https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Gladstone Institutes Think of the brain as if it were a house. Insulated from its environment, a house relies on complex networks—pipes, drains, and disposal systems—that interface with the outside world to keep the home functional on the inside. But when this infrastructure breaks down, trash accumulates and the resulting damage can be difficult to reverse. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-reveal-nearest-exit-routes.html Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:03 EDT news699264961 Years before he conducted the research that would earn him a Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, Shinya Yamanaka, MD, Ph.D., was a postdoctoral scientist at Gladstone Institutes, studying genes. There, he helped discover a gene (now called eIF4G2) that's essential for early embryonic development. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gene-intestinal-stem-cells-stable.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:25 EDT news696760802 Every cell in the human body squeezes over six feet of DNA into a minuscule speck invisible to the naked eye—like compressing a whole house into a single sugar cube. In order to fit in a cell and remain organized, DNA is carefully wrapped around spool-like protein clusters called nucleosomes. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-ai-discovery-reveals-dna-isnt.html Cell & Microbiology Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:00:22 EDT news696670382 The ability to precisely edit the genomes of bacteria has long been a goal of microbiologists. Such technology would enable scientists to make new inroads into studying disease, developing sustainable materials, and fighting drug-resistant infections. But for years, the most powerful tools for bacterial genome editing have only been available in Escherichia coli (E. coli), the most common laboratory bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-coli-technique-universal-toolkit-rewriting.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:30:03 EDT news696177722 The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is the cause of AIDS, is a master of deception, using just nine genes to hijack the complex cellular machinery of the human body. Yet, even after decades of research on how the virus replicates and persists, researchers still haven't solved the mystery of exactly which human genes influence HIV infection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-scientists-hiv-hijacks-human-cells.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:03 EDT news695901361 For the millions of people who carry the gene APOE4, the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, their brain activity may begin changing long before any memory problems appear. Now, researchers at Gladstone Institutes have uncovered a precise chain of molecular events behind those early changes and identified a potential way to reverse them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-alzheimer-gene-disrupts-brain-circuits.html Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:02 EDT news694424401 For millions of people living with HIV, a daily regimen of medications is a lifelong necessity. If they stop taking the drugs—commonly referred to as antiretroviral therapy—the virus usually rushes back within weeks. But not for everyone; scientists have been baffled by rare individuals who, after stopping the drug regimen, keep the virus under control for months or even years. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-people-naturally-hiv-therapy-leverage.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:40:01 EDT news693231181 For people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), life-saving antiretroviral therapy keeps their HIV-infected immune cells from making new copies of the virus, preventing illness and transmission. Historically, these infected cells have been known as the "latent" HIV reservoir—implying that the HIV within the infected cells is completely inactive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-hiv-seq-tool-reservoir-cells.html HIV & AIDS Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:00:01 EST news691776266 Scientists at Gladstone Institutes have flipped the traditional approach to finding potential treatments for deadly diseases. Instead of starting with a disease and hunting for a cure, they began with vitamins and systematically identified genetic diseases that could benefit from high-dose supplements. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-vitamin-b3-therapy-fatal-childhood.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:20:01 EST news691254122 Scientists have long known that people living at high altitudes, where oxygen levels are low, have lower rates of diabetes than people living closer to sea level. But the mechanism of this protection has remained a mystery. Now, researchers at Gladstone Institutes have explained the roots of the phenomenon, discovering that red blood cells act as glucose sponges in low-oxygen conditions like those found on the world's highest mountaintops. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-red-blood-cells-sugar-high.html Endocrinology & Metabolism Thu, 19 Feb 2026 11:00:09 EST news690642352 Today's biomedical researchers are relentlessly searching for genes that drive disease, with the goal of creating therapies that target those genes to restore health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-genomic-untangle-complex-roots-disease.html Genetics Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:05:24 EST news684601501 The gene editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 is changing what's possible for treating a wide range of diseases caused by genetic mutations. But so far, attempts to use the technology to address brain-based genetic disorders have proved challenging in the lab. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-genome-playbook-neurons-nondividing-cells.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:02:04 EST news682682521 For decades, scientists have known that mitochondria, which produce energy inside our cells, malfunction in Parkinson's disease. But a critical question remained: do the failing mitochondria cause Parkinson's, or do they become damaged when brain cells die during the course of disease? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-evidence-disrupted-mitochondria-parkinson.html Parkinson's & Movement disorders Mon, 17 Nov 2025 13:14:04 EST news682607641 The immune system faces a delicate balancing act: It must be aggressive enough to fight infections and cancer, yet restrained enough to avoid attacking the body's own tissues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-reveal-intricate-key-immune-gene.html Genetics Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:41:05 EST news682274461 Certain brain cells are responsible for coordinating smooth, controlled movements of the body. But when those cells are constantly overactivated for weeks on end, they degenerate and ultimately die. This new observation made by scientists at Gladstone Institutes may help explain what goes awry in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-overworked-brain-cells-parkinson-disease.html Neuroscience Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:12:04 EDT news675519121 The brain's health depends on more than just its neurons. A complex network of blood vessels and immune cells acts as the brain's dedicated guardians—controlling what enters, cleaning up waste, and protecting it from threats by forming the blood-brain barrier. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-blood-vessels-immune-cells-brain.html Neuroscience Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:00:05 EDT news672937199 Imagine looking at thousands of scattered puzzle pieces and trying to guess what picture they create. Without any reference point, it's nearly impossible. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-chaos-clarity-tool-complex-cell.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 22 May 2025 15:27:18 EDT news667146431 For billions of years, viruses and bacteria have been embroiled in an arms race. In response to constant attacks by viruses known as bacteriophages—more commonly called "phages"—bacteria evolve new ways to defend themselves. And, in turn, phages evolve new strategies to overcome those defenses. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-ultimate-sacrifice-bacteria-unusual-defense.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 01 May 2025 15:34:04 EDT news665332441 Cells throughout the body work together like singers in a choir to keep us healthy, as long as they work in perfect harmony. If any cells are off key, that harmony can be disrupted, with far-reaching effects across the body. By pinpointing the discordant cells, scientists may be able to learn how to get them back in tune and restore health. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-tool-choir-key-cells-disease.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:21:04 EDT news663250861 For the average person, living at high altitude—where oxygen is sparser than at sea level—can have health benefits ranging from lower rates of heart disease to increased endurance. But for those born with inherited mitochondrial diseases, who rarely survive past childhood, low-oxygen air like that found at mountain peaks could be life-saving, potentially extending their lifespan and eliminating their symptoms. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-02-daily-drug-mimic-health-benefits.html Medications Wed, 19 Feb 2025 06:35:05 EST news659169302 DNA replication is happening continuously throughout the body, as many as trillions of times per day. Whenever a cell divides—whether to repair damaged tissue, replace old cells, or simply to help the body grow—DNA is copied to ensure the new cells carry the same genetic instructions. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-unseen-method-reveals-hyperaccessible-window.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:44:05 EST news656700242 Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. For survivors of the most common type of stroke, called an ischemic stroke, only about 5 percent fully recover. Most others suffer from long-term problems, including weakness, chronic pain, or epilepsy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-stem-cell-therapy-brain.html Neuroscience Sat, 18 Jan 2025 03:37:10 EST news656393822 Cells in the immune system don't always fight; they often rest and wait for threats, like viruses or bacteria. When such threats emerge, the cells activate to defend the body. This delicate balance between rest and activation is crucial to our health—immune cells must be poised for activation to protect against threats, but if they're overly active, autoimmune diseases can result. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-protein-discovery-illuminates-immune-rest.html Genetics Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:27:28 EST news653149638 Subtle signs of Alzheimer's disease can emerge decades before a diagnosis—often in the form of irregular behaviors that reflect very early stages of brain dysfunction. But until now, identifying and measuring these slight behavioral changes in a scientific way hasn't been feasible, not even when studying Alzheimer's in mice. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-machine-reveals-behaviors-linked-early.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:47:03 EST news651847621 In healthy brains, immune cells called microglia patrol for damage, clearing away debris and harmful proteins. But in the presence of the APOE4 protein—the most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease—the same cells cause harmful inflammation and clumps of misfolded proteins, according to a new study by scientists at Gladstone Institutes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-11-brain-immune-cells-amplify-alzheimer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Mon, 04 Nov 2024 15:50:58 EST news649957852 If you cut your arm or undergo surgery, scarring can be a good thing; the scar tissue produced by cells called fibroblasts helps you heal. In most organs of the body, however, the accumulation of scarring (called fibrosis) is a sign of chronic disease and aging. Slowing or stopping fibrosis can help treat heart, liver, kidney, and lung diseases. Yet fibrosis of these organs remains a deadly disease with limited treatments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-chronic-inflammation-worsens-heart-failure.html Cardiology Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:24:04 EDT news648923042 The question of what causes complex neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's or multiple sclerosis continues to confound scientists and doctors, with the unknowns standing in the way of early diagnoses and effective treatments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-era-neurological-diseases-blood-brain.html Neuroscience Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:48:52 EDT news648395323 Within bacterial cells, specialized immune systems known as retrons fend off viral attacks. But that's not all they can do. Scientists, including Seth Shipman, Ph.D., at Gladstone Institutes, have shown that retrons also serve an important purpose in the lab: precise DNA editing. In fact, retrons can be combined with CRISPR—the far more famous bacterial-defense-system-turned-gene-editor—to better edit human cells. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-dna-editors-retrons-bar-gene.html Biotechnology Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:44:12 EDT news645878646 There's no question we've reached a turning point for Alzheimer's disease treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-alzheimer-qa-neurological-disease-expert.html Neuroscience Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:50:01 EDT news645191305 As antibiotic resistance becomes an increasingly serious threat to our health, the scientific and medical communities are searching for new medicines to fight infections. Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have just moved closer to that goal with a novel technique for harnessing the power of bacteriophages. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-phage-technology-alternative-treatments-antibiotic.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 05 Sep 2024 16:20:04 EDT news644772001