Science Talk

Science Talk: Antibody Neutralizes Two Deadliest Ebola Virus Species

Tue, 1 Mar 2016 11:59:27 -0500

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Jonathan Lai, Ph.D., and colleagues have engineered the first antibodies that can potentially neutralize the two deadliest strains of the virus that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever. The findings were published online January 13 in the journal Scientific Reports. Dr. Lai, associate professor of biochemistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and John Dye, Ph.D., branch chief of viral immunology at USAMRIID, were co-leaders on the study.

Science Talk: Antibiotics May Thwart Sickle Cell Crisis

Tue, 1 Mar 2016 11:51:40 -0500

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - New research on sickle cell disease by Paul Frenette, M.D., has found that using antibiotics to deplete the body’s microbiome may prevent acute sickle cell crisis and could offer the first effective strategy for warding off the disease’s long-term complications, such as organ failure. The findings were published online on September 16 in the journal Nature. Dr. Frenette is professor of medicine and of cell biology and chair and director of Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Science Talk: Survey Finds Miscarriage Widely Misunderstood

Fri, 12 Jun 2015 09:53:37 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Results of a new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults has found that misperceptions about miscarriage and its causes are widespread. Results of the survey, conducted by Dr. Zev Williams show that guilt and shame are common and fewer than half of respondents say they received adequate emotional support from the medical community. The findings were published online on May 11 in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. Williams is director of the Program for Early and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (PEARL) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System and is assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology and women’s health, and of genetics, at Einstein.

Outsmarting Ebola Virus: Innovative Research on Treatment

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:16:11 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Kartik Chandran, Ph.D., explains the novel strategies he and his colleagues are using to develop treatments for Ebola viral infections. Watch 3-D animations showing how Ebola enters a cell and delivers its payload in order to replicate and spread throughout the body. Dr. Chandran is associate professor of microbiology & immunology at Einstein. Major funding for this research is provided by the NIH, U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Chan Family Foundation, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Translational Research: Lab Vs. Real World HIV Prevention

Thu, 6 Nov 2014 11:59:00 -0500

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - With the help of animations, Betsy Herold, M.D. shows why some drugs that prevented HIV and herpes transmission in the lab failed to protect women in clinical trials. See how proteins in semen act as an “invisibility cloak” for HIV and herpes viruses allowing them to bypass drugs and infect cells. Using lab techniques informed by clinical results, Dr. Herold conducts translational research on the next generation of drugs to prevent HIV and HSV infection. She is professor of pediatrics and of microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and chief, division of pediatric infectious diseases at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.

Science Talk: Brainwave Test Could Improve Autism Diagnosis and Classification

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:52:46 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - A new study by Dr. Sophie Molholm suggests that measuring how fast the brain responds to sights and sounds could help in objectively classifying people on the autism spectrum and may help diagnose the condition earlier. The paper was published today in the online edition of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Dr. Molholm is associate professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and the Muriel and Harold Block Faculty Scholar in Mental Illness in the department of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Read full press release:http://dev.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/1041/brainwave-test-could-improve-autism-diagnosis-and-classification/

Why Protein Structure Matters in Drug Development: Lab Chat with Steven Almo, Ph.D.

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:47:15 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Using animations and a walk through his lab, Dr. Steven Almo explains in lay terms why protein structure and shape are important in developing drugs to fight disease. See how proteins are turned into crystals, how X-ray crystallography works and how an immune cell’s ignition, accelerator and brakes can be manipulated to fight cancer or autoimmune disease. Dr. Almo is professor of biochemistry and Wollowick Family Foundation Chair in Multiple Sclerosis and Immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Almo's research at: www.einstein.yu.edu/faculty/almo

Science Talk: Slow Walking Speed and Memory Complaints Can Predict Dementia

Fri, 1 Aug 2014 10:57:08 -0400

https://www.einstein.yu.edu - Dr. Joe Verghese has found that nearly 1 in 10 met criteria for pre-dementia based on a simple test that measures how fast people walk and whether they have cognitive complaints. People who test positive for pre-dementia were twice as likely as others to develop dementia within 12 years. The paper was published online on July 16 in Neurology. Dr. Verghese is professor in the Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology and medicine at Einstein, chief of geriatrics at Einstein and Montefiore, and senior author of the Neurology paper.

Rare Diseases Research: Clinical Trial for Niemann-Pick Type C

Tue, 3 Jun 2014 14:57:43 -0400

https://www.einstein.yu.edu - Determined to find a treatment for children with the degenerative brain disease Niemann-Pick Type C, Steven Walkley, D.V.M., Ph.D., turned a serendipitous laboratory discovery into a successful national research collaboration with other academic institutions and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences' program for rare diseases (Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases). These efforts led to an NIH Phase 1 clinical trial testing cyclodextrin as a therapy for children with this disease. Dr. Walkley is a professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and director of the Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Baby Milestones: Motor Development

Thu, 24 Apr 2014 15:05:04 -0400

https://www.einstein.yu.edu/cerc - Pediatrician Lisa Shulman shows the motor milestones expected in typically developing babies, from head control to walking and what pediatricians look for during a well-baby visit. She also explains the specific types of motor control a baby must master before the next milestone can be achieved. Dr. Shulman is associate professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an attending physician in pediatrics at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore. She is also director of the RELATE program for the diagnosis and treatment of autism and related disorders at Einstein's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation (CERC).

mRNA in Motion

Tue, 28 Jan 2014 09:10:09 -0500

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine developed a mouse model in which molecules crucial to making memories (beta-actin mRNA) were given fluorescent "tags" so they could be tracked. This clip shows them traveling within a live brain cell in real time. Video Credit: Credit: Hye Yoon Park, Ph.D. Read news release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/968/watching-molecules-morph-into-memories/

Veteran Concussion Research: Examining Combat-related Brain Injury

Tue, 9 Jan 1900 00:00:00 -0500

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Former Army specialist Dan Hof, a veteran of the conflict in Iraq, sustained a concussion in 2005 while deployed and has been struggling with troubling symptoms of his injury ever since. Dan is one of the 20 participants in a study of mild traumatic brain injury in veterans led by Michael Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In cooperation with the Resurrecting Lives Foundation, Dr. Lipton is using advanced MRI techniques and cognitive tests to investigate the effect of repeated combat-related blast exposures on the brains of veterans with the goal of improving diagnostics and treatment.

The Western Diet and Colon Cancer: Lab Chat with Leonard Augenlicht, Ph.D.

Wed, 18 Dec 2013 12:03:25 -0500

http:/www.einstein.yu.edu - The Western Diet -- defined by fried and sweet foods, processed and red meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products -- has been liked to colon cancer. Leonard Augenlicht, Ph.D., explains his research into how diet impacts the colon and the development of the disease. Dr. Augenlicht is director of Einstein's Biology of Colon Cancer Program and a professor of medicine and of cell biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Science Talk: Previously Unstudied Gene Is Essential for Normal Nerve Development

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 13:30:12 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Dr. Hannes Buelow has identified a gene that orchestrates the crucially important branching of nerve fibers that occurs during development. The findings were published online today in the journal Cell. Dr. Buelow is associate professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and of genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/941/previously-unstudied-gene-is-essential-for-normal-nerve-development/

Science Talk: Inner-Ear Disorders May Cause Hyperactivity

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:53:50 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Dr. Jean Hébert has found that inner-ear dysfunction can directly cause neurological changes that increase hyperactivity. The paper was published online in the journal Science on September 5, 2013. Dr. Hébert is professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and of genetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/932/inner-ear-disorders-may-cause-hyperactivity/

Multisensory Integration: Testing Children With Autism

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:08:53 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - John Foxe, Ph.D. shows how his lab measures multisensory integration in high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). He found that younger children with ASD have trouble integrating the auditory and visual cues while listening to speech, but that the problem clears up in adolescence. Dr. Foxe is director of research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center and professor of pediatrics and of neuroscience. Watch video about the study: http://youtu.be/iES0xGDqbQc See the press release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/931/autistic-children-can-outgrow-difficulty-understanding-visual-cues-and-sounds/

Science Talk: Outgrowing a Communication Disability of Autism

Wed, 28 Aug 2013 14:04:57 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Dr. John Foxe has shown that high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children appear to outgrow a critical social communication disability. The paper was published online August 28, 2013, in Cerebral Cortex. Dr. Foxe is professor of pediatrics and in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, as well as director of research of the Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/931/autistic-children-can-outgrow-difficulty-understanding-visual-cues-and-sounds/

Science Talk: Pharmacies Are Effective Locations for Rapid HIV Testing

Wed, 7 Aug 2013 09:02:32 -0400

http://www.einstein.yu.edu - Researchers Drs. Yvette Calderon, Jason Leider and Ethan Cowan have found that community-based pharmacies can be effective locations for offering rapid HIV testing, diagnosing HIV, and connecting those who test positive with medical care quickly. Their paper published in the August 2013 edition of AIDS Patient Care and STDs. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/928/community-pharmacies-are-effective-locations-for-rapid-hiv-testing/

Science Talk: Nervous System's Role in Prostate Cancer

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:00:56 -0400

Dr. Paul Frenette has found that nerves play a critical role in both the development and spread of prostate tumors. The paper was published online July 12, 2013, in Science. Dr. Frenette is professor of medicine and of cell biology and director of the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/922/nerves-play-key-role-in-triggering-prostate-cancer-and-influencing-its-spread/

Science Talk: Study Finds Vitamin C Can Kill Drug-Resistant TB

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:53:50 -0400

May 21, 2013 - Dr. William Jacobs, Jr., has determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis bacteria in laboratory culture. The paper was published online May 21, in Nature Communications. Dr. Jacobs is professor of microbiology & immunology and of genetics at Einstein. Dr. Jacobs is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/907/study-finds-vitamin-c-can-kill-drug-resistant-tb/

Science Talk: Unlocking the Mystery of Parkinson's Disease

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:36:35 -0400

March 3, 2013 - Dr. Ana Maria Cuervo has discovered why toxic clumps of proteins accumulate in brain cells of those with a familial form of Parkinson's disease. The paper was published online March 3 in Nature Neuroscience. Dr. Cuervo is professor of developmental & molecular biology and the Robert and Renee Belfer Chair for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. See accompanying release:http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/875/scientists-identify-clean-up-snafu-that-kills-brain-cells-in-parkinsons-disease/

Science Talk: Study Defines the Genetic Map of Jewish Diasporas

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:47:25 -0400

August 6, 2012 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center have developed a new genetic analysis focusing on Jews from North Africa which has provided an overall genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas. The study was published online August 6 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/824/new-study-defines-the-genetic-map-of-the-jewish-diasporas/

Science Talk: Cervical Cancer and HIV

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:44:02 -0400

July 22, 2012 - Researchers at Einstein have found that testing for HPV in HIV-positive women may help reduce the frequency of cervical cancer screening for some women, similar to practices accepted in the general population. These findings published in the July 25 issue of JAMA. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/812/hpv-testing-in-hiv-positive-women-may-help-reduce-frequent-cervical-cancer-screening/

Science Talk: Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Doubles Risk of Death

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:10:35 -0400

July 16, 2012 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein, have found that amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) doubles the risk of death. See accompanying release: http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/810/amnestic-mild-cognitive-impairment-mci-doubles-risk-of-death/

Science Talk: Cervical Cancer and HIV

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:06:00 -0400

Science Talk: MDS Linked to Abnormal Stem Cells

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 13:06:58 -0400

July 2, 2012 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have found that abnormal bone marrow stem cells drive the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The findings published online July 2 in the journal Blood.

Science Talk: Novel Brain Imaging Technique Explains Why Concussions Affect People Differently

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:07:23 -0400

June 8, 2012 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have found that concussion victims have unique spatial patterns of brain abnormalities that change over time. The findings published online June 8 in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior.

Science Talk: "Personality Genes" May Help Account for Longevity

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:00:09 -0400

May 24, 2012 – Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University have found that personality traits like being extroverted, enjoying laughter and staying engaged may also be part of the longevity genes mix that allows some people to reach age 100 and beyond. The findings published online May 21 in the journal Aging.

Science Talk: New Stroke Risk Factor

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:57:49 -0400

February 2, 2012 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and New York University have found that high levels of triglycerides (blood fats) are the strongest risk factor for the most common type of stroke in older women - more of a risk factor than elevated levels of total cholesterol or of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (known as "bad" cholesterol).

Science Talk: Frequent "Heading" in Soccer Can Lead to Brain Injury and Cognitive Impairment

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:55:00 -0400

November 29, 2011 – Using advanced imaging techniques and cognitive tests, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein, have shown that repeatedly heading a soccer ball increases the risk for brain injury and cognitive impairment.

Science Talk: World Trade Center-Exposed NYC Firefighters Face Increased Cancer Risk

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:47:41 -0400

September 1, 2011 – Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Montefiore Medical Center and the Fire Department of the City of New York have found that New York City firefighters exposed to the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster site face an increased risk of developing cancer. The study was published in the 2011 9/11 Special Issue of The Lancet.

Science Talk: Researchers Find "Key" Used by Ebola Virus to Unlock Cells and Spread Deadly Infection

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:39:15 -0400

August 24, 2011 — Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have helped identify a cellular protein that is critical for infection by the deadly Ebola virus. The study was published in the August 24 online edition of Nature.

Science Talk: Lifestyles Of The Old And Healthy Defy Convention

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 11:37:24 -0400

August 3, 2011 - New research from scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University suggests that centenarians' lifestyle choices have little to no impact on their extreme longevity and healthy aging. The study was published in the August 3 online edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Science Talk: Einstein Scientists Find Crucial Molecule Involved in Spread of Breast Cancer

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:30:20 -0400

June 8, 2011 - Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified a key player in the spread of breast cancer. The findings, published today in the online edition of Nature, identify a critical molecule that helps cancer spread beyond the primary tumor.

Science Talk: Vaccine Made With Synthetic Gene Protects Against Deadly Pneumonia

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 14:57:49 -0400

February 22, 2011 – Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, led by Liise-anne Pirofski, M.D., have developed an experimental vaccine that appears to protect against an increasingly common and particularly deadly form of pneumococcal pneumonia, which infects 175,000 Americans a year. The study was published in the February 22 online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Science Talk: Study of How Genes Activate Yields Surprising Discovery

Mon, 6 Dec 2010 11:11:00 -0500

December 5, 2010 ─ Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have made an unexpected finding about the method by which certain genes are activated. Contrary to what researchers have traditionally assumed, genes that work with other genes to build protein structures do not act in a coordinated way but instead are turned on randomly. The study was published in the December 5 online edition of Nature Structural and Molecular Biology.

Science Talk: Cancer and the Tumor Microenvironment

Thu, 4 Nov 2010 14:40:00 -0500

Jeffrey Pollard, Ph.D., discusses his research into the critical role the tumor microenvironment plays in modulating cancer behavior. Dr. Pollard was recently awarded the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor for Basic Science in recognition of his research.

Science Talk: Tracking mRNA in Living Cells

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0500

September 15, 2010 – Einstein researcher Robert Singer, Ph.D., discusses a breakthrough in microscopy that is allowing scientists to track messenger RNA in living cells in real time. The study, published in the September 15 online edition of Nature, marks a major advance in the use of microscopes for scientific investigation and the findings could lead to treatments for a variety of disorders, such as myotonic dystrophy, in which mRNA gets stuck inside the nucleus of cells. See accompanying release.

Science Talk: Stand Up To Cancer

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 11:00:00 -0500

Einstein researcher Matthew Levy, Ph.D., who was awarded more than $700,000 from Stand Up To Cancer for his high-risk/high-reward research, discusses cancer research funding and the significance of fundraising programs such as Stand Up To Cancer.

Science Talk: Link Between Autism and Multisensory Intergration

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:18:00 -0500

August 19, 2010 — Einstein researcher Sophie Molholm, Ph.D., discusses an autism study that showed an empirical link between multisensory integration and autism. The study, published in the August 19 online edition of Autism Research, could lead to the development of an effective means to evaluate various autism spectrum disorder therapies.

Science Talk: Study Finds Genetic Links Among Jewish People

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

June 3, 2010 — Using sophisticated genetic analysis, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and New York University School of Medicine have published a study indicating that Jews are a widely dispersed people with a common ancestry. The study is published in the June 3 online issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Science Talk: Novel Nanoparticles Prevent Radiation Damage

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

April 26, 2010 — Tiny, melanin-covered nanoparticles may protect bone marrow from the harmful effects of radiation therapy, according to scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University who successfully tested the strategy in mouse models. The research is published in the April 26, 2010 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics.

Science Talk: Einstein Researchers Find Molecular Structure Of Key Fluorescent Proteins

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

April 22, 2010 — Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have determined the crystal structures of two key fluorescent proteins — one blue, one red — used to "light up" molecules in cells. Their study appears in the April 22 online edition of Chemistry and Biology, a Cell Press publication.

Science Talk: Faulty Clean-up Process May Be Key Event in Huntington's Disease

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

April 11, 2010 — In a step towards a possible treatment for Huntington's disease, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown for the first time that the accumulation of a mutated protein may explain damaging cellular behavior in Huntington's disease. Their research is described in the April 11 online edition of Nature Neuroscience.

Science Talk: FDNY Rescue Workers Show Lasting Lung Damage From 9/11 World Trade Center Dust

Wed, 7 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

April 7, 2010 — A study of nearly 13,000 rescue workers from the Fire Department of the City of New York shows that those who suffered acute lung damage after exposure to World Trade Center dust have not recovered normal lung function. The study appears in the April 8, 2010 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.

Science Talk: Novel Approach to Tuberculosis (TB)

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

March 21, 2010 — Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found two novel ways of killing the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, a disease responsible for an estimated two million deaths each year. The findings are published in the March 21 online issue of Nature Chemical Biology.

Science Talk: Migraine May Double Risk of Heart Attack

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

February 10, 2010 — Migraine sufferers are twice as likely to have heart attacks as people without migraine, according to a new study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The study, published in the February 10 online issue of Neurology, found that migraine sufferers also face increased risk for stroke and were more likely to have key risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Science Talk: Blood Protein Offers Help Against Anemia

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

January 26, 2010 — A new study shows that a protein found in blood alleviates anemia, a condition in which the body's tissues don't get enough oxygen from the blood. In this animal study, injections of the protein, known as transferrin, also protected against potentially fatal iron overload in mice with thalassemia, a type of inherited anemia that affects millions of people worldwide.

Science Talk: Hypertension Linked to Dementia in Older Women

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

January 12, 2010 — Older women with hypertension are at increased risk for developing brain lesions that cause dementia later in life, according to data from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). The findings were published in the December 2009 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.

Science Talk: ''Longevity Gene'' Helps Prevent Dementia and Memory Decline

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

January 12, 2010 — Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that a "longevity gene" helps to slow age-related decline in brain function in older adults. Drugs that mimic the gene's effect are now under development, the researchers note, and could help protect against Alzheimer's disease.

Science Talk: Nanotechnology Heals Staph Abscesses

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

December 22, 2009 — Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a new approach for treating and healing skin abscesses caused by bacteria resistant to most antibiotics. For their new treatment strategy, the Einstein scientists developed tiny nanoparticles — smaller than a grain of pollen — that carry nitric oxide (NO), a gas that helps in the body's natural immune response to infection.

Science Talk: Antidepressants May Increase Risk of Stroke and Death

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

December 14, 2009 — Postmenopausal women who take antidepressants face a small but statistically significant increased risk for stroke and death compared with those who do not take the drugs. The new findings are from the federally-funded, multi-institution, Women's Health Initiative Study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, and the results are published in the December 14 online edition of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Science Talk: Einstein Receives High-Risk/High-Reward Cancer Research Funding

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

December 7, 2009 — Matthew Levy, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, has been awarded more than $700,000 by Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) for his high-risk/high-reward cancer research. Dr. Levy's work will focus on creating self-guiding drugs that target only cancer cells, thus eliminating or significantly reducing serious or unpleasant side effects of current therapies.

Science Talk: Longevity Tied to Genes That Preserve Tips of Chromosomes

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

November 11, 2009 — A team led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has found a clear link between living to 100 and inheriting a hyperactive version of an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres — the tip ends of chromosomes. The findings appear in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Science Talk: Lifestyle Changes May Stave Off Diabetes for a Decade

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

November 2, 2009 — Sustaining modest weight loss for 10 years, or taking an anti-diabetic drug over that time, can prevent or lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk for developing the disease, according to the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), a long-term follow-up to a landmark 2001 diabetes prevention study.

Science Talk: New Clues Into How Invasive Parasite Spreads

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

October 30, 2009 — Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a possible strategy against an invasive parasite that infects more than a quarter of the world's population, including 50 million Americans. The study, involving the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii, was led by Amos Orlofsky, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology at Einstein.

Science Talk: Do Three Meals a Day Keep Fungi Away?

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

October 15, 2009 — The fact that they eat a lot - and often - may explain why most people and other mammals are protected from the majority of fungal pathogens, according to research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

Science Talk: Topical Erectile Dysfunction Therapy Shows Promise

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

September 18, 2009 — An innovative drug-delivery system — nanoparticles encapsulating nitric oxide or prescription drugs — shows promise for topical treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), according to a new study by scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The new system, tested successfully on a small number of animals, could potentially prevent side effects associated with oral ED medications, if study results can be replicated in humans.

Science Talk: Scientists Move Closer to a Safer Anthrax Vaccine

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

September 4, 2009 — Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified two small protein fragments that could be developed into an anthrax vaccine that may cause fewer side effects than the current vaccine. The research is significant because anthrax is considered a major bioterrorism threat.

Science Talk: Link Found Between Concussions and Brain Tissue Injury

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

August 24, 2009 — Concussions, whether from an accident, sporting event, or combat, can lead to permanent loss of higher level mental processes. Scientists have debated for centuries whether concussions involve structural damage to brain tissue or whether physiological changes that merely impair the way brain cells function, explain this loss. Now, for the first time, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have linked areas of brain injury to specific altered mental processes caused by concussions.

Science Talk: Stimulating Brain Activities Delay Onset of Memory Decline

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

August 4, 2009 — For the second time in six years, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown that people who engage in brain-stimulating activities in later years can reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer's and other types of dementia or delay its onset. The latest study, published in Neurology, found that cognitive activities as diverse as doing crossword puzzles and playing music can delay the occurrence of dementia.

Science Talk: Millions of U.S. Children Low in Vitamin D

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0500

August 3, 2009 — Seven out of ten U.S. children have low levels of vitamin D, raising their risk of bone and heart disease, according to a study of over 6,000 children by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The striking findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency could place millions of children at risk for high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.

Science Talk: Researchers Uncover Topical Drug for Diabetes-related Wounds

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

July 28, 2009 — For those with diabetes, even a small foot wound can heal poorly, leading in some cases to amputation of toes, feet or legs. Now, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Stanford University have shown that a drug used to remove excess iron from the body reduces by nearly half the time it takes diabetic wounds to heal in mice.

Science Talk: Protein Linked to Protection Against Diabetes and Dementia

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

July 22, 2009 — A cellular protein that may prevent nerve cells from dying also helps to improve insulin action and lower blood glucose levels, according to a study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in collaboration with scientists at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Science Talk: New Lab Test Offers Better Prediction of HIV Microbicide Safety

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0500

July 9, 2009 — Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have devised a laboratory test for predicting whether microbicides against HIV are safe for human use. The researchers have also discovered why several supposedly "safe" microbicides made women more susceptible to HIV infection. The study appears today in the online version of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.