Biosciences News

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.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) CEO Jay Keasling announced that Blake Simmons would be stepping into the role of Chief Science and Technology Officer (CSTO). Simmons, who joined JBEI in 2006 as Vice President for one of its divisions, continues to be Senior Manager of the Biofuels & Biomaterials Science and Technology Department at Sandia National Laboratories.

The Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa has claimed over 110 lives and more than 170 suspected or confirmed cases have been reported. While there is no known cure, basic research is providing insight into the action of the virus. Zachary Bornholdt and Erica Ollman Saphire from The Scripps Research Institute spearheaded a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Tokyo, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, studying an Ebola virus protein.

Presented by R&D Magazine, the R&D 100 Awards recognize the year’s top 100 technology products from industry, academia, and government-sponsored research, ranging from chemistry to materials to biomedical breakthroughs.