All Stories by Patrick Barry
- Earth
Carbon sequestration frustration
Cradle-to-grave analysis of emissions from power plants suggests that capturing and burying CO2 could have environmental costs.
- Health & Medicine
Running interference on cholesterol
Injected RNA molecule lowers LDL in rats and monkeys.
- Life
Making T cells tougher against HIV
Delivering small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, to human immune cells in mice protects the cells from HIV and suggests future therapy for patients.
- Health & Medicine
Calcium’s possible role in Alzheimer’s
A new study in mice finds that plaques associated with Alzheimer’s wreak havoc on calcium’s role in cell signaling.
- Health & Medicine
A chink in flu’s armor
Finding the shape of a protein that enables the flu virus to replicate points to ways to combat the disease.
- Life
Choose your own splicer
Zinc-finger proteins can cut, splice or tweak a targeted gene, and a new “open source” method for making customized zinc-finger proteins aimed at specific genes will give scientists easier access to this powerful genetic tool.
- Health & Medicine
Finding the Golden Genes
Advances in gene therapy could tempt some athletes to enhance their genetic makeup, leading some researchers to work on detection methods just in case.
- Life
Hidden in plain view
Looking for unwavering genes rather than standouts could reveal which genes contribute to disease.
- Health & Medicine
X-ray vision
A new imaging technique could give scientists unprecedented views into cells and other objects at the nanoscale.
- Chemistry
It’s DNA Jim, but not as we know it
Chemists synthesized a DNA-like molecule using unnatural versions of the “letters” that make up the genetic code.
- Health & Medicine
Shared recipes for longer life
Being female and eating a calorie-restricted diet contribute to long lifespan in animals, and the two traits may share molecular mechanisms.
- Chemistry
HIV knockout
Cutting a gene in immune cells could offer a new way to treat HIV infections.
