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New study uncovers novel receptor function in Fragile X syndrome
Fragile X syndrome is one of the most commonly inherited forms of autism and intellectual disability, and no treatment currently exists. But a team of University of Illinois researchers led by Vipendra Kumar, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, has...
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NIH grant to support research into connections between autism, sensory hypersensitivity
Supported by a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Auerbach Lab will examine how different genes associated with autism spectrum disorders may similarly impact our brain’s neurons, resulting in heightened sensitivity to sounds.
Autism spectrum disorders are...
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Mice study suggests metabolic diseases may be driven by gut microbiome, loss of ovarian hormones
The gut microbiome interacts with the loss of female sex hormones to exacerbate metabolic disease, including weight gain, fat in the liver and the expression of genes linked with inflammation, researchers found in a new rodent study.
The findings, published in the journal...
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$3M grant to fund research into early detection of Alzheimer’s disease
What do a synthetic chemist, a medical imaging expert, and a neurologist have in common? They’re coming together in the Biomedical Imaging Center at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology to develop better diagnostic tools and...
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From PhD to pre-K: How outreach changed Nicole Godellas's approach to science
Nicole Godellas recently earned her PhD in Molecular and Integrative Physiology. Along the way, she joined the Beckman Institute’s outreach team and learned a few lessons about communicating science to the general public....
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School of MCB alumni chosen for College of LAS awards
Eight alumni of the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, including two with ties to the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, will receive recognition during the college’s 2024 alumni awards at a celebration in April. They are researchers and entrepreneurs who have...
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Nanoparticle transport across the blood brain barrier increases with Alzheimer’s and age
Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease affect more than 270 million people worldwide. Alheimer's is the leading cause of dementia, resulting in memory loss due to atrophy of neurons in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that regulates learning and memory. Nanoparticles...
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In memoriam: Mary Jane Beasley, research scientist and UIUC supporter
The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology is saddened to share news about the passing of Mary Jane Beasley, research specialist, lab manager, and enthusiastic supporter of the school, its departments, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Mary Jane Beasley, known to all as MJ, was...
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New research from Raetzman lab, led by undergraduate, investigates the mechanism behind genetic cause of congenital hypopituitarism
Hypopituitarism occurs when the pituitary gland, a small, pea-sized gland at the base of the brain, does not make enough hormones that are essential for growth, metabolism, and reproduction.
Lori Raetzman, a professor of...
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Sweeney Lab demonstrates how neurons with melanocortin-3 receptor regulate anxiety-related behavior
In a new study, University of Illinois scientists have shown how a specific group of neurons respond to information about an animal’s energy state and external challenges to regulate anxiety, fear, and similar behavior. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest these...