New research on leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, reveals a previously unknown mechanism that may be responsible for at least 10 percent of obesity cases. The findings could help identify individuals with treatable forms of the condition.
When looking for food, the roundworm C. elegans searches the same area for up to 20 minutes before trying its luck at more distant locales. New research on the worm’s brain explains how this behavior arises at the level of molecules and cells.
Scientists have learned new tricks that could be useful in preventing mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika and yellow fever. A new study shows that some appetite-reducing drugs can curtail the insects’ impulse to feed on warm-blooded hosts.
By analyzing gene expression patterns, researchers have identified previously unknown distinctions between mouse and human neurons. They have also developed a new way to track cellular changes associated with brain disorders.
Researchers have assembled a new and improved DNA catalogue for the mosquito Aedes aegypti. This tool will help researchers understand the insect’s biology, and may lead to new strategies for preventing diseases like Zika and dengue.
Maimon, who studies cognition and decision-making, and Marraffini, who studies the bacterial defense system CRISPR-Cas, are among 19 scientists nationwide to receive this designation.
Scientists have discovered a curious way for cells to die. In studying it, they are learning about how remnants of diseased cells are normally chewed up and removed.
