NIGMS
Microvilli in motion
Sep. 19, 2019—Live cell imaging studies have revealed that microvilli — finger-like protrusions on the surface of epithelial cells — move and collide as they form the brush border.
The plus and minus of microtubules
Sep. 5, 2019—Understanding the dynamic regulation of cytoskeletal microtubules may suggest new ways to treat disorders ranging from Alzheimer's disease to cancer.
A “rheostat” for cancer signals
Aug. 27, 2019—Jason MacGurn and colleagues have characterized a “rheostat” that sets WNT pathway signaling in breast cancer cells.
New prostate cancer treatment concept
Aug. 22, 2019—Combining immunotherapy and radiation therapy may be a powerful treatment approach for castration-resistant prostate cancer.
New role for microtubules in diabetes
Jul. 29, 2019—Microtubules, part of the cell's cytoskeleton, regulate the secretion of insulin, suggesting that they may be a new target for treating diabetes.
Defective transporter linked to autism
Jul. 24, 2019—A first-of-its-kind mouse model may help reveal mechanistic underpinnings for the altered behaviors of autism spectrum disorder.
A critical factor for wound healing
Jul. 16, 2019—Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center scientists have discovered a role for a tumor suppressor protein in skin wound healing.
Steroid binding to metabolic enzyme
Jun. 12, 2019—Understanding how a steroid-metabolizing enzyme binds to its substrates may aid in designing drugs to treat sexual dysfunction as well as prostate cancer.
Cell-cell signals in developing heart
Jun. 10, 2019—Scott Baldwin and colleagues have discovered early signaling events during heart development, findings that could guide cell replacement therapies for heart disease.
Study details regulation of a multi-drug transporter
May. 30, 2019—Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered how a protein pump distinguishes between chemicals that it will expel from a cell and inhibitors that block its action. The new findings could guide the development of more efficient inhibitors to prevent cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy.
How bugs overcome host defenses
Apr. 12, 2019—Eric Skaar and colleagues have figured out how a common bug responsible for ventilator-associated pneumonia responds when starved of zinc, a metal it needs to survive, which may lead to new therapeutic targets for the dangerous infection.
Novel DNA repair mechanism preserves genome integrity: study
Feb. 28, 2019—David Cortez and colleagues have discovered a new DNA repair mechanism.