Articles
Modified gene-editing technique reverses disease without cutting DNA
Californian researchers have developed a modified CRISPR-Cas9 technique that alters the activity, rather than the underlying sequence, of disease-associated genes. [ + ]
Nobel Laureate to join UNSW
UNSW Sydney has announced the part-time appointment of its first Nobel Laureate, Sir Fraser Stoddart, to the School of Chemistry. [ + ]
Nucleic acids and immunity
Dr Michael Gantier, Research Group Head, Nucleic Acids and Innate Immunity at the Hudson Institute in Melbourne, reflects on the latest developments in the field of infection and immunity and his lab's current focus and future plans. [ + ]
Rare diseases and the power of precision medicine
When molecular biologists Steve Wilton and Sue Fletcher first started exploring dystrophin exon skipping for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), they faced a lot of scepticism. [ + ]
The future is frozen
Cryo-electron microscopy may not yet have revolutionised the world of medicine but it has definitely transformed the field of structural biology. [ + ]
Stem cell reprogramming mystery close to being solved
Australian researchers have discovered new evidence in the decade-long mystery concerning stem cell reprogramming — a process by which cells from mature tissues of the body, such as skin, can be deliberately converted into stem cells. [ + ]
When the cat's away, the mice will train
Seeking to move neuroscience research into the fast lane, researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute have constructed and deployed a high-throughput system to study mouse behaviour and physiology at a much faster rate than that achieved via manual methods. [ + ]
Scientists find possible genetic links to male sexual orientation
While Australia's LGBTIQ+ community celebrates the legalisation of same-sex marriage, US researchers are continuing the search for the elusive 'gay gene'. [ + ]
The eyes have it: Elizabeth Rakoczy wins Florey Medal for wet AMD gene therapy
Professor Elizabeth Rakoczy has been awarded the 2017 CSL Florey Medal for the creation of a new gene therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) — the most common cause of blindness in the developed world. [ + ]
Australian-developed risk scoring system predicts childhood leukaemia relapse
Australian researchers have developed a new risk scoring system for children with leukaemia based on missing DNA fragments or ‘microdeletions’. [ + ]
'Biological tape recorder' built from microbes
US researchers have converted a natural bacterial immune system into what they describe as a microscopic data recorder, laying the groundwork for a class of technologies that use bacterial cells for everything from disease diagnosis to environmental monitoring. [ + ]
Beware the PINK-SNO man — the secret cause of Parkinson's disease
US scientists have shown how a process in nerve cells called the S-nitrosylation (SNO) reaction may contribute to Parkinson's disease. [ + ]
CRISPR-carrying nanoparticles can edit the genome
MIT researchers have developed nanoparticles that can deliver the CRISPR genome-editing system into mice, where it can be used to modify specific genes. [ + ]
Academy awards recognise bright stars of Australian science
Scientists working on the threat posed by the melting ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, solving the mysteries of the universe and interpreting how disruptions of brain connectivity can lead to mental illness are some of the winners of the 2018 honorific awards from the Australian Academy of Science. [ + ]
A miniature laboratory in a plastic bag
Researchers have developed an all-in-one system in the form of a transparent bag that provides a cheap, fast and sterile way for scientists to grow, differentiate and freeze stem cells. [ + ]
