Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology

Two years back, the Ebola virus had affected large populations in West Africa. It is known that the Ebola virus tends to stay alive in some parts of the body such as the eyes, brain, and spinal cord, a phenomenon that is known as “immune privilege.” To determine whether the virus continues to live in the survivors’ eyes and what effect it has, a clinical research team from the University of Liverpool 's Institute of Translational Medicine conducted a study. Read more about their research here.

Researchers detect melanoma or skin cancer by selecting homogenous cells that are of uniform size and shape as these are easier to detect any irregularities. However, there is a risk of misdiagnosis when it comes to detecting cells that are irregular. To overcome this, researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a new tool that detects and analyzes single melanoma cells. Read more about their research here.

How did the building blocks of life find their way to Earth? According to a theory, amino acids were present in the space and were brought to Earth due to the impact of comets. Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) attempted to verify this theory by studying the chemical processes that underlie the creation of these amino acids. They studied how the molecule hydroxylamine (NH2-OH), a precursor to amino acids, would form in space. Read more about their research here.

The effect of exposure to deep space radiance on astronauts’ health is one of the major concerns of planning a mission to Mars. Therefore, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) funded a study to assess the exact impact of cosmic radiation. The study was conducted by researchers at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine who transplanted human stem cells in mice to demonstrate the potential effects of the conditions in deep space on humans. Read more about their research here.

In a long-term experiment lasting two years, two varieties of algae survived in the space without any lasting adverse effects. Dr. Thomas Leya at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI in Potsdam, who headed a team of researchers for the project, knew from her experience of studying cryophilic algae, cyanobacteria, mosses, fungi, and bacteria found in Polar Regions that certain varieties of algae are not susceptible to extreme temperature fluctuations and radiation. However, with the intention of studying the effect of cosmic atmosphere on these algae, she undertook a project wherein two algae varieties were transported into space for a period of two years. Read more about her research here.

Biologists at University of California, San Diego, have discovered that bacteria living in biofilm communities interact with each other using “ion channels,” which is an electrical signaling method that is similar to the communication signals used by neurons in human brain. Read more about their research here.

Ryan Petrie, PhD, an assistant professor in Drexel's College of Arts and Sciences, has led a study related to the spread of cancer. According to him, cancer is fatal because of the ability of cancer cells to move to unaffected organs. Therefore, prevention of their movement along with other therapies would help the patient survive the disease. Read more about his research here.

Multiresistant bacteria render treatments ineffective and scientists worldwide are trying to tackle this issue. Often even sensitive bacteria display resistance to drugs and are therefore called “persister cells.” Researchers at the BASP Centre, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen discovered how these bacteria survive antibiotic treatments and cause infections. Read more about their research here.

Immune cells protect the body from any infection and foreign invasions. However, it has been observed that in several types of tumor, immune system cells called macrophages help tumors grow. The researchers at The Scripps Research Institute found that in cancer, macrophages sometimes get reprogrammed to behave like cancer stem cells. Read more about their research here.

Our body is incapable of repairing injured or dead heart cells. When a person gets a heart attack, the connective tissue forms a scar tissue at the site of the injury, which ultimately leads to heart failure. To explore cellular reprogramming of heart, researchers at the Gladstone Institutes conducted a new study using a mouse model. Read more about their research here.