News Health & Medicine

The two faces of prion proteins

Researchers look to the good version of the protein implicated in mad cow disease for insight into the protein’s bad side.

By Rachel Ehrenberg

- More than 2 years ago

When the nefarious Mr. Hyde takes his own life, the good Dr. Jekyll is also killed.

Scientists are adopting the reverse approach for halting the protein behind prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob and mad cow.