Biosciences News

Adult-onset diabetes, characterized by abnormally high blood sugar, affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. New treatments for this disease have centered on targeting the human receptor protein GPR40, since it can enhance sugar-dependent insulin secretion. TAK-875 is a drug developed by the company Takeda to stimulate insulin secretion by binding to this receptor.

X-ray solution scattering is a routine biophysical technique used to determine structure and dynamics of macromolecules in solution. When solution scattering data is interpreted, often with the aid of known atomic models, an improved understanding of the macromolecule’s biological function and properties emerges.

Artificial photosynthesis is achieved by using light to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Recently, researchers at the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP), utilizing three of the National User Facilities at Berkeley Lab, were able to address one of the major challenges in artificial photosynthesis – the stabilization of semiconductor materials under the harsh conditions required for water splitting.

Cytokines are small proteins, e.g. growth hormone, that induce “signals” inside cells when they bind cell-surface receptors. Many cytokine-induced signals pass through members of the Janus kinase (JAK) family. Mutations in JAK proteins that cause blood cancers were identified a decade ago, but it has not been determined exactly how they do so.

John Kuriyan, Senior Faculty Scientist in the Physical Biosciences Division and Chancellor’s Professor in the Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology and Chemistry at the University of California-Berkeley, gave the inaugural talk of the National Energy Research Super Computing (NERSC) Center’s Nobel Lunchtime Lecture Series.