News

• A new mouse model to study musculoskeletal genetic disorders

  

  A team of researchers at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad created a mouse model with a deleted MYH3 gene to study congenital musculoskeletal disorders. They found that the loss of this gene led to traits resembling spondylocarpotarsal synostosis syndrome (SCTS) in adult mice, shedding light on MYH3-associated conditions. This work holds promise for understanding rare genetic disorders.

  Posted on Sep 08, 2023 in Health & Medicine, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology & Research

  ---

• Using peptides and lipids to deliver RNA interference safely into cells

  

  A team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata and IISER Pune engineered a lipopeptide-based siRNA transporter, ensuring that siRNAs could efficiently enter the cytoplasm of the cells in functional form and perform gene silencing.

  Posted on Aug 25, 2023 in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics & Research

  ---

• Mosquitoes on the hunt: the role of olfaction in finding human hosts

  

  A recent study led by Nitin Gupta, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, have questioned how mosquitoes can detect hundreds of odourants to find human hosts. In contrast to dedicated neural pathways for every odourant, the team of researchers discovered that a combinatorial action of multiple neurons for each odourant is the key to solving the puzzle.

  Posted on Aug 04, 2023 in Cell Biology, Biophysics & Research

  ---

• From lab to mice: nanodrug offers hope for ulcerative colitis treatment

  

  In a collaborative study, researchers from the SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, Uluberia College, University of Calcutta, and other institutes made an exciting discovery in treating ulcerative colitis, a prevalent chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). By using chitosan-capped trimanganese tetraoxide nanoparticles, they effectively treated the disease in mice, offering the potential for future therapeutic advancements in this debilitating condition.

  Posted on Jul 28, 2023 in Health & Medicine, Nanotechnology, Cell Biology & Research

  ---

• Unravelling the intriguing partnership of GPCRs and β-arrestins

  

  A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, have identified a key determinant motif in the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that facilitates its interaction with β-arrestins. The study provides crucial insights into the complex mechanism, opening new avenues for therapeutic interventions and advancing our understanding of GPCR-mediated signalling.

  Posted on Jul 21, 2023 in Health & Medicine, Cell Biology & Molecular Biology

  ---

• Understanding bacterial cell wall expansion offers new antibiotic targets

  

  A new study led by Manjula Reddy, Chief Scientist, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) reveals that the growth and size of bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. coli) are controlled by the availability of fatty acids, which regulate the levels of an enzyme called MepS involved in peptidoglycan synthesis.

  Posted on Jun 30, 2023 in Cell Biology & Molecular Biology

  ---

• Exploring the therapeutic potential of gut microbiota for treating liver diseases

  

  A recent study led by Partha Chakrabarti, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, explores the therapeutic potential of gut microbiota in preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study found that butyrate, a metabolite produced by gut bacteria, effectively reduces inflammation in liver macrophages, suggesting a potential treatment approach for NAFLD.

  Posted on Jun 16, 2023 in Biochemistry, Health & Medicine, Cell Biology & Research

  ---