Researchers Discover Key Gene for Making Motor Neurons
July 25, 2008
Researchers have revealed an important step in the process that guides the early development of neurons as they establish precise connections between the spinal cord and muscles. More

Eye Movement Disorder Caused by Improper Development of Motor Neurons
July 24, 2008
An international team of researchers has identified a gene mutated in Duane syndrome, a common disorder that restricts the movement of the eyes. More

Fruit Fly Study Yields a Gene Required for Peaceful Slumber
July 17, 2008
Thanks to a set of fruit flies that seem to get by with far less dozing than most, researchers has found a gene absolutely necessary for snoozing. More

Middle Eastern Families Help Scientists Pinpoint Autism Genes
July 11, 2008
By focusing on large families in which both parents share a recent ancestor, scientists have honed in on rare mutations that had remained elusive in previous studies. More

The Mighty MitoCarta—Online Mitochondrial Atlas Leads to Cause of Inherited Disease
July 10, 2008
HHMI-supported scientists have created MitoCarta, an online atlas of more than 1,000 proteins that healthy mitochondria use to keep cells running smoothly—a tool that should help researchers understand what happens when things go wrong. Its creators have used the resource to identify a genetic mutation responsible for complex I deficiency, a rare, lethal metabolic disorder in infants. More

Research Identifies Malaria Proteins that Remodel Red Blood Cells
July 09, 2008
After a malaria parasite invades a red blood cell, it sends a crew of proteins inside that gut the cell, transforming it from a vital oxygen delivery system into a nest for new parasites. HHMI international scholar Alan Cowman and his colleagues set out to understand the proteins that oversee this destruction and rebuilding. More

Fruit Fly Gene Study Could Yield New Flu Treatments
July 09, 2008
Scientists may be able to stave off influenza infection by targeting one of more than 100 proteins inside host cells on which the virus depends. These potential drug targets are the result of a study in which researchers tested the ability of a modified influenza virus to infect fruit fly cells. More

Professor Pevzner's Do-It-Yourself Proteomics Class
July 02, 2008
Pavel Pevzner has created a class that turns undergraduates into experts on genome annotation. Without more bioinformatics specialists like his students, we’ll either we’ll drown in data or, worse, miss the key connections that undergird human health or disease, he says. The class has published their results in the journal Genome Research. More

HHMI Appoints Marian B. Carlson as Senior Scientific Officer
June 20, 2008
Marian Carlson will work from the Institute's headquarters to support the research of HHMI investigators across the nation. More

How the Snake Got Its Vertebrae
June 18, 2008
Researchers have uncovered the mechanism that guides vertebral development in the early embryo and makes sure each species ends up with the right number of vertebrae. More