Most of the attention lavished on CRISPR is about its capacity to edit mammalian genes, but a study by New Zealand researchers has given new insight into the functions of CRISPR in bacteria.

Most of the attention lavished on CRISPR is about its capacity to edit mammalian genes, but a study by New Zealand researchers has given new insight into the functions of CRISPR in bacteria.

HONG KONG – Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, have established that site-specific phosphorylation of tau protein inhibits amyloid beta (Abeta) plaque toxicity in mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD), providing valuable new insights into AD pathogenesis that could potentially result in new treatments.

HONG KONG – Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute (RRI) have successfully tested a drug showing early promise for preventing pre-term birth in mice, by suppressing inflammatory mechanisms underlying premature delivery.

HONG KONG – Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute (RRI) have successfully tested a drug showing early promise for preventing pre-term birth in mice, by suppressing inflammatory mechanisms underlying premature delivery.

HONG KONG – The bacterial metabolite prodigiosin and its analogue, obatoclax, have been shown to have therapeutic activity in advanced breast cancer, providing the rationale for clinical trials, Chinese researchers reported in the Oct. 31, 2016, online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

HONG KONG — The bacterial metabolite prodigiosin and its analogue, obatoclax, have been shown to have therapeutic activity in advanced breast cancer, providing the rationale for clinical trials, Chinese researchers reported in the Oct. 31, 2016, online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

An Australian study has identified a protein secreted by parasitic hookworms that suppresses asthma in mice, with in vitro tests on cells from asthmatics indicating that the protein is a promising candidate for development of new anti-inflammatory treatments.

An Australian study has identified a protein secreted by parasitic hookworms that suppresses asthma in mice, with in vitro tests on cells from asthmatics indicating that the protein is a promising candidate for development of new anti-inflammatory treatments.

HONG KONG – Scientists in Japan have identified an essential amino acid that is vital for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in mice. That is a key finding that may lead to the development of a safer, more targeted pre-treatment regimen for bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in humans and possibly even a new approach to cancer therapy.