Research News

Scientists have developed a new gene-therapy technique by transforming human cells into mass producers of tiny nano-sized particles full of genetic material that has the potential to reverse disease processes.

Taking the fight against the dreaded Nipha disease to a new level, researchers at Pune-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have developed drug targets for the virus that causes the disease, using the molecular modeling approach.

Nipah virus outbreaks have very high mortality rates. They are over 70 per cent in Southeast Asia. The virus spreads via bodily secretions of bats, pigs and infected individuals. It was first detected in human population in 1998 in Malaysia, It made its way into Indian subcontinent with outbreaks in Bangladesh and India a few years later.

A treatment for neurological disorder, Huntington's disease, could be in the offing. A group of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Indore have identified three chemical molecules that could potentiually be used to arrest its progression.

A common concern with oral vitamin B12 therapy is absorption especially in people suffering from anemia and gastrointestinal diseases. Researchers at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP) have identified a plant extract that has shown potential in enhancing absorption of vitamin B12 through in vitro and in vivo bioassays.

This news can bring smiles on the faces of all those people who are suffering from obesity-induced diabetes. A group of researchers from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) have shown the role of a protein that is responsible in increasing insulin action in obesity-induced diabetes.

The investigational therapeutics mAb114 and REGN-EB3 offer patients a greater chance of surviving Ebola virus disease (EVD) compared to the investigational treatment ZMapp, according to published results from a clinical trial conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The new report also shows that early diagnosis and treatment are associated with an increased likelihood of survival from EVD.

About 10% of bone implants lead to failure due to post-surgical bacterial infections. To overcome this hurdle, often heavy dosage of medicines are injected or given orally

A team of researchers from India and the US has now come up with a method to localise the drug delivery to surgery site.

Indian researchers have identified a protein pathway in an antibiotic-resistant bacterial strain called Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and also a new molecule that can target this pathway.

This may help develop new antibacterial drugs in future.

With their expertise in the safe and effective use of medications, pharmacists can help in the management of chronic diseases. A review and analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology indicates that initiatives--such as patient education, medication review, and physical assessments - led by pharmacists can make important contributions to the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Scientists have known that genetic mutations leading to the production of a defective protein called GFAP cause Alexander disease (AxD), a debilitating neurodegenerative condition that can present during infancy, adolescence, or adulthood.

Caption : Immunofluorescence staining of Alexander Disease iPSC-astrocytes showing cell nuclei (white), cytoplasmic GFAP filaments (magenta), and perinuclear GFAP aggregates (green; marked by yellow arrowheads). Credit  : Lab of Natasha Snider, PhD, UNC School of Medicine

Many people with the rare condition die within the first few years, but some survive for several decades. Now, UNC School of Medicine researchers are learning about the differences in the underlying biology of patients with severe and milder forms of AxD. Led by Natasha Snider, PhD, assistant professor of cell biology, an international group of scientists has discovered that the mutant form of GFAP undergoes different chemical modifications, depending on time of onset of symptoms.