23 hours ago May. 3, 2014 - 8:00 AM PDT

Look inside nearly any medicine cabinet in the U.S. and there will be a few bottles of prescription pills. They might be blue, white, round or square, but their development has followed the same pattern for decades: One of the few gigantic pharmaceutical companies that have come to dominate the industry pours millions, or even billions, of dollars into designing and getting a drug approved. Then the same pill is prescribed to every single person.

Molecular biologist and futurist Andrew Hessel doesnt see that model lasting for much longer. He envisions a world in which every individual receives pharmaceutical drugs perfectly formulated to their genetic and medical needs for a fraction of what treatment would currently cost.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Hessel.

That future is on its way. Companies like Cambrian Genomics are making it possible for anyone to print strands of DNA. Autodesks bio/nano/programmable matter group, where Hessel is a distinguished researcher, is building design software known as Project Cyborg that will allow individuals to make 3D models of living matter.With the price of genetic sequencing dropping every year, he believes it wont be long before anyone who wants to will be able to create with the building blocks that make up life itself. The future of healthbelongs to any startup that wants in on it, instead of just the Genentechs of the world.

By learning to read and better understand the molecular world and self-assembling world, we have the opportunity to create really novel things using the same machinery that creates a plant or a cat, which is kind of fun, Hessel said. The genetic language is like the internet protocol: open, and so its a really fascinating language to learn. You learn one language and you can basically speak all of life, which is really cool. Its my favorite programming language.

What follows is an edited transcription of our conversation.

Signe Brewster:Why do you think individuals should have that kind of power?

Andrew Hessel: Every time I hear of a big challenge for the world, whether its, oh, how do you cure cancer or reduce our dependence on fossil fuels or clean up water or create anything sustainable, for me, its these technologies that are going to apply. If we can democratize their use and keep them open and transparent and make better tools for people to do the work, then were going to change the world in ways that are positive.

What would the pharmaceuticalindustry look like if the big companies were not in charge?

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The Gigaom interview: Why synthetic biology and the Netflix model are the future of medicine

Pronounce Medical Words Molecular Medicine
This video shows you how to say Molecular Medicine. How would you pronounce Molecular Medicine?

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30.04.2014 - (idw) Max-Delbrck-Centrum fr Molekulare Medizin (MDC) Berlin-Buch

Four researchers from the U.S., Italy and Germany, among them Professor Nikolaus Rajewsky from the Max Delbrck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, have been awarded a grant of more than 1.2 million dollars from the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (HFSPO), Strasbourg, France, for a project in cancer research.* In collaboration with Professor Brian Brown from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA, the researchers aim to decipher non-coding RNA regulatory networks and their role in the onset of cancer. In 2014, HFSPO is awarding about 35 million dollars to the 34 winning teams that have been selected in a rigorous selection procedure out of 844 proposals. A non-coding RNA (nc-RNA) is an RNA molecule which is not translated into protein. The geneticist Professor Brown and systems biologist Professor Rajewsky, together with their collaboration partners in Rome and Boston, aim to shed light on the complex interactions and possible competition situations of non-coding RNAs. These provide fundamental insights into the function of gene-regulatory networks and their role in the pathogenesis of cancer and other diseases. To achieve this, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary for which the team combines complementary expertise and applies molecular biological, genetic and biochemical methods along with computer-based methods.

*Deciphering non-coding RNA regulatory networks and their role in cancer cell biology

Contact: Barbara Bachtler Press Department Max Delbrck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch in the Helmholtz Association Robert-Rssle-Strae 10 13125 Berlin Germany Phone: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 96 Fax: +49 (0) 30 94 06 - 38 33 e-mail: presse@mdc-berlin.de http://www.mdc-berlin.de/ Weitere Informationen:http://www.hfsp.org/about-us/press-and-media-centre/news-items/hfsp-2014-awards-...

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HFSP Grant for International Research Team MDC Participates

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-Apr-2014

Contact: Catherine Davidge cdavidge@amp.org 301-634-7400 Association for Molecular Pathology

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) announced today that Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will give a special address at the AMP 2014 Annual Meeting and 20th Anniversary Celebration. The meeting will be held November 12-15, 2014 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD (just outside of Washington, DC). The theme of the event is "Realizing the Dream of Precision Medicine." Dr. Collins will address the 2,000+ molecular diagnostic professionals in attendance on the evening of November 12. "We are incredibly honored to have Dr. Collins with us," said Elaine Lyon, MD, PhD, AMP President, "he pioneered the field of genomics and continues to help create the landscape for precision medicine and the work of AMP members."

AMP will be celebrating the progress made in genomic medicine over the past two decades with the keen insight of one of the luminaries in the field. "Dr. Collins was the first recipient of the AMP Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics. It's fitting that Dr. Collins joins AMP for its 20th Anniversary Celebration to commemorate this milestone," said Charles E. Hill, MD, PhD, Chair, Program Committee. "We look forward to hearing his address and to having him with us as we celebrate 20 years of AMP."

Registration for the AMP 2014 Annual Meeting and 20th Anniversary Celebration opens in mid-May. The preliminary program is available online now at: http://www.amp.org/meetings/2014/preliminary_program.cfm.

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ABOUT AMP:

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) was founded in 1994 to provide structure and leadership to what was, at the time, the newly-emerging field of molecular diagnostics. Through the efforts of its Board of Directors, Committees, Working Groups, and members, AMP has established itself as the primary resource for expertise, education, and collaboration on what is now one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare. AMP members influence policy and regulation on the national and international levels; ultimately serving to advance innovation in the field and protect patient access to high quality, appropriate testing.

AMP's 2,300+ members include individuals from academic and community medical centers, government, and industry; including, basic and translational scientists, pathologist and doctoral scientist laboratory directors, medical technologists, and trainees. AMP members span the globe with members in more than 45 countries and a growing number of AMP International Affiliate Organizations. The number of AMP members is growing rapidly; they are united by the goal of advancing the science and implementation of molecular and genomic laboratory medicine. For more information, please visit http://www.amp.org.

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Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., to speak at AMP 2014 Annual Meeting

Alexandra Wyman/Invision/AP

Cassandra and Brad Grey

Tech mogul and philanthropistLarry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, has been named the honoree of the 2nd annual Rebels With a Cause gala, which will take place later this month. The event will benefit the cancer research efforts of David B. Agus, M.D., director of the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine and the USC Westside Cancer Center.

"Larry has been a champion of our center's work from day one when his Ellison Medical Foundation announced funding for the initiation of our cancer research at the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine,"Agus said in a statement. "His generous support through the years is allowing us to explore unique approaches to medical oncology that will help us better control a disease which impacts millions worldwide."

Music veteran Barry Manilow and Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams are set to showcase special guest performances at the gala, where David Foster, 16-time Grammy Award winner, will serve as the night's musical director. Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the event as the master of ceremonies. STORY: Paramount Pictures' Brad Grey JoinsLACMAas Trustee (Exclusive)

Director and producer Don Mischer will lead the live event, with Cassandra and Brad Grey, CEO of Paramount Pictures, and Carmen A. Puliafito, M.D., dean of the USC Keck School of Medicine serving as honorary co-chairs.

"Cassandra and I are honored to be co-hosting this event. Dr. Agus and his team's tireless and most innovative efforts towards fighting cancer is what propelled us to support this incredibly worthy cause," Grey said in a statement. "Like Dr. Agus and Larry Ellison, the night's distinguished honoree, we are committed to the profound advancements taking place in the fields of genomics, proteomics and gene sequencing. For all those who are afflicted with these life-altering diseases, we collectively look forward to the great lifesaving innovations that Dr. Agus and his team have on the horizon tomorrow and for years to come."

The Rebels With a Cause gala will be held at the Paramount Pictures Studio on March 20.

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Larry Ellison to Be Honored at Rebels With a Cause Gala

Understanding muscle loss
Molecular medicine scientist Nathaniel J. Szewczyk talks about research with worms on the International Space Station. Scientists are trying to find out which cellular signals are sensitive...

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Understanding muscle loss - Video

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

23-Apr-2014

Contact: Trish Reynolds reynoldsp2@mail.nih.gov NIH/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

John J. O'Shea, M.D., scientific director at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), has been named the 2014 recipient of the Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, conferred by the Feinstein Institute's peer-reviewed, open-access journal Molecular Medicine. The award will be given on June 9 at the New York Academy of Sciences in Manhattan, followed by scientific presentations by Dr. O'Shea and other prominent researchers. NIAMS is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The award, which includes a $50,000 prize from Feinstein Institute board members Robin and Jack Ross, is bestowed upon an active investigator who has produced innovative, paradigm-shifting research that is worthy of significant and broad attention in the field of molecular medicine.

"John's scientific achievements in molecular immunology have been transformative. His work exemplifies the bridge between basic research and clinical practice. We are very proud of John and congratulate him on this honor," said NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. O'Shea has been a physician and immunologist at NIH for 33 years. He has made fundamental discoveries related to the signaling of cytokines, molecules that are critical for the development and functioning of the immune system. His research also has focused on the molecular cause of primary immunodeficiencies, inherited conditions in which immune function is impaired, and the genetic basis of autoinflammatory disorders, conditions in which the body attacks its own tissues. He was awarded a U.S. patent for his work on Janus family kinase inhibitors as a new class of immunosuppressive drugs. Dr. O'Shea developed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which generated one such compound that is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. O'Shea graduated Phi Beta Kappa from St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y., and he received an M.D. from the University of Cincinnati. After completing his residency in internal medicine at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, he received subspecialty training in allergy and immunology at NIH. He was appointed chief of the NIAMS Molecular Immunology and Inflammation Branch in 2002, and became scientific director of the NIAMS Intramural Research Program in 2005. Dr. O'Shea has been the recipient of numerous awards and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

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The mission of the NIAMS, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health, is to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. For more information about the NIAMS, call the information clearinghouse at (301) 495-4484 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free call) or visit the NIAMS website at http://www.niams.nih.gov.

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NIH scientist to receive Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Apr-2014

Contact: Denis Kainov denis.kainov@fimm.fi 358-504-152-35460 University of Helsinki

In 2009 the influenza pH1N1 virus caused the first flu pandemic in the 21st century. The virus reached Finland in May 2009 and killed more than 50 people in the country. Since 2011 the pH1N1 virus infects Finns mainly during flu epidemics (winter/spring seasons).

Infections with influenza pH1N1 virus vary from asymptomatic to serious complicated illnesses. World Health Organization has recommended Tamiflu for treatment of patients with severe or progressive illness. The disadvantage of this drug is that it targets viral proteins which mutate quickly and the virus develops resistance to it.

The Medical Systems Virology group at FIMM, together with collaborators has recently sequenced genomes of 135 pH1N1 influenza strains isolated from Finnish patients in 2009-2013 and found one Tamiflu-resistant strain from the 2012-2013 epidemic season. The study was published in the Genome Announcements journal and is now available online.

This finding suggests that there could be more resistant strains in upcoming seasons. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new antiviral agents against pH1N1, says Dr. Triin Lakspere.

In another study published this week the group investigated influenza pH1N1 virus-host cell interaction in detail and found that certain host function could be temporally inhibited with small molecule MK2206 to block influenza infection in cell culture.

Importantly, the virus was unable to acquire resistance to host-directed MK2206 in contrast to virus-directed Tamiflu. This small molecule is in clinical trials against cancer and has high specificity and good pharmacological properties, which could warrant its further development as antiviral drug for treatment of pH1N1 virus infection, Dr. Oxana Denisova says.

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Novel therapeutic agent for Tamiflu-resistant pH1N1 influenza virus discovered

John J. OShea, M.D., scientific director at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), has been named the 2014 recipient of the Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, conferred by the Feinstein Institutes peer-reviewed, open-access journal Molecular Medicine. The award will be given on June 9 at the New York Academy of Sciences in Manhattan, followed by scientific presentations by Dr. OShea and other prominent researchers. NIAMS is part of the National Institutes of Health.

NIAMS Scientific Director John J. OShea, M.D.

The award, which includes a $50,000 prize from Feinstein Institute board members Robin and Jack Ross, is bestowed upon an active investigator who has produced innovative, paradigm-shifting research that is worthy of significant and broad attention in the field of molecular medicine.

Johns scientific achievements in molecular immunology have been transformative. His work exemplifies the bridge between basic research and clinical practice. We are very proud of John and congratulate him on this honor, said NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. OShea has been a physician and immunologist at NIH for 33 years. He has made fundamental discoveries related to the signaling of cytokines, molecules that are critical for the development and functioning of the immune system. His research also has focused on the molecular cause of primary immunodeficiencies, inherited conditions in which immune function is impaired, and the genetic basis of autoinflammatory disorders, conditions in which the body attacks its own tissues. He was awarded a U.S. patent for his work on Janus family kinase inhibitors as a new class of immunosuppressive drugs. Dr. OShea developed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which generated one such compound that is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. OShea graduated Phi Beta Kappa from St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y., and he received an M.D. from the University of Cincinnati. After completing his residency in internal medicine at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, he received subspecialty training in allergy and immunology at NIH. He was appointed chief of the NIAMS Molecular Immunology and Inflammation Branch in 2002, and became scientific director of the NIAMS Intramural Research Program in 2005. Dr. OShea has been the recipient of numerous awards and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The mission of the NIAMS, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health, is to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases; the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research; and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. For more information about the NIAMS, call the information clearinghouse at (301) 495-4484 or (877) 22-NIAMS (free call) or visit the NIAMS website at http://www.niams.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health

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Newswise ATLANTA--Ginseng can help treat and prevent influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages, according to research findings by a scientist in Georgia State Universitys new Institute for Biomedical Sciences.

In a recent issue of Nutrients and an upcoming publication of the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, Sang-Moo Kang reports the beneficial effects of ginseng, a well-known herbal medicine, on human health.

Kangs primary research focuses on designing and developing effective vaccines against viral diseases such as influenza virus and RSV, but he partnered with a university and research institutes in South Korea that wanted international collaborative projects to study if ginseng can be used to improve health and protect against disease because of the potential benefit in fighting these viruses. Ginseng has been reported to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory and immune modifying abilities.

Seasonal influenza is a serious respiratory disease that causes annual epidemics in humans worldwide, resulting in about three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Influenza can spread quickly, and new, unexpected pandemic influenza viruses may emerge at any time and cross over to different species. The H1N1 influenza virus, a new strain known as swine flu that emerged in 2009, spread rapidly to more than 74 countries. There are also challenges with existing influenza vaccines, such as required annual updates and no protection against pandemic strains and bird flu.

In addition, there are no vaccines available for RSV, which affects millions and is the leading cause of inflammatory bronchiolitis pneumonia and viral death in infants and in some elderly adults.

In his study published in Nutrients, Kang investigated whether red ginseng extract has preventive effects on influenza A virus infection. He found that red ginseng extract improves the survival of human lung epithelial cells infected with influenza virus. Also, treatment with red ginseng extract reduced the expression of genes that cause inflammation.

After infection with influenza A virus, mice that were orally administered ginseng over a long time showed multiple immune modifying effects, such as stimulated antiviral production of proteins important in immune response and fewer inflammatory cells in their bronchial walls. The study indicates the beneficial effects of red ginseng extract on preventing influenza A virus infections could result from immune modifying capabilities of ginseng.

In his upcoming publication in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, Kang investigated whether Korean red ginseng extract has antiviral effects, or the ability to treat RSV infection. Kang found Korean red ginseng extract improved the survival of human lung epithelial cells against RSV infection and inhibited the virus from replicating, or multiplying, in the body. In addition, treatment with Korean red ginseng extract suppressed the expression of RSV-induced inflammatory genes and the formation of chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, which play a role in virus-induced epithelial damage in RSV.

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Ginseng Can Treat and Prevent Influenza and RSV

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

21-Apr-2014

Contact: Anita Srikameswaran srikamav@upmc.edu 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

PITTSBURGH, April 21, 2014 Malfunctions in the molecular "proofreading" machinery, which repairs structural errors in DNA caused by ultraviolet (UV) light damage, help explain why people who have the disease xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) are at an extremely high risk for developing skin cancer, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). Their findings will be published this week in the early online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Previous research has shown that a DNA-repair protein called human UV-damaged DNA-binding protein, or UV-DDB, signals for a repair when two UV-DDB molecules bind to the site of the problem, said senior investigator Bennett Van Houten, Ph.D., the Richard M. Cyert Professor of Molecular Oncology, Pitt School of Medicine, and co-leader of UPCI's Molecular and Cell Biology Program.

"Our new study shows UV-DDB makes stops along the DNA strand and transiently attaches to it, causing a proofreading change in the protein's conformation, or shape. If the DNA is damaged the protein stays, if the DNA is not damaged the protein leaves," Dr. Van Houten said. "When it comes to a spot that has been damaged by UV radiation, two molecules of UV-DDB converge and stay tightly bound to the site, essentially flagging it for the attention of repair machinery."

The researchers followed the trail of single molecules of UV-DDB by tagging them with light-emitting quantum dots, enabling them to watch the molecules jump from place to place in real time on both normal and UV-exposed DNA strands.

They also tracked a mutant UV-DDB protein associated with XP, an inherited, incurable disease of light sensitivity that affects about 1 in 250,000 people. They found that the mutant UV-DDB molecules are still capable of binding to DNA, but continued to slide along the DNA rather than staying put to signal where the fix was needed.

"Without this important damage control, UV-induced errors could accumulate to cause cell alterations that foster cancer development," Dr. Van Houten said. "Like a bus with no brakes, the XP-associated UV-DDB complex stays on the road and sees possible passengers, but keeps going past the stop."

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Malfunction in molecular 'proofreader' prevents repair of UV-induced DNA damage

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

21-Apr-2014

Contact: LaTina Emerson lemerson1@gsu.edu 404-413-1353 Georgia State University

ATLANTA--Ginseng can help treat and prevent influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages, according to research findings by a scientist in Georgia State University's new Institute for Biomedical Sciences.

In a recent issue of Nutrients and an upcoming publication of the International Journal of Molecular Medicine, Sang-Moo Kang reports the beneficial effects of ginseng, a well-known herbal medicine, on human health.

Kang's primary research focuses on designing and developing effective vaccines against viral diseases such as influenza virus and RSV, but he partnered with a university and research institutes in South Korea that wanted international collaborative projects to study if ginseng can be used to improve health and protect against disease because of the potential benefit in fighting these viruses. Ginseng has been reported to have anticancer, anti-inflammatory and immune modifying abilities.

Seasonal influenza is a serious respiratory disease that causes annual epidemics in humans worldwide, resulting in about three to five million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Influenza can spread quickly, and new, unexpected pandemic influenza viruses may emerge at any time and cross over to different species. The H1N1 influenza virus, a new strain known as swine flu that emerged in 2009, spread rapidly to more than 74 countries. There are also challenges with existing influenza vaccines, such as required annual updates and no protection against pandemic strains and bird flu.

In addition, there are no vaccines available for RSV, which affects millions and is the leading cause of inflammatory bronchiolitis pneumonia and viral death in infants and in some elderly adults.

In his study published in Nutrients, Kang investigated whether red ginseng extract has preventive effects on influenza A virus infection. He found that red ginseng extract improves the survival of human lung epithelial cells infected with influenza virus. Also, treatment with red ginseng extract reduced the expression of genes that cause inflammation.

After infection with influenza A virus, mice that were orally administered ginseng over a long time showed multiple immune modifying effects, such as stimulated antiviral production of proteins important in immune response and fewer inflammatory cells in their bronchial walls. The study indicates the beneficial effects of red ginseng extract on preventing influenza A virus infections could result from immune modifying capabilities of ginseng.

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Ginseng can treat and prevent influenza and RSV, researcher finds

Prof. Leonidas A. Phylactou speaking on CyBC Apo Mera se Mera
Prof. Leonidas A. Phylactou speaking on CyBC Apo Mera se Mera regarding the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and the Cyprus School of Molecular Med...

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Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference Scientific Posters

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16.04.2014 - (idw) Max-Delbrck-Centrum fr Molekulare Medizin (MDC) Berlin-Buch

Regulation of cell volume is critical for the bodys cells, f. e. during cellular exposure to fluids of varying salt concentrations, in cell division, cell growth, but also in diseases such as cancer, stroke and myocardial infarction. A certain chloride channel, a membrane protein that allows the passage of the chloride ion, is of crucial importance in volume regulation. It is activated by the swelling of the cell and then releases chloride ions and organic matter (osmolytes) from the cell. Researchers in Berlin-Buch have now succeeded for the first time in elucidating the molecular identity of this volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) (Science Express, DOI: 10.1126/science.1252826)*. Researchers led by Professor Thomas J. Jentsch (Max Delbrck Center for Molecular Medicine, MDC, Berlin-Buch/Leibniz-Institut fr Molekulare Pharmakologie, FMP) identified a molecule, LRRC8A, which is an essential constituent of the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC). This protein needs to be assembled with related proteins (LRRC8B to E) to form channels with probably six subunits. They could also show for the first time that these chloride channels are also permeable to small organic molecules such as taurine or amino acids. For over 20 years, research groups across the globe have been seeking to elucidate the molecular structure of the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC). It took Jentschs team almost four years to achieve this breakthrough.

The regulation of cell volume is important for many functions in the organism. The volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) which Thomas Jentsch and his coworkers Felizia Voss and Tobias Stauber now identified at the molecular level is expressed in all vertebrate cells. If a particular cell volume is exceeded, the channel opens and permits the outflow of osmolytes such as chloride ions as well as small organic molecules such as taurine and amino acids. By contrast, cations such as potassium or sodium cannot permeate.

Once the channel is opened, chloride and other osmolytes pass in a passive process called diffusion. Due to its biophysical properties the channel only allows anions and certain organic compounds to pass. Thus, the cell reduces the concentration of its osmolytically active constituents to (or even below) that of the surrounding fluid. At the same time, the water content of the cell decreases as the water molecules flow out via aquaporins in the cell membrane. The volume of the cell decreases again.

LRRC8A was discovered as a VRAC component using a genome-wide RNA interference (siRNA) screen in collaboration with Katina Lazarow and Jens von Kries from the FMP Screening Unit. By means of short RNA snippets, the translation of the genetic information into the corresponding proteins can be suppressed. Using a one-by-one approach in a large-scale cell culture experiment, the Berlin group transiently silenced the products of all approximately 20,000 human genes. In an automated screening process the researchers investigated which of the genes are required for the swelling-activated anion flux across the cell membrane. The approximately 130,000 time-dependent ion flux measurements were statistically analyzed with help from the Bioinformatics Group of the MDC (Nancy Mah/Miguel Andrade-Navarro).

The essential role of LRRC8 proteins in the volume-regulated anion channel was verified using CRISPR/Cas technology, which just became available during the past two years. With this method, specific genes on the chromosomes can be disrupted completely. Different combinations of LRRC8 proteins, all including the obligate LRRC8A, either by omitting some of the family members from gene disruption or by reconstituting different combinations led to different electrophysiological properties of the channel. This allows us to explain the behavior of the channel in different tissues which until now had remained elusive, Thomas Jentsch said.

Deciphering the molecular structure of this chloride channel may also pave the way for better medical treatments, for example, after stroke. "In the case of damage in the brain, cells swell and release glutamate, which acts upon receptors on nerve cells. The subsequent inflow of calcium raises the intracellular concentration of this ion to toxic levels," Jentsch said. With the onset of programmed cell death (apoptosis) during cancer chemotherapy, however, there is a strong reduction in cell volume. The volume-regulated chloride channel also appears to be involved in this process.

*Identification of LRRC8 Heteromers as Essential Component of the Volume-regulated Anion Channel VRAC.

Felizia K. Voss1,2,3, Florian Ullrich1,2,3, Jonas Mnch1,2,3, Katina Lazarow1, Darius Lutter1,2,3, Nancy Mah2, Miguel A. Andrade-Navarro2, Jens P. von Kries1, Tobias Stauber1,2 * and Thomas J. Jentsch1,2,4 * *Correspondence to: Jentsch@fmp-berlin.de (T.J.J.); tstauber@fmp-berlin.de (T.S.).

1Leibniz-Institut fr Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP), Berlin 2Max Delbrck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin 3Graduate program of the Freie Universitt Berlin 4Neurocure, Charit Universittsmedizin, Berlin Science Express, 10. April 2014; DOI: 10.1126/science.1252826

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Phoenix Children #39;s Hospital #39;s Institute of Molecular Medicine is creating a legacy
Phoenix Children #39;s Hospital is researching breakthroughs in prevention and cures for children with cancer.

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7000 millones de genomas: Juan Cadianos at TEDxOviedoUniversity
Molecular Biologist. Juan is the director of the IMOMA (Laboratory of Molecular Medicine). After finishing his degree, he completed his academic training in ...

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Newswise The Society for Womens Health Research (SWHR), the leading voice on research into the biological sex differences between women and men, is proud to announce a public awareness campaign focused on Transforming Science: Innovations in Molecular Diagnostics. SWHR launched the yearlong focus on this rapidly advancing field in womens health during the 2014 Annual Gala on April 2. More details at SWHR.org.

Diagnostics are an important part of every stage of health care, with 70 percent of medical decision-making influenced by these tests. Molecular diagnostics detect specific genetic sequences and proteins to help diagnose and monitor disease, assess risk for disease, and decide which treatments work best for individual patients.

At the gala, SWHR premiered an 8 -minute film highlighting the powerful impact of molecular diagnostics on womens health, including coronary artery disease, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental health. This will be the cornerstone of a national multimedia campaign that will include print, TV and radio public service announcements that highlight the benefits of molecular diagnostics for everyday women.

SWHR also will focus on the impact of molecular diagnostics at a series of events this year before the medical community, health care advocates and policymakers on Capitol Hill and the administration. On May 13, SWHR will host a Congressional briefing that will feature several presentations and speakers highlighting the advances in molecular diagnostics, particularly through the patient experience.

On September 12, SWHR will host a breakfast and panel discussion on molecular diagnostics at TEDMED in Washington, D.C. TEDMED is an annual conference that brings together leading innovators and investors from the global community who share an interest in science, medicine and research. The panel of nationally recognized experts will discuss various topics related to molecular diagnostics, including the history of the field, current and future innovations, and the value of molecular diagnostics in medicine and health care.

The Society for Womens Health Research is the national leader in advocating for greater understanding into how diseases and conditions affect women and men differently. SWHR believes in the promise of molecular diagnostics and its ability to shape the future of health care for men and women alike, said Phyllis Greenberger, SWHR president and CEO. Molecular diagnostics are changing the way we diagnose and treat disease, and are helping health care professionals make individualized, more effective medical decisions for patients. These revolutionary tests are leading the way to personalized, precision medicine.

Check out SWHRs resource page on molecular diagnostics at SWHR.org.

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Molecular Diagnostics Are Leading the Way to Personalized, Precision Medicine, Says Society for Women's Health Research

By Estel Grace Masangkay

A study conducted by researchers from the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences has identified the enzyme MTH1 as the Achilles Heel of malignant tumor cells. The vulnerability could be explored as a potential novel antitumor therapeutic approach.

In addition, researchers have also discovered the chemical mirror image of crizotinib, an existing anti-cancer drug, to be effective at inhibiting MTH1 activity. Findings from the study show that malignant tumor cells are vulnerable to imbalances in nucleotide metabolism. The research was conducted by the researchers from Vienna in collaboration with colleagues from Oxford and Stockholm.

This paper represents a creative and original application of pharmacology, signal transduction biochemistry, and structural biology employed to make inroads into the therapy of cancers that have to date resisted effective treatment, said Robert A. Weinberg, founding member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Professor of Biology at MIT in Cambridge, USA.

The researchers were able to demonstrate that MTH1 targeting drugs selectively induce DNA damage in cancer cells. The investigational anti-MTH1 drugs were also able to impair growth of aggressive, difficult to treat human tumors in model systems. MTH1 therefore, presents a therapeutic target that could herald a breakthrough in cancer therapy.

Scientific Director Giulio Superti-Furga, CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, said, The elucidation of the mode of action of drugs is one of the greatest strengths of CeMM, whose expertise and technology assets are world-class in this area. Without the support of public funding for basic research this first breakthrough would not have been possible, and therefore we are grateful to the taxpayers. However, the next challenges will be costly, and it would be a shame if we had to give up at this point in time. Therefore, we depend on a solid funding base and are, in addition, also seeking additional sponsors, philanthropists, organizations, and partners, who share our vision of a fight against diseases through innovative research, and who are interested in a continuation of our research.

The study was published online by the scientific journal Nature earlier this month.

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Researchers Identify Achilles Heel Of Malignant Tumor Cells

Wednesday, February 19, 2014 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. BSEB 272 Guest Speaker - Dr. Joseph Miano University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry "Regulatory Control of Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypes" Wednesday, January 15, 2014 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. BSEB East Lecture Hall Research Grand Rounds - Dr. Cam Patterson University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 4:00 p.m. BRC 109 Guest speaker, Dr. Depei Liu, will present "Protective Roles of SIRT1 in vascular diseases" Friday, November 15, 2013 12:00 p.m. BSEB 276 Guest speaker, Dr. Ingrid Fleming, will present "The AMPK: homeostasis angiogenesis and mircroRNA"

Friday, October 18, 2013 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. BSEB 306D Dr. Yue Wu - Research Data Presentation Zhaoyu Liu - Journal Club Friday, October 11, 2013 4:00 - 5:00 p.m BSEB 306D Dr. Kate Coughlan - Research Data Presentation

Wednesday, October 9, 2013 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. BSEB East Lecture Hall Guest speaker, Dr. Joseph Loscalzo, will present "Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Newer Concepts in Pathobiology and Treatment" Friday, September 20, 2013 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. BSEB 306D Dr. Ouyang Changhan - Research Data Presentation Dr. Kate Coughlan - Journal Club

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Department of Internal Medicine - Molecular Medicine