Changing the epigenetic marks on chromosomes results in altered gene expression in offspring and in grandoffspring, demonstrating ‘transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.’
Without changing the genetic code in the DNA
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule composed of two long strands of nucleotides that coil around each other to form a double helix. It is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms that carries genetic instructions for development, functioning, growth, and reproduction. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).
Although just cute little creatures at first glance, the microscopic geckos and octopuses fabricated by 3D laser printing in the molecular engineering labs at Heidelberg University could open up new opportunities in fields such as microrobotics or biomedicine.
The printed microstructures are made from novel materials —known as smart polymers—whose size and mechanical properties can be tuned on demand and with high precision. These “life-like” 3D microstructures were developed in the framework of the “3D Matter Made to Order” (3DMM2O) Cluster of Excellence, a collaboration between Ruperto Carola and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
“Manufacturing programmable materials whose mechanical properties can be adapted on demand is highly desired for many applications,” states Junior Professor Dr. Eva Blasco, group leader at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials of Heidelberg University.
In the universal fight against cancer, metastasis is one of the most unpleasant factors that could make matters even worse; and there is still much to comprehend in the spread process. Cambridge scientists might have unveiled a breakthrough in understanding how metastasis works.
The research has been published in the journal Nature Genetics.
Chawalit Banpot/iStock.
A team of scientists at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and the University of Cambridge has discovered that blocking a particular protein’s activity kicked off metastasis in mice with cancer.
The researchers brilliantly demonstrated, for the very first time, how to chemically transform an abundant, plant-based starting material into EBC-46.
In what can be called a major scientific breakthrough, Stanford researchers have discovered a “rapid and sustainable” way to synthetically produce a promising cancer-fighting compound, designated EBC-46, right in the lab, according to a press release published by the institution.
This was “something many people had considered impossible,” as the compound’s only currently known source is a single plant species that grows solely in a small rainforest region of Northeastern Australia.
Building A Clinically Credible Platform For Longevity Medicine — Prof. Dr. Andrea Maier MD, PhD, National University of Singapore, Centre for Healthy Longevity.
Professor Dr. Andrea B. Maier, MD, Ph.D., is the Oon Chiew Seng Professor in Medicine, Healthy Ageing and Dementia Research, and Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Longevity, at the National University Of Singapore (https://discovery.nus.edu.sg/19564-andrea-britta-maier).
Professor Maier is also the President of the Australia and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research, as well as Founding President of the Healthy Longevity Medicine Society — https://hlms.co/.
A Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), Professor Maier graduated in Medicine (MD) 2003 from the University of Lübeck (Germany), was registered 2009 in The Netherlands as Specialist in Internal Medicine-Geriatrics and was appointed Full Professor of Gerontology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 2013 where she was the head of Geriatrics at the Vrije Universiteit Medical Center from 2012 to 2016.
A new study from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research shows how rises in core body temperature may trigger the inflammatory flares in people with a rare genetic autoinflammatory disease.
The recessive disorder, called mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD), is caused by mutations in the gene for mevalonate kinase, an essential enzyme present in all cells in the body. Lack of this enzyme leads to a build-up of abnormal proteins, which causes cells of the immune system to malfunction and trigger inflammation.
The condition usually appears in early childhood, and patients experience regular episodes of high fever and skin rashes, ulcers, swollen lymph nodes and abdominal pain. Very severe disease also causes neurological and developmental problems and can be fatal.
Oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone,” may help heal broken hearts — literally. In a new study of zebrafish and human cells, scientists found that the brain-made hormone may help heart tissue regenerate after injury and, in theory, could someday be used in the treatment of heart attacks, according to the researchers.
Because the new study was conducted in fish tanks and lab dishes, however, this theoretical treatment is still far from realization.
Scientists have discovered a fluorescent protein that flouts trade-off relationships.
Scientific research institute RIKEN produced bright and photostable green fluorescent protein from Japanese jellyfish. Published in Nature Biotechnology.
Proteins that emit green light when illuminated are effective instruments for capturing images of intricate cell architecture. Such fluorescent proteins can be attached to target structures of interest, which light up when exposed to blue light.
Kuroshio Biological Research Foundation.
Published in Nature Biotechnology on August 17, the results show that the protein maintaining its brightness even when irradiated by high light has significant implications for fluorescence imaging of biological material.
Amb. Brinker is a three-time Ambassador and New York Times best-selling author who is regarded as the leader of the global breast cancer movement. Her journey began with a promise to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything possible to end the shame, pain, fear, and hopelessness caused by this disease. In one generation, the organization that bears Susan’s name has changed the world.
In 2009, President Barack Obama honored Amb. Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for this work. The same year, she was named Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations’ World Health Organization, where she continued her mission to put cancer control at the top of the world health agenda.
In 2010, Amb. Brinker released her New York Times best-selling memoir “Promise Me — How a Sister’s Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer” (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307718123?ie=UTF8&tag=lif…07718123), an inspirational story of her transformation from bereaved sister to the undisputed leader of the ongoing international movement to end breast cancer.
From 2001–2003, Amb. Brinker served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary and served as U.S. Chief of Protocol from 2007–2009.
Amb. Brinker is also the host of a weekly show on Newsmax TV which features news makers, corporate leaders, and high-profile cultural thought leaders.
