How seizures, epilepsy and other brain malformations develop from genetic variants is not fully understood, but a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) award will pave the way toward understanding the cause and potentially lead to new therapies. Original article can be found here.
Researchers in the lab of Ben Philpot, PhD, the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at the UNC School of Medicine and associate director of the UNC Neuroscience Center, have identified a small molecule that could lead to a safe and effective treatment for the neurodevelopmental condition known as Angelman syndrome. Original article … Read more
The UNC School of Medicine lab of Bryan Roth, MD, PhD, and colleagues at UCSF, Stanford and Harvard determined that a protein prediction technology can yield accurate results in the hunt to efficiently find the best possible drug candidates for many conditions. Original article can be found here.
The UNC School of Medicine lab of Zoe McElligott, PhD, and colleagues found that the animal tranquilizer xylazine activates opioid receptors in the brain, suggesting a reason why the treatment naloxone triggers a more severe withdrawal response when given to individuals on fentanyl/xylazine and suffering from respiratory depression. Original article can be found here.
A new study in the lab of Bryan Roth, MD, PhD, at the UNC School of Medicine, helps us better understand how we perceive bitter taste on a chemical level. The findings may lead to the development of drugs that targeting taste receptors. Full article can be found here.
A landmark study, led by Yen-Yu Ian Shih, PhD, professor of neurology and associate director of UNC’s Biomedical Research Imaging Center, could alter how researchers interpret results from functional magnetic resonance imaging. Original article can be found here.
Klaus Hahn, PhD, the Ronald G. Thurman Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology at the UNC School of Medicine, will co-lead this Chan Zuckerberg Initiative project with colleagues at Duke University and North Carolina State University. Full article found here.
Biologists Celia Shiau and En Yang at UNC-Chapel Hill have been awarded a competitive Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) grant to tackle unsolved grand challenges in neurodegenerative diseases and fundamental neuroscience. The awards were announced on Feb. 21. Shiau is an associate professor and Yang is an assistant professor in the department of biology in UNC’s College of Arts … Read more
In an effort five years in the making, UNC School of Medicine cell biologist Sarah Cohen, PhD, and Rockefeller University’s Ian Windham, PhD, describe the interplay between fats and proteins in brain cells and how their dysfunction contributes to the development of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Full article found here.
Eagles Autism Foundation contributes $6.2 million to fund 34 research and community projects. The Eagles Autism Foundation has announced that 34 projects specializing in cutting-edge autism research and care will receive $6.2 million in funding. The grants are a direct result of the proceeds raised by participants from the 2023 Eagles Autism Challenge, in addition to other … Read more