Biology Archives | Newsroom

Researchers pinpoint small molecules that greatly affect differences in heart health in men and women.

A new study by researchers at the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the UNC School of Medicine has identified 13 risk genes that can increase chances for developing osteoarthritis, jumpstarting research that could lead to new, targeted treatments.

Athena Stein, postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Flavio Frohlich, PhD, professor of psychiatry, is developing next-generation non-invasive brain stimulation treatments alongside her new family in the lab.

A research team led by Daniel McKay, PhD, associate professor in the Departments of Biology and Genetics, has identified a key focal point in the biological processes that control cell identity and can lead to disease when mutated.

The lab of Graham Diering, PhD, assistant professor of cell biology and physiology at the UNC School of Medicine, shows how sleep loss during early life impacts key aspects of brain development and how it can increase one’s risk for developing autism spectrum disorder.

UNC School of Medicine researchers Mohanish Deshmukh, PhD, professor of cell biology and physiology, and Praveen Sethupathy, PhD, a former professor of genetics and current chair of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University, show that a molecule called miR-29 is instrumental in driving the aging process.

A research team led by Kathleen M. Caron, PhD, the Frederick L. Eldridge Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at the UNC School of Medicine, has connected the dots between a small protein, the brain’s lymphatic system, and migraine pain.

Researchers in the lab of Ben Philpot, PhD, the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at the UNC School of Medicine and associate director of the UNC Neuroscience Center, have identified a small molecule that could lead to a safe and effective treatment for the neurodevelopmental condition known as Angelman syndrome.

New research by the lab of Jessica Thaxton, PhD, MsCR, in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at the UNC School of Medicine and colleagues in the Immunotherapy Group at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, has unveiled new clues behind T-cell metabolism that could enhance immunotherapies that rely on T cells to fight cancer.

In this new Vital Signs series, we feature graduate student Max Hockenberry, who performs research in the labs of Wes Legant, PhD, and Jim Bear, PhD. Hockenberry is developing new microscopy methods so researchers can measure the mechanisms cells use to maneuver through tight spaces in the body.

In an effort five years in the making, UNC School of Medicine cell biologist Sarah Cohen, PhD, and Rockefeller University’s Ian Windham, PhD, describe the interplay between fats and proteins in brain cells and how their dysfunction contributes to the development of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

In this new Vital Signs series, we feature graduate student Andrew Scott Kennedy Jr., in the Thaxton lab. He’s a budding microscopist who plans to dedicate his research career to understanding health and disease to help patients.

Category: Biology

MicroRNA Responsible for Sex Differences in Cardiac Physiology, Disease

Study Unveils 13 Genes That Increase Risk of Osteoarthritis

How an Australian Researcher Found Her Home at UNC-Chapel Hill

UNC Scientists Discover New Details of Gene Regulation

Let Sleeping Babies Lie: Scientists Highlight Negative Impacts of Sleep Disruption on Early Brain Development

Small RNA Molecule Discovered to Have Role in Driving Aging

Study Suggests Lack of Lymphatic System Drainage in Brain Can Cause Migraine Pain

Researchers Identify Potential Treatment for Angelman Syndrome

Researchers Gain Insight into Why T Cells Lose Energy in Solid Tumors

Five Questions with Max Hockenberry

Protein Accumulation on Fat Droplets Implicated in Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

Five Questions with Andrew Scott Kennedy, Jr.