Posts by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Microbes in the human body may swap genes across tissue boundaries
Bacteria in the human body are sharing genes with one another at a higher rate than is typically seen in nature, and some of those genes appear to be traveling – independent of their microbial hosts …
Read Full ArticleReused cooking oil promotes breast cancer progression in mice
A new study in mice suggests that consuming the chemical compounds found in thermally abused cooking oil may trigger genetic changes that promote the progression of late-stage breast cancer. …
Read Full ArticleFree fatty acids rewire cells to promote obesity-related breast cancer
Scientists at the University of Illinois have found that free fatty acids in the blood appear to boost proliferation and growth of breast cancer cells. …
Read Full ArticleStudy links nutrients in blood to better brain connectivity, cognition in older adults
A new study links higher levels of several key nutrients in the blood with more efficient brain connectivity and performance on cognitive tests in older adults. …
Read Full ArticleNew drug targets receptors in sarcoma cells, shrinks tumors in animal trials
A new compound that targets a receptor within sarcoma cancer cells shrank tumors and hampered their ability to spread in mice and pigs, a study from researchers at the University of Illinois reports. …
Read Full ArticleDamaged liver cells undergo reprogramming to regenerate
In Greek mythology, Zeus punishes the trickster Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle to eat a portion of his liver every day, in perpetuity. It was the right organ to target – the liver has the ability …
Read Full ArticleKidney stones have distinct geological histories
A geologist, a microscopist and a doctor walk into a lab and, with their colleagues from across the nation, make a discovery that overturns centuries of thought about the nature and composition of kidney stones. …
Read Full ArticleLong-term estrogen therapy changes microbial activity in the gut, study finds
Long-term therapy with estrogen and bazedoxifene alters the microbial composition and activity in the gut, affecting how estrogen is metabolized, a new study in mice found. …
Read Full ArticleDisease-causing stomach bug attacks energy generation in host cells
Researchers report in a new study that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori – a major contributor to gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer – resists the body’s immune defenses by shutting down energy production within the cells of the stomach lining that serve …
Read Full ArticleElastic microspheres expand understanding of embryonic development and cancer cells
A new technique that uses tiny elastic balls filled with fluorescent nanoparticles aims to expand the understanding of the mechanical forces that exist between cells, researchers report. …
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