Cancer is a leading cause of human disease and death worldwide, but it's also common in animals. Can we learn something about the genetic mutations associated with cancer in animals that sheds light on the origins of human cancer and how to prevent and treat it?
The role the gut microbiome plays in COVID-19 is a subject of ongoing discussion, and it's not clear whether the microbiome influences the course of the disease or vice versa.
Sphingolipids are a type of fatty material (lipids) in cell membranes that are critical for membrane structure and cell signaling. When they malfunction, sphingolipids can cause human illnesses, such as Gaucher disease, a rare inherited metabolic disorder.
The hereditary material of humans and other organisms is stored as a code in DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, in each cell's nucleus. The traditional geometric structure of DNA is the double helix, discovered in 1953. Now synthetic biologists are examining how the familiar DNA geometry can be engineered into new forms with new properties and potential uses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world aware of the deadly consequences of a new pathogen for which there was little preparation and no initial vaccine.
A biologist and a philosopher have collaborated on a new book that looks at how microbial communities regenerate--and why.
What if cognition--thinking--is not simply a function of neurons interacting in the brain, but a process involving the entire human organism?
About 5% of the world population suffers from thyroid disease with often severe symptoms, yet treatment is not a simple adjustment of thyroid hormone levels.
Population genomics compares the genetic variations in DNA within and between specific biological populations, looking at the influence over time of processes like natural selection, genetic drift and other factors.
Many fear radiation without much understanding of what ionizing radiation is, how it works and what the actual risk is. This lack of knowledge and public perception combine to make people fearful of all things nuclear, which has had serious consequences.
Illegal wildlife trade was estimated at $20 billion in 2021 and threatens thousands of species worldwide, scientists say. They note social media is the main marketplace for illegal sales of exotic animals and animal parts to provide consumers with pets, medicinal uses and decorations.
Enzyme inhibitors are used by pesticides and nerve agents to target acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that starts the breakdown of an organism's neurotransmission. It is also used in the laboratory to preserve a protein for study by shutting down the organism's nerve impulse transmission.
The still-evolving view of evolution is the current "modern synthesis," which encompasses Charles Darwin's theory, Gregor Mendel's concept of heredity, and modern genome research.
Exposure to nicotine or alcohol and disruptions of a protein necessary for cell communication can cause the malformation of organs and the nervous system of an embryo. It's one reason why pregnant women are urged not to smoke or drink.
Replacing an entrenched method in scientific research is difficult, even when the method is problematic. Such is the case with shifting from research studies based on the null hypothesis to a more realistic method of estimation.
Dating the expansion of a group of species when the fossil record is sparse is not a simple task, and can change as methods of analysis become more sophisticated.
Scientists have focused on studying only a very small set of the proteome due to a variety of factors. This inequality has resulted in thousands of proteins being poorly understood.
Parkinson's disease is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that affects nearly 1 million people in the United States, and more than 10 million worldwide.
Designing new drugs that can target specific diseases is a challenging but crucial task for preventing and treating human diseases.
How is it possible for a random sequence to produce a functional gene?