Shire Pharmaceuticals: A Study in Exponential Growth
January 1, 2008
It's not every company that can go from $7 million in revenues to more than $1.7 billion in 10 years, but that's precisely what Shire Pharmaceuticals, whose hub lies in Wayne, Pa., accomplished in the last decade. The key to its success? Seizing opportunities that Big Pharma ignored.

Many Happy Returns
January 1, 2008
Cephalon marks its 20th year.

Starchy diet boosts gene copy number
September 10, 2007
Populations that eat more starch carry more copies of carb-digesting saliva gene.

Bacterial genes jump to host
August 30, 2007
Frequent lateral gene transfer from bacteria to their host organisms may be a mechanism for hosts' evolution.

Bacteria see the light
August 23, 2007
Light-activated proteins regulate virulence.

Regulators evolve faster than genes
August 9, 2007
Mutations in regulatory sequences may be the main drivers of species divergence.

Bacteria genome switch-a-roo
June 28, 2007
New genome transplantation technique works in bacteria, and could ultimately enable synthetic biology.

Does DNA Damage Cause Cancer?
June 1, 2007
Back-to-back studies pose double-strand breaks as initiating tumorigenesis.

Carolina CROs
April 1, 2007
Contract research organizations extend the capabilities of biotechnology companies.

"Silent" mutations are not always silent
December 21, 2006
Mutations leading to identical amino acid sequences can change protein folding and function.

Leads on the obesity-diabetes link
December 1, 2006
The connection between obesity and type 2 diabetes is undeniable, but also unclear. In 2004, Gökhan Hotamisligil's group at Harvard School of Public Health showed that obesity physically strains the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of certain cell types, hyperactivating JNK, which then suppresses the cell's normal response to insulin.

Structural variations common in human genome
November 22, 2006
At least 12 percent of the genome is made of regions that vary in number across individuals, according to four new papers.

Neanderthal DNA sequenced
November 15, 2006
Early findings suggest Neanderthal and human DNA diverged about 500,000 years ago.

GPCRs may not pair up as often as thought
November 6, 2006
Some purported pairings are actually just random interactions between molecules, a new report claims.

Cooler mice live longer
November 2, 2006
Transgenic mice with lower core body temperatures have markedly longer lifespans.

Getting Results
November 1, 2006
You've started a diversity program. But how do you know if it's having any effect?

Who's in Charge?
November 1, 2006
What it takes to manage diversity.

Equality Pending
October 1, 2006
Male life scientists in academia patent at a higher rate than their female colleagues, though the gap may be shrinking.

Wound Healing Centers Get Boost
October 1, 2006
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences will award $13 million to four centers over four years, or up to $944,000 annually per center, to create innovative therapies for wound healing.

How viruses interfere with interferon
September 1, 2006
Double-stranded RNA is a warning flag to the cell, indicating the presence of a virus.

Regulatory T cells take the spotlight
September 1, 2006
It’s a constant nagging problem, how cancers loaded with mutant proteins escape immune response. In 2004, Weiping Zou, now at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in Ann Arbor, and his colleagues showed that human ovarian tumors can recruit regulatory T cells to suppress other T cells.

Climate change drives genetic changes
August 31, 2006
Rising temperatures cause worldwide genetic changes in Drosophila subobscura.

Stem cells from a single cell?
August 23, 2006
Scientists have developed a tool to obtain embryonic stem cells from a single human embryo cell, apparently without harming the embryo.

New misfolding mechanism spotted
August 14, 2006
Study reports a generalized means of upsetting RNA translation, causing misfolded proteins -- and, possibly, neurodegeneration.

Distinct methylation in stem cell DNA
August 7, 2006
Findings may help explain why embryonic stem cells can self-renew and are pluripotent.

Transgenic drug market heats up
August 3, 2006
First drug is approved for commercial production by transgenic animals, but another is hot on its tail.

How monkeys block HIV
August 1, 2006
HIV-1 is unable to replicate in Old World monkeys, even though it can enter their cells.

DNA overwinds when stretched
July 12, 2006
Counterintuitive findings could shed light on how proteins bind to DNA.

Nanowires common in bacteria?
July 11, 2006
Microbes may use electrically conductive nanowires to help transport electrons.

Retrovirus invading koalas
July 6, 2006
Insertion-in-process provides firsthand look at how retroviruses get incorporated into genomes.

Stem cell woes
July 1, 2006
Scientists once believed that human embryonic stem cells were extraordinarily stable in culture. In 2004, Peter Andrews at the University of Sheffield, UK, and colleagues revealed definitive evidence that lines can develop chromosomal abnormalities.

RNAi - a new targeted silencer?
June 27, 2006
Gene silencing causes marked behavior changes, may help map brain circuitry.

Protein rejects foreign DNA
June 9, 2006
DNA-binding protein helps distinguish what genes Salmonella should incorporate.

New class of small RNAs found
June 5, 2006
Piwi-interacting, or piRNAs, may play a role in developing sperm in mice.

MicroRNA mutations abundant
June 5, 2006
Mice and humans have sequences that create or destroy microRNA binding sites.

Long-term RNAi can be deadly
May 25, 2006
RNAs may take up limited cellular resources, disrupting normal cell activities and causing organ damage.

RNA can be heredity molecule
May 25, 2006
Findings in mice suggest RNA found in human sperm might also affect human inheritance.

Ancient human and chimps mixed
May 18, 2006
Findings of interbreeding could help broaden conventional thinking regarding origins of species.

MtDNA not marker of population size
April 28, 2006
Mitochondrial genetic diversity may be influenced by natural selection, undermining its utility for population genetics research.

Natural killers have memory, too
April 17, 2006
New findings overturn longstanding dogma, could shed light on mysteries in immunity.

Affirming evolution of complex systems
April 7, 2006
Resurrection of 450 million year old protein illustrates how an integrated system evolved in a stepwise fashion.

Retinoic acid may control germ cells
March 31, 2006
Studies in Science and PNAS may overturn dogma of genetically programmed fates for gonadal cells.

RNAi works in monkeys
March 27, 2006
Apparent absence of toxicity and persistence of silencing may bode well for humans.

Fetal proteins protect against rejection
March 17, 2006
Findings provide new clues to why mothers don’t attack fetal tissue.

Prion protein aids bone marrow
January 31, 2006
New study findings point to possible stem cell role for normal form of protein.

A New View of Translational Control
December 5, 2005
Researchers are rapidly uncovering so-called granules in the cytoplasm that cluster function-specific proteins for RNA storage, silencing, reuse, destruction, and perhaps even splicing. Apparently related to the well characterized maternal mRNA granules that jumpstart embryogenesis, these neighborhood processing centers serve important functions in adult cells, including shaping synaptic plasticity and responding to stress. Moreover, their existence may mandate a reevaluation of how microarray results are interpreted.

Adult stem cell regulator?
November 28, 2005
A protein related to RNAi machinery helps control dividing neoblasts.

Helping bacteria use magnets
November 21, 2005
Researchers find structures and gene that enable magnetobacteria to navigate Earth's magnetic field.

It's About Who You Know...
November 7, 2005
With eight minority professors and 15 women among 40 scientists, the Center for Study of Gene Structure & Function at Hunter College of the City University of New York is among the most diverse in the sciences.

XX mouse cell instability explained
October 24, 2005
Study suggests XX murine stem cells are under-methylated, shedding light on X chromosome activation.

Virus may aid photosynthesis
October 13, 2005
New study suggests phage genes may also help host bacteria.

Sex detected in placozoans
October 11, 2005
Simplest free-living animals could serve as models for understanding evolution of sex.

Bats might be origin of SARS
September 30, 2005
Findings suggest winged mammals could spread SARS-like viruses across Asia, Australia and Europe.

Nanotubes link immune cells
September 20, 2005
Naturally occurring structures could help deliver signals and antigens more rapidly than other means.

Tumor malignancy linked to rigidity
September 19, 2005
These findings could help explain why cells on plastic dishes transform, lead to new anticancer drugs.

Embryonic stem lines unstable
September 6, 2005
Genomic changes could render federally appointed lines unusable therapeutically, says Nature Genetics report.

Insects may have complex immunity
August 19, 2005
Thanks to alternate splicing of Dscam, they could possess up to 18,000 immune receptors.

New oocytes from bone marrow?
July 18, 2005
US researchers report that in mice, a stem cell reservoir in marrow can replenish ovaries.

And Now, Mosaic Mice
July 18, 2005
Dual-color technique enables visualization of targeted mutations in vertebrates.

How mtDNA mutations cause aging
July 15, 2005
Apoptosis, not oxidative damage from free radicals, drives process, according to Science study.

How epigenetics affects twins
July 7, 2005
In genetically identical siblings, DNA methylation and histone acetylation correlate with age and lifestyle.

Bacterial proteins on the move
July 1, 2005
Cell surface materials passed via direct contact can restart the engines of stalled myxococci.

The View From The Top
June 20, 2005
Twenty-first century pharma needs leaders with scientific chops, business know-how.

Prescriptions Go Personal
June 20, 2005
Pharmacogenomics is gradually changing the way pharma companies do business.

Primate-specific microRNAs found
June 20, 2005
Identification of 89 new genes doubles the number of sequenced human microRNAs.

Jumping genes in the brain
June 16, 2005
Retrotransposons in neurons could lead to brain differences between individuals.

Plant pest resistance boosted
May 17, 2005
New technique increases activity of Bt toxin, but scientists caution it needs safety testing.

A primitive energy pathway in fungus
April 27, 2005
Energy-generating proton pump previously seen only in prokaryotes is identified in.

Same-sex fungi can mate
April 26, 2005
C. neoformans' sexual cycle could shed light on the evolution from asexuality to sex.

Human RNA silences viral DNA
April 22, 2005
MicroRNA plays an unexpected role in the process, researchers report in Science.

Mouse, fly wound repair linked
April 15, 2005
Reports suggest common control factors for the healing of mammal skin and insect cuticle.

DNA Synthesis Method Yields 15-kb Gene Cluster
April 11, 2005
Microarray-based approach could achieve 20,000 bases per dollar.

Glycomics Researchers Search for the Elusive Sweet Spot
March 28, 2005
Carbohydrate array development continues, but sample variety remains limited.

Epithelial pathway revealed
March 18, 2005
Two reports show how, in Drosophila, DPP controls epithelial cell shape and organization.

Evidence for organelle origin
March 3, 2005
Genetic clues point to 'missing links' between hydrogenosomes and mitochondria.

Protein PCR with Chimeric "Tadpoles"
February 28, 2005
DNA-protein hybrid molecules offer high-sensitivity detection of non-DNA targets.

Antibody Microarrays Highlight Enzyme Activity
February 14, 2005
New platform enables examination of complex proteomes.

Coral Harvest Yields Fluorescent Light Switch
February 14, 2005
Reversible tag eases protein monitoring studies.

Timing xenotransplants
February 16, 2005
New findings show optimal gestational ages for transplanted embryonic pig tissue.

DNA palindromes found in cancer
February 15, 2005
Study in finds large inverted repeats in colon and breast tumors.

Melatonin's action in the brain
February 9, 2005
The molecule regulates a neuropeptide involved in controlling reproduction, new report shows.

How RNA polymerase moves
January 26, 2005
The molecule appears to shift along nucleic acid using a ratchet system, researchers report.

Giardia's sex life revealed
January 26, 2005
The protist has homologs of proteins with crucial roles in meiosis, researchers show.

Natural selection in humans
January 17, 2005
A chromosomal inversion conveys a reproductive advantage in Iceland, researchers report.

Fungus report stirs debate
January 14, 2005
A paper suggesting ancient asexual fungi have more than one genome reignites controversy.

Phosphorylation without ATP
December 17, 2004
IP7 offers a nonenzymatic alternative for adding phosphate to protein.

A link for unrelated viruses
December 3, 2004
Viruses which infect all three domains of life could be descended from bacteriophage.

Mice tolerate siRNAs
November 24, 2004
Studies show small interfering RNAs can be used without triggering immune response.

True or False?
November 22, 2004
Think you know all there is to know about the life sciences in New York City? Here's a quiz.

RNAi turns poppies off morphine
November 15, 2004
Hairpin RNA used to disrupt morphine pathway with surprising, and useful, results.

Non-immune cells autophage too
November 5, 2004
Study in Science finds that cells can use process to entrap bacteria.

Bacteria fix DNA like mammals
October 25, 2004
Double-strand DNA break repair pathways appear conserved, suggesting new ways to make libraries.

Lots of splicing regulators
October 19, 2004
Researchers nearly triple number of known alternative regulators in Drosophila.

Cancer gene map online
September 27, 2004
Global analysis of microarray data provides a hypothesis-generating tool for cancer.

Human cells produce morphine
September 21, 2004
Results of biosynthesis studies may improve understanding of pain, immunity, and behavior.

How cells move gas
September 10, 2004
Study reports high-resolution structure of protein that shuttles ammonia in bacteria.

EU nanotech network launched
August 23, 2004
5 million euro EC grant brings together 12 institutes to encourage collaboration .

Microscope sees the big picture
August 13, 2004
Selective plane illumination microscopy can map millimeters-sized samples in vivo.

Single-cell enzyme monitoring?
August 9, 2004
SERRS-based technique sensitive enough to measure reactions from as few as 500 molecules.

Comparing protein structures
August 6, 2004
Algorithm reported in PNAS could improve techniques, predict multiple active conformations.

Making enzymes from proteins
June 25, 2004
Computational design transforms protein without catalytic properties into an active enzyme.

Animal outbreak system updated
May 24, 2004
OIE to replace two lists with one; would be immediately notified of some infections.

GM crops detoxify glyphosate
May 21, 2004
DNA shuffling used to introduce bacterial enzyme, while some raise outcrossing concerns.

USDA plans animal ID network
April 30, 2004
System would tag livestock exposed to BSE and other infections.

Crop biodiversity treaty OK'd
April 14, 2004
International effort will promote conservation, encourage equal distribution of profits.

California OKs GM pharm crops
April 8, 2004
Groups protest decision to allow rice engineered to produce human lactoferrin and lysozyme.

Scientists' US visas delayed
February 26, 2004
Waiting time averages 67 days for those engaged in sensitive technologies.

Top students head to sciences
February 17, 2004
Researchers warn at AAAS meeting that improved US economy may reverse trend.

Women scientists face problems
February 16, 2004
Surveys say that women collaborate less than men, find balancing work and family difficult.

Monsanto wheat patent disputed
February 5, 2004
Greenpeace, Indian groups challenge company's rights to strain known as Nap Hal.

GloFish draw suit
January 7, 2004
Watchdog groups want FDA to regulate first genetically modified pet in US.

Stanching the EU 'brain drain'
December 15, 2003
EC to propose scientific visa for travel to and within EU.

Hawaii GM tests draw more suits
November 19, 2003
Citing endangered species, environmental groups want USDA to stop open-air field tests.

Ag-science marketplace opens
October 28, 2003
Online portal to provide journal access for developing world researchers.

Watson bobbles going fast
October 24, 2003
Bouncing tabletop version of Nobel Laureate is a hit with microarray buyers.

Americans unsure about GM foods
October 15, 2003
Latest survey finds US consumers poorly informed and open to suggestion.

Scripps on the Atlantic
October 14, 2003
Florida lures West Coast powerhouse to set up Palm Beach branch.

Plant genomics gets $100 million infusion
October 8, 2003
New NSF-funded virtual centers created to cultivate speedy collaboration.

Protein database unveiled
October 3, 2003
International team hopes to set standard for easily accessible protein data.

Biocontainment labs awarded
October 1, 2003
Nearly $400 million in grants will go to building national and regional high-security research facilities.

Biology's new online archive
September 30, 2003
The physics community's arXiv site creates a space for quantitative biology papers.

Scientists welcome billionaire's brain project
September 22, 2003
Gene expression map is 'badly needed' and will benefit from technology advantages.

New biodefense research grants allocated
September 8, 2003
NIH awards $350 million for biodefense and emerging diseases research.

Virtual endocrine disruptors
September 3, 2003
EPA seeking computational shortcuts to identify harmful hormone mimics.

Jeremy Berg to lead NIGMS
August 29, 2003
Hopkins biochemist named new director of one of NIH's largest institutes.

Galapagos lab
August 12, 2003
Joint effort will create molecular biology facility on evolution's islands.

Call for big ideas
August 6, 2003
Researchers invited to bid for time on one of the world's top five supercomputers.

No paradise for pharming
July 30, 2003
Lawsuit seeking information on Hawaii test fields is just the beginning, activists say.

Supercomputing gap
July 4, 2003
List reveals that some top US universities are lagging behind in embracing computational science.

Who'll sweep the Gene Sweepstake?
April 30, 2003
Betting is still open on the long-debated number of genes in the human genome.

Banteng clone euthanized
April 11, 2003
Markers for viability still elusive, even as doctor reports new human clone attempt.

Smallpox@home
February 5, 2003
Global supercomputing grid project to find post-infection treatment launches.

Brain drain
January 10, 2003
Smartest students shunning science careers, except biology, researchers conclude.

Last-minute life-scientist gift
December 20, 2002
Reindeer DNA necklace brings ungulate genomics to the jewelry box.

Lab theft conviction
December 17, 2002
Former Cornell researcher found guilty of stealing valuable enzymes.

BIO backpedals
December 11, 2002
Politics push biotech organization to withdraw heartland policy on GM crops.

CWD tests negative
November 26, 2002
No evidence that deer meat infected Midwestern men with prion disease, US health officials say.

Black eye for ag-biotech
November 20, 2002
Texas company under fire for possibly contaminating food crops.

Expensive waste
November 15, 2002
US universities pay for failing to meet government hazardous waste disposal standards.

Chronic wasting studies announced
November 8, 2002
US orders new examinations of human risk from prion disease in deer and elk.

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