Mina Bissell and Ana Correia of the Life Sciences Division have provided new evidence to support earlier findings that cancer therapy drugs based on the catalytic activity of metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes failed because they were aimed at the wrong target. Bissell and Correia showed that MMP3, a secreted protein, promotes invasion via extracellular interaction with the protein HSP90b. Earlier research by Bissell’s group found that MMP14, a membrane-bound protein, promotes invasion through its association with integrin. These results point to non-catalytic MMP sites as new therapy targets. Also working on this study were Hidetoshi Mori, Emily Chen and Fernando Schmitt. More>
Posts Tagged ‘Life Sciences Division’
New Hope for MMP Cancer Therapies
Friday, May 3rd, 2013Flip-Flop Advice on Exercise May Not be as Contradictory as it Seems
Wednesday, May 1st, 2013
[Slate] If you’re a runner, you might have noticed this surprising headline from the April 5 edition of the Guardian: “Brisk walk healthier than running—scientists.” Or maybe you saw this one, which ran in Health magazine the very same day: “Want to lose weight? Then run, don’t walk: Study.” Dueling research from rival academic camps? Not exactly. Both articles described the work of a herpetologist-turned-statistician at Berkeley Lab named Paul Williams, who, last month, achieved a feat that’s exceedingly rare in mainstream science: He used exactly the same dataset to publish two opposing findings. More>
Comparing Proteins at a Glance
Monday, April 29th, 2013
John Tainer and Cynthia McMurray of the Life Sciences Division, working with Greg Hura and Helen Budworth, have developed a revolutionary structural comparison map for the study of proteins and other biological macromolecules with small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The map enables researchers at a glance to identify structural similarities and differences between multiple proteins under a variety of conditions. It has already been used at the Advanced Light Source to gain valuable new insight into a prime protein target for cancer chemotherapy. Also contributing to this effort were Kevin Dyer, Robert Rambo and Michal Hammel. More>
Next Integrated Bioimaging Seminar on May 1
Monday, April 29th, 2013
The next LBNL Integrated Bioimaging Seminar will be held Wednesday, May 1, at 4 p.m. in Building 84-318. The talk will feature Carolyn Larabell of UCSF and the Physical Biosciences Division, who will speak on “Correlated Fluorescence and X-Ray Tomography of Nuclear Organization and Chromatin Topology,” and Paul Ashby, Material Sciences Division, speaking on “New Probes and Algorithms for Imaging Proteins and Cells With High Speed and Resolution Using Atomic Force Microscopy.” Seminars are held the first Wednesday of the month and cover diverse topics in the area of bioimaging. More>
New Metrics for SAS Analysis of Flexible Macromolecules
Friday, April 26th, 2013
John Tainer of the Life Sciences Division and Rob Rambo of the Physical Biosciences Division have developed a new set of metrics for analyzing data from small angle scattering (SAS) experiments that should dramatically improve the ability of scientists to study the structures of macromolecules such as proteins and nanoparticles in solution. Among other advantages, the new SAS metrics will reduce the time required to collect data by up to 20 times and could be a game-changer for accurate high-throughput and objective analyses of flexible macromolecules. More>
Life Scientist to Speak Tonight at Chabot Center on Astrobiology
Friday, April 19th, 2013
Felisa Wolfe-Simon of the Lab’s Life Sciences Division gives a talk tonight at the Chabot Space and Science Center, as part of their “Future Friday” speaker series. Wolfe-Simon is a NASA research fellow who explores the intersection between biology and geology, with a focus in astrobiology. The event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. More>
Walking Just as Effective as Running for Bringing Heart Benefits
Wednesday, April 10th, 2013
[CBS News] If you’re a runner, a new study suggests you may be able to slow down and still gain the same health benefits. A study of almost 50,000 Americans finds brisk walking can be just as effective at reducing heart health risks like high blood pressure and cholesterol as going on a full-speed run. “People are always looking for an excuse not to exercise, but now they have a straightforward choice to run or to walk and invest in their future health,” study author Paul Williams of the Life Sciences Division. More>
Next LBNL Integrated Bioimaging Seminar Tomorrow
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013
The next LBNL Integrated Bioimaging Seminar will be held tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Building 84-318. The talk will feature the Life Sciences Division’s Erwin Frise, who will speak on “Fiji: A Complete Open Image Processing Environment for the Biosciences,” and Robert Glaeser, speaking on “In-Focus Phase Contrast for Cryo-EM.” Seminars are held the first Wednesday of the month and cover diverse topics in the area of bioimaging. More>
March 26 Talk by Bruce Alberts on Science and the World’s Future
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
The world badly needs the innovation that comes from continual scientific and technical advances, says Bruce Alberts, editor-in-chief of Science magazine, and a renowned UCSF researcher. Alberts will present a talk on “Science and the World’s Future” at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, in the Building 66 Auditorium. The seminar, which will be followed by an informal reception, is hosted by the Early Career Scientists Society (ECSS) of the Life Sciences Division. All are welcome to attend. More>
DOE Women’s History Month Feature Includes Profiles of Lab Researchers
Tuesday, March 19th, 2013
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Department of Energy is featuring “Women @ Energy,” which showcases talented and dedicated employees at the Energy Department. Women @ Energy profiles women across the country who share insights on what inspired them to work in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Several Berkeley Lab researchers are included in the feature, including Susannah Green Tringe (JGI), Rachel Segalman (Materials Sciences), Natalie Roe (Physics), Mina Bissell and Jill Fuss (Life Sciences), Kathy Yelick (Computing Sciences), Dawn Munson (Engineering), Gabriel Orebi Gann (NSD), and (pictured) Aindrila Mukhopadhyay (JBEI). More>
