Ana Rodríguez, Author at Baylor College of Medicine Blog Network

What matters the most to cells

December 14, 2017 DNA biology, DNA repair, DNA transcription, E. Coli, eXOnucleases sequencing, fidelity of transcription, GreA, protein synthesis, RNA

“If you asked a group of scientists which is more important for a cell, maintaining the integrity of its DNA containing all of the organism’s

From The Labs

Atoh1, a potential Achilles’ heel of Sonic Hedgehog MB

December 12, 2017 Atoh1, brain cancer, brain tumor in children, Cerebellum, Jak2, medulloblastoma, Sonic Hedgehog, Tyrosine 78

Medulloblastoma is the most common type of solid brain tumor in children. Current treatments offer limited success and may leave patients with severe neurological side

From The Labs

DNA loops matter for NFIA gene expression in brain tumors

December 7, 2017 3-D DNA loops, brain cancer, DNA architecture, DNA loops, enhancers, gene regulation, Glioma, NFIA, transcription factors

The nuclear factor I-A (NFIA) gene is important for both normal brain development and brain tumor growth. One way to discover paths that can lead

From The Labs

Image of the Month: Top Three Most Viewed Images of the Month, 2017

December 5, 2017 Batten disease, C. elegans, lipid droplets, tumor blood vessels

Each month, From the Labs posts an image representative of research conducted at Baylor College of Medicine. These three are the most viewed images of

From The Labs

Breakdown of neuron-glia partnership can pave the way to neurodegeneration

November 30, 2017 Alzheimer's Disease, APOE4, free radicals, glia cells, lipid accumulation, Neurodegeneration, neuron

In 2015, Dr. Lucy Liu, now a Ph.D. graduate in neuroscience from the Bellen lab, discovered that a number of genes involved in neurodegeneration promote

From The Labs

How having too much or too little of CHRNA7 can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders

November 28, 2017 Autism, calcium channel, cellular stress, CHRNA7, cognitive impairment, genetic condition, Genetics, Human genetics, neuron, Neuropsychiatric disorders, neuropsychiatric disordrs

Studying the genetic code allows researchers to know whether some patients with neuropsychiatric disorders either have extra copies of the CHRNA7 gene or are missing

From The Labs

Analyzing cryo-electron tomography images just got faster

November 22, 2017 annotated 3D structures, Cryo-electron tomography, microscopy methods, neuronal networks

Researchers use cryo-electron tomography to visualize macromolecules frozen in action and details of structures inside of cells. This method provides 100 times better resolution than

From The Labs

How estrogen regulates gene expression

November 20, 2017 CARM1, coactivators, endocrinology, ER-alpha, estrogen, hormone action, p300, SRC-3B

Estrogens are a group of hormones that are essential for normal female sexual development and for the healthy functioning of the reproductive system. They also

From The Labs

This two-step approach can expedite finding answers to complex genetic conditions

November 16, 2017 animal model, Autism, cell line, HIPK2, MeCP2 duplication syndrome, neurodevelopmental disorders, Neurological disorders, PP2A

To function normally, the human brain requires the right amount of a number of proteins, including MeCP2. Having twice the normal amount of MeCP2, the

From The Labs

Muscle’s path to maturity follows the alternative splicing way

November 14, 2017 alternative splicing, calcineurin A, calcium-handling proteins, muscle development, muscular disorders, muscular dystrophy

Compare the skeletal muscles of a newborn with those of an adult. While the former can barely move the body, adult muscles can perform record