Research, News & Discoveries

Mar. 14, 2019, 1:00 PM by Bill Snyder The vagus nerve connects the brain and organs throughout the body. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) implants have been used for more than 20 years to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience,… Read More

Mar. 14, 2019, 10:45 AM by Kelsey Herbers Chronic kidney disease is on the rise worldwide. Approaches to develop regenerative or cellular therapies are hindered by the complex cellular structure of the kidney, which is composed of about 1 million microscopic “filters” called nephrons. Lauren Woodard, PhD, and… Read More

In recent years, the number of complex diseases such as cancer and drug resistant infections that are treated with multiple drugs has rapidly increased. Through combining drugs, one hopes to obtain synergy either by increasing potency (so the desired effect can be achieved with lower drug doses) or increasing efficacy… Read More

Mar. 7, 2019, 12:12 PM (AdobeStock) by Bill Snyder The release of neurotransmitters and hormones in the body is tightly controlled by complex protein machinery embedded in cell membranes. Manipulating that machinery with drugs could improve treatment of disorders ranging from diabetes to Parkinson’s disease. Progress has been slow, however,… Read More

Mar. 7, 2019, 11:57 AM by Leigh MacMillan Stephen Hann, PhD, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, died Feb. 27. He was 67. Dr. Hann was born Dec. 11, 1951, in Beech Grove, Indiana. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1974 and his PhD… Read More

Feb. 28, 2019, 3:35 PM by Meredith Jackson Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an aggressive form of kidney cancer that tends to recur even after treatment with targeted cancer therapies or immunotherapies. One commonly mutated pathway in RCC and in all cancers is the PI3K-AKT signaling axis. P13K and AKT enzymes… Read More

by Leigh MacMillan As David Cortez, PhD, tells the story of his research team’s latest discovery, he shakes his head in disbelief. “I’m just astounded,” said Cortez, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and professor of Biochemistry. The investigators, led by postdoctoral fellow Kareem Mohni,… Read More

Reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 4.0 International License from T. E. Bass and D. Cortez, (2019) J. Cell Biol., published February 12, DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201810058. Copyright 2019, Bass & Cortez. ATR (ataxia telangiectasia-mutated and Rad3-related) is a kinase well known for its role in the DNA damage… Read More

Feb. 14, 2019, 12:00 PM by Leigh MacMillan (iStock) Stress contributes to psychiatric diseases including depression, eating disorders and addiction. Neurons that express the stress signal corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in a brain region called the BNST are thought to promote negative responses to stress. Danny Winder, PhD,… Read More

Feb. 14, 2019, 10:45 AM by Leigh MacMillan (iStock) The epithelial cells that line the intestines build a specialized cell surface — the “brush border” — that processes and absorbs nutrients, and defends against pathogens. The brush border consists of thousands of finger-like membrane protrusions (microvilli) on each… Read More