Study reveals how estrogen exerts its anti-diabetic effects

The quintessential female sex hormone estrogen stimulates cells that line blood vessels to deliver insulin to muscles, lowering blood sugar and protecting against Type 2 diabetes, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report. The findings, published in Nature Communications, could eventually lead to new therapies for Type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people around the globe and continues to grow more prevalent.

“Dust Mites Repellent Herbal Spray” and “Pet Fragrance Spray from Mangosteen Peel Extract” – Two Nano Innovations from CUVET

Researchers of the Biochemistry Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University (CUVET) have developed “Dust Mites Repellent Herbal Spray” and “Pet Fragrance Spray from Mangosteen Peel Extract” by applying nanotechnology to pet products to enhance their potency. Certifiably safe, both products are now available through a CUVET startup company.

Structure of ‘Oil-Eating’ Enzyme Opens Door to Bioengineered Catalysts

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have produced the first atomic-level structure of an enzyme that selectively cuts carbon-hydrogen bonds—the first and most challenging step in turning simple hydrocarbons into more useful chemicals. The detailed atomic level “blueprint” suggests ways to engineer the enzyme to produce desired products.

Simmons Cancer Center investigators receive nearly $15 million in CPRIT funding

Ten scientists in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center have been awarded nearly $15 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to advance research on a wide range of cancer issues.

UT Southwestern scientists discover agent that reverses effects of intoxication

A shot of a liver-produced hormone called FGF21 sobered up mice that had passed out from alcohol, allowing them to regain consciousness and coordination much faster than those that didn’t receive this treatment, UT Southwestern researchers report in a new study. The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, could lead to effective treatments for acute alcohol intoxication, which is responsible for about 1 million emergency room visits in the U.S. each year.

Hijacking our cells’ enzymes to eliminate disease-causing proteins

The researchers looked at a ubiquitin ligase enzyme named FBXL2, known to degrade proteins at various cellular membrane compartments. They found that by attaching or detaching a fat molecule or lipid to FBXL2 — a process called palmitoylation and de-palmitoylation — they could direct where the FBXL2 went. They also discovered that in order to travel in the aqueous cellular environment for the delivery of lipid-modified FBXL2 to membrane compartments, it used a trafficking protein called PDE6D, which is known to shield the lipid modifications.

UT Southwestern biochemist, molecular biologist to receive HHMI Emerging Pathogens awards

Two of UT Southwestern’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers in biochemistry and molecular biology will lead separate teams as part of HHMI’s Emerging Pathogens Initiative (EPI) targeting infectious diseases that pose a threat to human health.

Chula Medicine Determines “Cytokines” as Indicator of “Degenerative Joints” Giving Hopes for Better Disease Mitigation

Chula Medicine announced the discovery of “cytokines” in the body’s immune system that can determine the severity of osteoarthritis in elderly adults, hoping to facilitate the planning of follow-up and treatment of the disease, and reduction of its severity, while also recommending vitamin D and vitamin E supplements, body weight control, and proper exercise.

Microbial miners could help humans colonize the moon and Mars

The biochemical process by which cyanobacteria acquire nutrients from rocks in Chile’s Atacama Desert has inspired engineers at the University of California, Irvine to think of new ways microbes might help humans build colonies on the moon and Mars.

UT Southwestern scientists among top 1% of highly cited researchers across the globe

More than 20 UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists are among the 2022 Highly Cited Researchers listed in the top 1% of researchers from across the globe

UT Southwestern ranked top health care institution globally for published research by Nature Index

For the third year in a row, UT Southwestern is ranked as the top health care institution globally by Nature Index for publishing high-quality research in all subjects and in the life sciences.

Lab experiments support COVID-19 bradykinin storm theory

A new paper published in Nature Communications adds further evidence to the bradykinin storm theory of COVID-19’s viral pathogenesis — a theory that was posited two years ago by a team of researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Biochemistry: Peptide “Fingerprint” Enables Earlier Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease are caused by folding errors (misfolding) in proteins or peptides, i.e. by changes in their spatial structure. This is the result of minute deviations in the chemical composition of the biomolecules. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a simple and effective method for detecting such misfolding at an early stage of the disease. Misfolding is revealed by the structure of dried residue from protein and peptide solutions.

Press registration opens for the hybrid ACS Fall 2022 meeting

The American Chemical Society’s ACS Fall 2022 will be held virtually and in Chicago Aug. 21–25 with the theme “Sustainability in a Changing World.” ACS considers requests for press credentials and complimentary meeting registration from reporters and public information officers at selected institutions.

Chula Researchers Find Extensive amounts of THC in Cannabis-Flavored Drinks The Public Is Cautioned and the Government Urged to Impose Stricter Control

Research work of a biochemistry expert at Chulalongkorn University finds that over 30% of cannabis-flavored drinks randomly tested contain higher THC levels than what is permitted. The public is warned to keep their consumption to moderate levels and that children should refrain from drinking this beverage. The government should control its consumption and warn the people of the benefit and harm of cannabis.

DeepMind and EMBL release the most complete database of predicted 3D structures of human proteins

Partners use AlphaFold, the AI system recognised last year as a solution to the protein structure prediction problem, to release more than 350,000 protein structure predictions including the entire human proteome to the scientific community