Nathan Seppa

Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)

All Stories by Nathan Seppa

  1. Health & Medicine

    Protective virus ties up HIV docking sites

    A harmless virus that seems to keep HIV infections from progressing to AIDS appears to do so by occupying key molecular receptors on immune cells.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Gene mutation for color blindness found

    Scientists have identified the gene that is mutated in people who have color blindness on the Pacific island of Pingelap, perhaps paving the way for genetic screening.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Enzyme needed to degrade acetaldehyde

    A shortage of the enzyme ALDH-2, which is needed to break down alcohol in the body, causes a buildup of the cancer-linked chemical acetaldehyde, perhaps explaining why alcoholics lacking ALDH-2 have high rates of mouth and throat cancers.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Blood sugar processing tied to brain problems

    Elderly people with slightly elevated blood sugar are more likely to have short-term memory problems than those with normal blood sugar.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Ulcer Clue? Molecule could be key to stomach ailment

    A protein called Ptprz binds with a bacterial toxin to produce ulcers in mice, possibly revealing a mechanism for the disorder.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Edible vaccine spawns antibodies to virus

    Genetically engineered potatoes can deliver an edible vaccine against Norwalk virus, a common diarrhea-causing pathogen.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Mixed Results: AIDS vaccine falters in whites, may help blacks

    In its first large test, an AIDS vaccine has failed to shield an at-risk population from acquiring AIDS.

  8. Health & Medicine

    HIV in breast milk can be drug resistant

    HIV-positive women who receive the drug nevirapine during pregnancy often have HIV that is resistant to the drug in their breast milk after they give birth.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Designer RNA stalls hepatitis in mice

    Using strips of synthetic RNA that interfere with normal gene action, scientists working with mice have stopped the progression of hepatitis.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Full Pipeline: Success of experimental AIDS drugs offers promise of future therapies

    Three experimental drugs—a monoclonal antibody, a protease inhibitor, and a fusion inhibitor—performed well in early tests on AIDS patients.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Cultured cells reverse some eye damage

    Transplants using bioengineered corneal stem cells grown on an amniotic membrane can vastly improve vision in people who are nearly blind because of damaged corneas.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Carbon monoxide may limit vascular damage

    Carbon monoxide given in small doses to rats can prevent injury to blood vessels caused by surgery.