http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biotechnology/ Biotechnology News. Read the latest research from around the world on genetic engineering, drug development and more. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:05:01 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/biotechnology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143105.htm Computer engineers may have just provided the medical community a new way of figuring out exactly how one of the three building blocks of life forms and functions. They have used a complex computer program to analyze RNA motifs – the subunits that make up RNA. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215123702.htm Scientists have found a fundamentally new mechanism how our defense system is ramped up when facing a viral intruder. Exploitation of this mechanism in vaccines sparks new hope for better prevention and therapy of infectious diseases and cancer. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215123702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214145333.htm Scientists have shown for the first time how two long intergenic noncoding RNAs in brewer's yeast contribute to a location-dependent switch for the yeast FLO11 gene to toggle between active and inactive states. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214145333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134942.htm Chemists have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before the DNA liberates itself, much longer than any other molecule reported. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134942.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134940.htm Over their 3.8 billion years of evolution, living organisms have developed countless strategies for monitoring their surroundings. Chemists have adapted some of these strategies to improve the performance of DNA detectors. Their findings may aid efforts to build better medical diagnostics, such as improved HIV or cancer tests. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134940.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121844.htm A novel approach in the study of the development of mammalian embryos has just been developed. The research enables scientists to view critical aspects of embryonic development which was previously unobservable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185645.htm Researchers have revealed, for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling the movement of sodium in out of the cells -- and what calcium has to do with it. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185643.htm Cancer cells can undergo unchecked proliferation, producing self-antigens that are tolerated by the immune system, rather than being targeted for destruction. At the opposite extreme, autoimmune disorders can result when healthy cells in the body are misidentified as hazards. Researchers now examine how CD8 T cells -- critical weapons in the body's defensive arsenal -- are regulated when they transition from this tolerant state to an activated state and back. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185115.htm Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don’t respond well to chemotherapy. Researchers report for the first time that radiation treatment -- despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment -- transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells. Researchers stressed that breast cancer patients should not be alarmed by the study findings and should continue to undergo radiation if recommended by their oncologists. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133704.htm One of the frustrations for scientists working on HIV/AIDS treatments has been the human immunodeficiency virus' ability to evade the body's immune system. Now a researcher has discovered a compound that could help put the immune system back in the hunt. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133704.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133453.htm Since Charles Darwin first put forth the theory of evolution, scientists have been trying to unlock the mysteries of genetics. But research on the genome -- the organism's entire hereditary package encoded in DNA and RNA -- has been less extensive. There is a tendency to think of the genome as a static and passive container of information. A critical new paradigm now redefines the genome as a dynamic structure that can impact genes themselves. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213133453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192737.htm A protein that protects some of our immune cells from the most common and virulent form of HIV works by starving the virus of the molecular building blocks that it needs to replicate. While researchers hope the work will one day lead to a way to make anti-HIV drugs more effective by increasing their potency against the virus, they're also excited about its implications for our knowledge of other pathogens, such as herpes viruses. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192733.htm For roughly two thousand years, Chinese herbalists have treated Malaria using a root extract, commonly known as Chang Shan, from a type of hydrangea that grows in Tibet and Nepal. More recent studies suggest that halofuginone, a compound derived from this extract's bioactive ingredient, could be used to treat many autoimmune disorders as well. Now, researchers have discovered the molecular secrets behind this herbal extract's power. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192555.htm A novel discovery reveals a mechanism by which the immune system tries to halt the spread of HIV. Harnessing this mechanism may open up new paths for therapeutic research aimed at slowing the virus’ progression to AIDS. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192552.htm Although the process of mitotic cell division has been studied intensely for more than 50 years, researchers have only now solved the mystery of how cells correctly align their chromosomes during symmetric mitosis. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120212192552.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133356.htm Researchers have developed a new method for creating scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, providing an alternative that is more flexible and less time-intensive than current technology. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133354.htm One undergraduate student will depart university with not only a degree but also a possible patent for his invention of an efficient way to create protein libraries, an important component of biomolecular research. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133348.htm Researchers have taken a major step in the ongoing effort to find sources of cleaner, renewable energy by mapping the genomes of two originator cells of Miscanthus x giganteus, a large perennial grass with promise as a source of ethanol and bioenergy. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210104745.htm Drug researchers hunting for alternative ways to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections may soon have a novel target -- its camouflage coat. HIV hides inside a cloak unusually rich in a sugar called mannose, which it uses to slip past the immune system before infecting its host's cells. Recently, however, biochemists discovered a family of chemical compounds that stick strongly to mannose. Understanding how this mechanism works could reveal a way to make drugs adhere to and kill HIV. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210104745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172928.htm Scientists have developed a new method for making scaffolds for culturing tissue in three-dimensional arrangements that mimic those in the body. This advance allows the production of tissue culture scaffolds containing multiple structurally and chemically distinct layers using common laboratory reagents and materials. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172918.htm Cell biologists have uncovered a new insight into colon cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The team analyzed human colon cancer specimens and found that in nearly 80 percent of them the variants of a gene (HNF4A) are out of balance. This imbalance appears to be the result of a complex, multi-step process by an enzyme (Src kinase). Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172820.htm Lying around in the sun all day is hazardous not just for humans but also for plants. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can damage proteins and DNA inside cells, leading to poor growth and even death. But plants have evolved some powerful adaptive defenses, including a complex array of protective responses orchestrated by a UV-sensing protein molecule known as UVR8. Now, scientists have put together a detailed picture of UVR8's structure and inner workings. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172820.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172816.htm Scientists have discovered the workings behind some of the bacteria that kill hundreds of thousands every year, possibly paving the way for new antibiotics that could treat infections more effectively. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm A neuropeptide called Substance P is the cause of seizures in patients with brains infected by the pork tapeworm. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm New research suggests that unrelated individuals may be mistakenly identified as genetic family members due to inaccurate genetic assumptions. This is particularly relevant when considering familial searching: a new technique which extends forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In a new study, researchers show that false familial identification may be more likely for individuals with particular genetic backgrounds; for example, in the USA, those of Asian or Native American descent. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152814.htm Scientists have identified a single prion protein that causes neuronal death similar to that seen in "mad cow" disease, but is at least 10 times more lethal than larger prion species. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209152814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135840.htm Over-reliance on glyphosate-type herbicides for weed control on US farms has created a dramatic increase in the number of genetically-resistant weeds, according to agricultural researchers, who say the solution lies in an integrated weed management program. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101607.htm Scientists have discovered the molecular mechanism of a G protein family. G proteins play a central role in cellular signal processing. They are described as molecular switches that oscillate between 'on' and 'off', regulated by effectors. Biochemists have now gained fundamental insights into the mechanics of these switches. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152342.htm DNA sequences from tumor cells can be used to direct the immune system to attack cancer, according to scientists. The immune system relies on an intricate network of alarm bells, targets and safety brakes to determine when and what to attack. The new results suggest that scientists may now be able to combine DNA sequencing data with their knowledge of the triggers and targets that set off immune alarms to more precisely develop vaccines and other immunotherapies for cancer. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm Scientists searching for the genomics version of the holy grail – more insight into predicting how an animal’s genes affect physical or behavioral traits – now have a reference manual that should speed gene discoveries in everything from pest control to personalized medicine. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132846.htm A research engineer combined a glass slide, plastic sheets and double-sided tape to build a "diffusion-based gradient generator", a tool to rapidly assess how changing concentrations of specific chemicals affect living cells. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132723.htm Individual cells modified to act as sensors using fluorescence are already useful tools in biochemistry, but now they can add good timing to their resume. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132723.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132309.htm It's been more than 50 years since James Watson and Francis Crick showed that DNA is a double helix of two strands that complement each other. But how does a short piece of DNA find its match, out of the millions of 'letters' in even a small genome? New work shows how it's done. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132309.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208090146.htm A large-scale study analyzing metabolic compounds in rice grains has identified 131 rice metabolites and clarified the genetic and environmental factors that influence their production. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208090146.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202813.htm The molecular pathway that carries time-of-day signals from the body's internal clock to ultimately guide daily behavior is like a black box, says a researcher. Now, new research is taking a peek inside, describing a molecular pathway and its inner parts that connect the well-known clock neurons to cells governing rhythms of rest and activity in fruit flies. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202803.htm Scientists have developed a "biological computer" made entirely from biomolecules that is capable of deciphering images encrypted on DNA chips. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202620.htm Mapping the ancestry of sheep over the past 11,000 years has revealed that our woolly friends are stars among domestic animals, boasting vast genetic diversity and substantial prospects for continued breeding to further boost wool and food production for a rising world population. An international research team has provided an unprecedented in-depth view of the genetic history of sheep, one of the world's most important livestock species. The study maps out how humans have moulded sheep to suit diverse environments and to enhance the specialised production of meat, wool and milk. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202620.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133602.htm Scientists have completed the genome sequence of a Denisovan, a representative of an Asian group of extinct humans related to Neanderthals. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133602.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143944.htm Researchers have determined that an adult stem cell present in muscle is responsive to exercise, a discovery that may provide a link between exercise and muscle health. The findings could lead to new therapeutic techniques using these cells to rehabilitate injured muscle and prevent or restore muscle loss with age. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122618.htm Several periods of field work during 2008 have led to the discovery of a new species of bamboo-feeding plant lice in Costa Rica's high-altitude region Cerro de la Muerte. The discovery was made thanks to molecular data analysis of mitochondrial DNA. The collected records have also increased the overall knowledge of plant lice (one of the most dangerous agricultural pests worldwide) from the region with more that 20 percent. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122618.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm Scientists have for the first time made finest details of nerve cells in the brain of a living mouse visible. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203180905.htm One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203180905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092000.htm If you wanted to draw your family tree, you could start by searching for people who share your surname. Cells, of course, don’t have surnames, but scientists have found that genetic switches called enhancers, and the molecules that activate those switches – transcription factors – can be used in a similar way, as clues to a cell’s developmental history. The study also unveils a new model for how enhancers function. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203091813.htm Many living organisms suffer from parasites, which use the hosts’ resources for their own purposes. The problem of parasitism occurs at all levels right down to the DNA scale. Genomes may contain up to 80% “foreign” DNA but details of the mechanisms by which this enters the host genome and how hosts attempt to combat its spread are still the subject of conjecture. Nearly all organisms contain pieces of DNA that do not really belong to them. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203091813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203090813.htm A 'gatekeeper' protein plays a critical role in helping immune cells to sound a warning after encountering signs of tumor growth or infection, researchers report. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203090813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164821.htm Scientists have advanced a method that allowed them to single out a marine microorganism and map its genome even though the organism made up less than 10 percent of a water sample teeming with many millions of individuals from dozens of identifiable groups of microbes. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151248.htm 'Yellow biotechnology' refers to biotechnology with insects -- analogous to the green (plants) and red (animals) biotechnology. Active ingredients or genes in insects are characterized and used for research or application in agriculture and medicine. Scientists in Germany are now using a procedure which brings forward ecological research on insects: They study gene functions in moth larvae by manipulating genes using the RNA interference technology (RNAi). RNAi is induced by feeding larvae with plants that have been treated with viral vectors. This method -- called "plant virus based dsRNA producing system" (VDPS) -- increases sample throughput compared to the use of genetically transformed plants.  Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151248.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151133.htm Researchers have identified how resveratrol, a naturally occurring chemical found in red wine and other plant products, may confer its health benefits. The authors present evidence that resveratrol does not directly activate sirtuin 1, a protein associated with aging. Rather, the authors found that resveratrol inhibits certain types of proteins known as phosphodiesterases (PDEs), enzymes that help regulate cell energy. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151133.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201180614.htm It may be time to revise this traditional understanding of human gene expression, as new research suggests that circular RNA molecules, rather than the classical linear molecules, are a widespread feature of the gene expression program in every human cell. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201180614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201135318.htm Studying self-replicating genetic units, called plasmids, found in one of the world's widest-ranging pathogenic soil bacteria -- the crown-gall-disease-causing microorganism Agrobacterium tumefaciens -- biologists are showing how freeloading, mutant derivatives of these plasmids benefit while the virulent, disease-causing plasmids do the heavy-lifting of initiating infection in plant hosts. The research confirms that the ability of bacteria to cause disease comes at a significant cost that is only counterbalanced by the benefits they experience from infected host organisms. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201135318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201135310.htm Researchers have determined the critical role one enzyme, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), plays as mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) differentiate. This research may provide targets for developing drugs to push cells with dysfunctional gene expression programs back to a more normal, healthier state. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201135310.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201104637.htm Scientists analyzing the release of genetically modified insects into the environment have found that access to accurate scientific information can be misleading. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201104637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201093100.htm To generate phylogenetic trees and investigate relationships between organisms, scientists usually look for similarities and differences in the DNA. Plant scientists were confounded by the fact that the DNA extracted from the plants’ green chloroplasts sometimes showed the greatest similarities when related species grew in the same area. Scientists have now discovered that a transfer of entire chloroplasts, or at least their genomes, can occur in contact zones between plants. Inter-species crossing is not necessary. The new chloroplast genome can even be handed down to the next generation and, thereby, give a plant with new traits. These findings are of great importance to the understanding of evolution as well as the breeding of new plant varieties. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201093100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150830.htm A team of researchers has discovered an overachieving plant enzyme that works both the day and night shifts. The discovery shows that plants evolved a new function for this enzyme by changing merely one of its protein building blocks. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150830.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131102521.htm Scientists have shed new light on the way superbugs such as MRSA are able to become resistant to treatment with antibiotics. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131102521.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131102519.htm Thirty-thousand-year-old bison bones discovered in permafrost at a Canadian goldmine are helping scientists unravel the mystery about how animals adapt to rapid environmental change. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131102519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171907.htm Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171907.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151104.htm Cells trying to keep pace with constantly changing environmental conditions need to strike a fine balance between maintaining their genomic integrity and allowing enough genetic flexibility to adapt to inhospitable conditions. In their latest study, researchers were able to show that under stressful conditions yeast genomes become unstable, readily acquiring or losing whole chromosomes to enable rapid adaption. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162749.htm Influenza virus can rapidly evolve from one form to another, complicating the effectiveness of vaccines and anti-viral drugs used to treat it. By first understanding the complex host cell pathways that the flu uses for replication, researchers are finding new strategies for therapies and vaccines, according to a new study. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140939.htm In both cell lines and mouse models, grape seed extract kills head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed, new research shows. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140939.htm