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A Princeton University-led research team has discovered that protein competition over an important enzyme provides a mechanism to integrate different signals that direct early embryonic development. The work suggests that these signals are combined long before they interact with the organism's DNA, as was previously believed, and also may inform new therapeutic strategies to fight cancer...

A panel of governmental, academic and non-profit scientists speaking at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) unveiled research suggesting that diseases found in dolphins are similar to human diseases and can provide clues into how human health might be affected by exposure to contaminated coastal water or seafood...

Humans and animals are able to perceive even the slightest vibration and touch of the skin. Mechanosensitive ion channels play a crucial role in the mediation of these sensations. Ion channels are pores in the cell membrane which are highly responsive to external signals...

Clinical testing and development of novel therapies based on advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine that will one day enable the repair and replacement of diseased or damaged human muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments depends on the availability of good animal models...

Researchers have identified the protein mechanism that senses bicarbonate fluctuations and adjusts blood pH levels.. A Canadian/U.S. research team led by University of Alberta biological sciences professor, Greg Goss and his graduate students Martin Tresguerres and Scott Parks achieved the first demonstration of the process in a whole animal...

While studying a way to more safely and effectively collect snake venom, University of Florida researchers have noticed the venom delivered by an isolated population of Florida cottonmouth snakes may be changing in response to their diet. Scientists used a portable nerve stimulator to extract venom from anesthetized cottonmouths, producing more consistent extraction results and greater amounts of venom, according to findings published in August in the journal Toxicon.

Paul Flecknell, PhD, widely recognized for his expertise in the identification and management of pain in laboratory animals, is the 2009 recipient of the Charles River Laboratories' Excellence in Refinement Award. This award was presented on September 3 at the 7th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences in Rome.

UCSF researchers have identified the two key circuits that control a cell's ability to adapt to changes in its environment, a finding that could have applications ranging from diabetes and autoimmune research to targeted drug development for complex diseases. The new findings are featured as the cover story in the August 21, 2009 issue of the journal Cell and are available online at http://www.cell.com.

Potential new drugs: 970 million and still counting Like astronomers counting stars in the familiar universe of outer space, chemists in Switzerland are reporting the latest results of a survey of chemical space - the so-called chemical universe where tomorrow's miracle drugs may reside. The scientists conclude, based on this phase of the ongoing count, that there are 970 million chemicals suitable for study as new drugs.