New insights in Neurodegenerative diseases

In their new report in Nature Genetics, the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project (IGAP) stated the new 11 risk factors namely PICALM, CLU, CR1, BIN1, MS4A, CD2AP, EPHA1, ABCA7, SORL1 and TREM2 for Alzheimer’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease, which is more common among aged people. 

In another study, scientist of Rutgers University stated that A-T disease, a rare child hood disease, which makes excess production of protein in the brain cells can also cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

These findings still to be validated in a clinical setting. Rutgers University together with A-T Clinical Center at Johns Hopkins University, trying to create human neurons like those in A-T patients and study the mechanisms of disease in more detail.

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Light and Nanotechnology

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) is the sources of light energy which directly converts electrical energy into light unlike incandescent bulbs. It is proven that the efficiency of the LED can be improved using QD-Quantum Dots.

QD (combines advanced spectroscopy and Nanotechnology) are semiconductor materials which are recently engineered Nanotechnology by Los Alamos National Laboratory. QD-LEDs have improved efficiency over conventional LEDs.

Another improvement in utilization of light is in measuring glucose level in blood by a team of German researchers. They published a new method in the current edition of Review of Scientific Instruments which includes measuring the skin glucose level; directly related to blood glucose. By passing a beam of laser light on top of skin (without pricking and pain) the glucose level under the skin can be measured.

Source: Eureka Alerts

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Depression and Insecurity

Feeling insecure is the root cause for many psychological disorders. From childhood insecurity has been with us in various forms like witchcraft, magic, Halloweens, Rituals and the list goes on. Today people have started to believe that these rituals can control their environment. A study by Christen Legare says that belief in witchcraft and Science are incompatible.  

Depression is the key factor linking the problems of violence and insecurity. A new study out of the University of Houston Texas Obesity Research Center (TORC) shows that women especially mothers who experience violence like sexual abuse, physical abuse from their more intimate person (partner in most cases) are depressed and a feeling of insecurity for food arises in them.

Source: Eureka Alerts

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Craniofacial Development

All of us have unique faces with unique craniofacial development but we inherit certain similarities form our parents. A recent study by researchers in Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) found that gene enhancers are responsible for this unique facial development.

There are thousands of these gene enhancers in our body which are important in craniofacial development. They may be inherited from parents to children.

A deletion of enhancers experiment was carried on mice which show deletions of enhancers relating to craniofacial development lead to alterations in shapes. Thus gene enhancers are vitally important in skull morphology.

Source: Eureka Alerts

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July 31 - This Day in Science

31 July 1990:

Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee of the National Institutes of Health approved experiments in gene therapy by the insertion of new genes into body cells.

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July 30 - This Day in Science

30 July 1898:
Corn Flakes were invented by William K Kellogg at Battle Creek Sanitarium.

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July 29 - This Day in Science

29 July 1890:

U.S. patent (No. 433,311) received by Laroy Sunderland Starrett for his micrometer screw guage.

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July 28 - This Day in Science

28 July 1858:

Fingerprints were used as a means of identification for the first time.

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July 27 - This Day in Science

July 27:

Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolated insulin at Toronto University.

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July 26 - This Day in Science

26 July 1775::
Benjamin Franklin became Postmaster-General.

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July 25 - This Day in Science

25 July 1997:
From the tissue taken from aborted human embryos, for the first time human stem cells had been cultured in a laboratory.

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Opportunities - PhD - Peptide-Based Drug Design

Title:

PhD in Peptide-Based Drug Design

Where:

Peptide-Based Drug Research Group at Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Field: 

Chemistry, Bioorganic chemistry, Chemical engineering

Eligibility:

Applicants must fulfill the following conditions.

• Master´s degree in bioorganic chemistry, chemical engineering or another relevant subject area prior to the starting date
• Fluency in English and excellent communication skills
• Preferred qualifications
• a strong background in peptide chemistry, solid-phase chemistry, or bioorganic chemistry at both a theoretical and practical level
• creativity and drive for achieving scientific goals – independently as well as via interaction with multidisciplinary biology-oriented project groups
• insight and interest in aspects of medicinal chemistry/drug design
• a desire to contribute to the fight against infectious diseases via development of novel potential antibiotics

Formal requirements
The position is available for a three-year period for applicants holding a relevant master´s degree.

It is a prerequisite that the PhD candidate is enrolled as a PhD student at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences according to the rules stipulated in the Ministerial order on the PhD programme at the universities (PhD order) from the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Higher Education and the guidelines for the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

The PhD fellow is expected to be affiliated to the graduate programme, Drug Research Academy.

Terms of employment
Salary and other terms of employment are stated in the Protocol on PhD Research Fellows signed by the Danish Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

Contact:
For further information, applicants may contact the supervisor or Administrator Marianne W. Jørgensen,  direct phone: +45 35 33 64 49.

To apply, please open the link "Apply online," fill in the online application form, and attach all your material (in word or pdf).

The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and bachelor´s and master´s degrees
• Applicants with a Master´s degree from abroad should also enclose a short description of the grading scale used
• Possible publication list
• Possible references and recommendations

Apply here 

Deadline: September 6, 2013

Please mention that you saw this job on www.mrresearcher.com. All the best !!

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July 24 - This Day in Science

24 July 1938:
Nescafé instant coffee was commercially introduced in Switzerland by the Nestlé company.

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July 23 - This Day in Science

23 July 1986:
The first recombinant DNA (genetically altered) vaccine - by Merck & Co., marketed as RecombivaxHB was licensed by FDA as a new Hepatitis B vaccine.

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July 22 - This Day in Science

22 July 1933:
Wiley Post completed the first round-the-world solo flight (15,596 miles), in 7 days 18hr 49min, with his single-engine Lockheed Vega 5B aircraft "Winnie Mae"

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Opportunities - Post Doc - Biological Image Analysis and Informatics

Title:
Postdoc/ Research Associate in Biological Image Analysis and Informatics

Where:
 Complex Cellular Phenotype Analysis Group, Bioinformatics Institute, A*STAR, Singapore

Field: 
Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Image Processing, Physics, Machine learning

Eligibility:

• Candidates must have a strong quantitative background, with a Ph.D. in computer science, electrical or computer engineering, bioengineering, computational biology, biophysics, mathematics, physics, or other related fields.
• Candidates with interdisciplinary training in biology and computing are especially encouraged to apply. Strong knowledge in machine learning, statistics, and programming (C/C++ and R) are required.
• Previous experience in image processing, biology, bioinformatics, or systems modeling is desired, but not required. 
• Candidates must also possess good communication skills, and be fluent in both spoken and written English.

Contact:
Send cover letter, CV, and contact information for three references to  Dr. Lit-Hsin Loo

Deadline: October 17, 2013.


Please mention that you saw this job on www.mrresearcher.com. All the best !!

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