Cockroaches, leeches, and snails are ordinarily thought of as creepy pests or as an exotic dinner. But to biologists who are interested in behavior, memory, sensation, and other neurological phenomena, these organisms provide valuable information about the inner workings of complex nervous systems.
Researchers at UC San Diego have discovered that iron-containing nanoparticles being tested for use in several biomedical applications can be toxic to nerve cells and interfere with the formation of their signal-transmitting extensions.
A natural mechanism pirated by tumors and HIV to evade the immune response is opening the door to better treatment for these conditions, researchers say.
Bangladesh has called for international help to upgrade its bird flu testing. There is a large outbreak of avian bird flu in poultry in Bangladesh.
Compounds derived from the blue agave, a fruit used to make tequila, shows promise in early laboratory studies as a natural, more effective way to deliver drugs to the colon than conventional drug-carriers, according to chemists at the University of Guadalajara in Mexico.
In an era of increasing death and illness from heart and blood vessel disease — which also can impair kidney function — Mayo Clinic researchers have designed two promising new cardiovascular treatment approaches.
Some day, heart attack survivors might have a patch of laboratory-grown muscle placed in their heart, to replace areas that died during their attack.
A study by biomedical scientists at the University of Leicester has revealed for the first time that rice bran could reduce the risk of intestinal cancer.
Harvard Medical School researchers are working on a new, simpler way to distinguish malignant tumors from non-cancerous masses when screening for breast cancer.
People who are frequently infected with malaria parasites can develop immunity against the gametocyte, the infectious stage. This immunity inhibits the spread of the parasite.