Category Biology/Biotechnology

Protein identification technique may be used in forensics, archaeology. Unique protein markers in hair could be used alongside DNA profiling for human identification. DNA profiling is commonly used for identification in forensic science and archaeology because DNA is unique to each individual. However, environmental and chemical processes can degrade DNA, limiting its usefulness over time. In contrast, protein is more stable than DNA but can also have variations that may be unique to the individual. Glendon Parker and his team therefore investigated whether the protein found in human hair could offer another tool for identifying individuals.

The researchers were able to examine bioarcheological hair samples from 6 individua...

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A team has built a mathematical model that describes the molecular events associated with the beginning stage of learning and memory formation in the human brain. The research paves the way for understanding cognitive function and neurodegenerative diseases – at the molecular and cellular levels. The study focuses on the dynamics of dendritic spines, thorny structures that allow neurons to communicate with each other. When a spine receives a signal from another neuron, it responds by rapidly expanding in volume ie transient spine expansion.

Transient spine expansion is one of the early events leading up to learning and memory formation...

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The sensor can detect E. coli bacteria in 15-20 minutes, much faster than traditional lab tests, over a wide temperature range . E.coli can be transmitted in contaminated food and water, posing particular risks to children and the elderly. In the late spring of 2011 a serious outbreak of E.coli bacteria sickened thousands of people in Germany and killed more than 50. “Using currently available technologies, which are mostly based on amplification of the sample, it takes several hours to days to detect the presence of bacteria. A fast and accurate detection alternative is, therefore, preferable over the existing technology,” said Saurabh Mani Tripathi, a physicist at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

The new sensor uses bacteriophages – viru...

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Dr Suraya A. Sani, recent PhD graduate from The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC), has been working with a tropical fruit, locally called asam keping, under the supervision of Dr Teng-Jin Khoo at UNMC’s School of Pharmacy. Funded by the Sarawak Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship, she was able to spend her time on research work for the first two years at UNMC and a year working on her research at the Centre for BioMolecular Sciences at University Park, The University of Nottingham, UK under the co-supervision of Professor Dr Jonas Emsley.

Dr Suraya A. Sani conducts research on the medicinal properties of the Garcinia plant species; a plant species which is largely available in Malaysia and throughout Southeast Asia...

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