Author: Leigh MacMillan
Probing innate immunity
May. 19, 2020—Manuel Ascano team validates an inhibitor of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, which is important for cellular innate immunity against bacteria, viruses, and our own damaged DNA.
The adaptable anthrax bacterium
May. 14, 2020—Vanderbilt researchers discover how anthrax bacterium defends itself against structural damage and resists the toxicity of the antimicrobial drug targocil.
A dual-purpose metabolic switch
May. 5, 2020—John York and colleagues have demonstrated that the protein Vip1 is a rare type of bifunctional enzyme: it can both synthesize and destroy key cellular signaling molecules.
EHRs, biobanks and Mendelian diseases
Apr. 30, 2020—Electronic health records and biobanks can be effectively combined to detect and study Mendelian diseases such as cystic fibrosis.
Transporter’s role in gut barrier
Apr. 21, 2020—A disease-associated mutation in a transporter protein impairs gut barrier function, leading to gastrointestinal disease and chronic infections.
Reducing stress in parents of children with autism
Apr. 21, 2020—Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders benefited from the addition of mindfulness-based stress reduction to parent-implemented behavioral interventions.
‘Tuning’ cell shape for division
Apr. 20, 2020—Dylan Burnette and colleagues have discovered that two forms of the molecular motor protein myosin have distinct roles in regulating cell shape during cell division.
Cellular factor helps package flu genome
Apr. 8, 2020—New insights on influenza genome packaging could guide strategies for interfering with the virus's life cycle and ability to cause infection.
Loss of ‘Jedi’ alters neuron activity
Mar. 10, 2020—This is not the Jedi you're thinking of. This Jedi is a receptor that helps clear away dead neurons during development, and its loss changes the activity of dorsal root ganglia neurons, which could have implications for treating chronic pain.
Meat intake and colorectal polyps
Mar. 9, 2020—Red and processed meat intakes are strongly associated with increased risk of sessile serrated polyps, which are not as well studied as conventional adenomas.
Clues to lung injury in preterm babies
Mar. 5, 2020—Jennifer Sucre and colleagues have discovered a factor that contributes to the pathological changes of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the most common complication of preterm birth.
Reducing postoperative opioids
Feb. 24, 2020—An opioid-restrictive prescribing protocol reduced the number of postoperative opioid prescriptions and the oral morphine equivalent per prescription.