Gene Expression by Remote Control

Radio-Wave Heating of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Can Regulate Plasma Glucose in Mice

Medical applications of nanotechnology typically focus on drug delivery and biosensors. Here, we combine nanotechnology and bioengineering to demonstrate that nanoparticles can be used to remotely regulate protein production in vivo. We decorated a modified temperature-sensitive channel, TRPV1, with antibody-coated iron oxide nanoparticles that are heated in a low-frequency magnetic field. When local temperature rises, TRPV1 gates calcium to stimulate synthesis and release of bioengineered insulin driven by a Ca²⁺-sensitive promoter. Studying tumor xenografts expressing the bioengineered insulin gene, we show that exposure to radio waves stimulates insulin release from the tumors and lowers blood glucose in mice. We further show that cells can be engineered to synthesize genetically encoded ferritin nanoparticles and inducibly release insulin. These approaches provide a platform for using nanotechnology to activate cells. 

grad school tumblr

http://whatshouldwecallgradschool.tumblr.com/

Re: How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.calcalist.co.il%2Flocal%2Farticles%2F0%2C7340%2CL-3560740%2C00.html&act=url

-From Keren

How Your Cat Is Making You Crazy

Jaroslav Flegr is no kook. And yet, for years, he suspected his mind had been taken over by parasites that had invaded his brain. So the prolific biologist took his science-fiction hunch into the lab. What he’s now discovering will startle you. Could tiny organisms carried by house cats be creeping into our brains, causing everything from car wrecks to schizophrenia? 

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/03/how-your-cat-is-making-you-crazy/8873/?single_page=true

amazing letter to the editor

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2812%2960341-9/fulltext

Lick your pups!

There is a really interactive site from U of Utah that explains a wide arrange of genetic concepts called Learn.Genetics (they have another for teachers/instructors called Teach.Genetics). One of their pages is on the epigenetics of the GR gene and you actually have to lick your pups before the time is up or else they will grow up having an impaired stress response. I thought this was neat.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/rats/

Sh*t Grad Students say...

A glimpse into our lives.  http://youtu.be/ovEghdXC4tE