Features
Let's Do The Twist: Spiral Proteins are Effective Gene Delivery Agents
Illinois researchers developed spiral polypeptides that can deliver DNA segments to cells with high efficiency and relatively low toxicity, a step toward clinical gene therapy. The team, from left, postdoctoral researchers Lichen Yin and Dong Li; Fei Wang, a professor of cell and developmental biology; Jianjun Cheng, a professor of materials science and engineering; and Nathan Gabrielson, a postdoctoral researcher.
published January 04, 2012
Team discovers how a cancer-causing bacterium spurs cell death
A new study led by Professor of Microbiology Stephen Blanke, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to show how a bacterial toxin can disrupt a cell’s mitochondria – its energy-generation and distribution system – to disable the cell and spur apoptosis (programmed cell death).
published November 01, 2011
MicroRNAs in the songbird brain respond to new songs
Whenever it hears an unfamiliar song from a male of the same species, the zebra finch stops chirping, hopping and grooming. It listens attentively for minutes at a time, occasionally cocking its head but otherwise immobile. Once it becomes familiar with the song, it goes back to its busy routine.
published July 01, 2011
Team identifies new breast cancer tumor suppressor and how it works
In a new study, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Lin-Feng Chen and colleagues identified a new breast cancer tumor suppressor protein, Runx3, and determined how it functioned.
published June 30, 2011
Team solves decades-old molecular mystery linked to blood clotting
An interdisciplinary collaboration at the University of Illinois led to a breakthrough in understanding blood clotting. Researchers on the study were (from left): Emad Tajkhorshid, Chad Rienstra, Mary Clay, Rebecca Davis-Harrison, Zenmei Ohkubo, Narjes Tavoosi, Mark Arcario, Taras Pogorelov and James Morrissey.
published June 29, 2011
Small change makes a big difference for ion channels
Associate Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology Claudio Grosman and research scientist Gisela Cymes used a high-resolution single-molecule study technique to see the very subtle differences between two branches of an important family of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels.
published June 28, 2011