Disease mechanisms and treatments

Light-activated small molecule could transform eye infection treatment

Contact lenses raise the risk of infectious keratitis, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. A biotech company is commercializing a light-activated therapy using a ROS-generating molecule to rapidly kill microbes in the cornea to preserve vision.

The molecular orchestra of memory

Calcium, calmodulin and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II form a molecular axis that turns fleeting neural activity into lasting memories. New research shows how memories are stabilized, and possibly even protected or repaired.

Cholesterol regulatory genes predict liver transplant outcomes

Researchers identify a link between cholesterol-regulating genes and liver transplant success, which could improve donor screening and patient outcomes.

Lipid signatures for a rare neurological disorder

Researchers find distinct lipid patterns linked to a rare autoimmune neurological disorder, offering hope for effective targeted therapies for patients.

Disease-linked mutations disrupt protein phase behavior

Researchers find that pathogenic missense mutations are enriched threefold in phrase-separating intrinsically disordered regions of proteins.

Novel inhibitor targets RAS-driven cancers

Researchers in Louisville identify a small-molecule drug that blocks RALGEF signaling downstream of mutant RAS. The compound suppresses tumor growth with low toxicity, revealing a new therapeutic strategy for RAS-driven malignancies.

Catching tau in the act

Using a new proximity-labeling approach, researchers reveal how tangles of the brain-associated protein tau may disrupt RNA biology long before neurons die.

Revealing the glycoproteome of a cancer subtype

Researchers mapped the glycoproteome of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and compared it to intrahepatic tumors. Differences in sugar modifications and immune cell content suggest new biomarkers and guide development of targeted immunotherapies.

Uncovering the mechanisms of a glycosylation disorder

Mutations in OGT, an enzyme that adds sugars to proteins, cause a rare neurological disorder. Using proteomics, researchers reveal how OGT interactions with TET proteins may trigger epigenetic changes and early neural defects.