New medical, research tool possible by probing cell mechanics

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers are making progress in developing a system that measures the mechanical properties of living cells, a technology that could be used to diagnose human disease and better understand biological processes.

Fruit fly intestine may hold secret to the fountain of youth

One of the few reliable ways to extend an organism's lifespan, be it a fruit fly or a mouse, is to restrict calorie intake. Now, a new study in fruit flies is helping to explain why such minimal diets are linked to longevity ...

How Wolbachia bacteria controls vectors of deadly diseases

Researchers at Boston University have made discoveries that provide the foundation towards novel approaches to control insects that transmit deadly diseases such as dengue fever and malaria through their study of the Wolbachia ...

Biochemists identify how tissue cells detect and perfect

Scientists have discovered how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties accordingly. The findings, published today [6 October] in the journal Developmental Cell, could open up new opportunities for improving ...

Bionic bacteria may help fight disease and global warming

A strain of genetically enhanced bacteria developed by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may pave the way for new synthetic drugs and new ways of manufacturing medicines and biofuels, according to a ...

Oocytes: Going with the flow

Most cells rely on structural tethers to position chromosomes in preparation for cell division. Not so oocytes. Instead, a powerful intracellular stream pushes chromosomes far-off the center in preparation for the highly ...

Researchers design a better way to discover drug candidates

(PhysOrg.com) -- Yale researchers have devised a novel way to trick cells into getting rid of problematic proteins, a method that could help pharmaceutical companies quickly identify promising targets for new drugs.

New insights into DNA under the influence of strong forces

(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers in biophysics, including members from the Niels Bohr Institute, have discovered new properties of DNA and observed a number of phenomena of great importance for cellular mechanisms. By studying ...

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