice, even when the psychedelic experience is blocked. The new findings suggest that psychedelic drugs work in multiple ways in the brain and it may be possible to deliver the…
Human non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a little-understood condition that significantly increases the risk of inflammation, fibrosis and liver cancer and ultimately requires liver transplant. “NAFLD has been difficult to study mainly because we had no good animal model,” said corresponding author Dr. Karl-Dimiter Bissig, who was at Baylor during the development of this…
LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell experts on the COVID-19 virus, NASA’s research on Mars and efforts to bring a more diverse workforce to science-related fields will share their insights on these topics as part of a free event series open to the public this week. “Spring into Science: A Celebration of Discovery, Innovation and Education…
A study done in rooms where COVID-19 patients were isolated shows that the virus’s RNA – part of the genetic material inside a virus – can persist up to a month in dust. The study did not evaluate whether dust can transmit the virus to humans. It could, however, offer another option for monitoring COVID-19…
Researchers have identified molecular signatures of the aging process in mice, publishing their results today in the open-access eLife journal. Their analyses provide one of the most comprehensive characterisations of the molecular signatures of aging across diverse types of cells from different tissues in a mammal, and will aid future studies on aging and related…
A gene therapy protects eye cells in mice with a rare disorder that causes vision loss, especially when used in combination with other gene therapies, shows a study published today in eLife. The findings suggest that this therapy, whether used alone or in combination with other gene therapies that boost eye health, may offer a…
The state of Pennsylvania and the city of Los Angeles are accelerating plans for wider Covid-19 vaccine eligibility this week, as the United States approaches universal eligibility for adults. Most states and U.S. territories have already expanded access to include anyone over 16. Others, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington State, have plans in…
You know who you’re dealing with when Robert Simonson, the author of “3-Ingredient Cocktails” and a New York Times contributor, suggests drinks made with mezcal and tequila. Simplicity reigns. Of the more than 60 cocktail recipes in his new book, “Mezcal and Tequila Cocktails,” most rely on mezcal, a good thing because though several tequila…
The symposium in ancient Greece was a formal postprandial drinking party for men, during which topics of interest were discussed as tongues were loosened. Plato has famously documented it. In its series, “Archaeology Abridged,” the Archaeological Institute of America is offering a Zoom lecture by Kathleen Lynch, a professor of classics at the University of…