Scientific results
CEA
Monday December 22 2008
Une nouvelle source de cellules « souches »
Au sein de l’Institut de radiobiologie cellulaire et moléculaire (CEA/iRCM), une équipe associant l’Inserm et le CEA, en collaboration avec des chercheurs du CNRS, vient de montrer qu’il est possible de renouveler chez l’adulte le stock de cellules souches germinales* à partir de cellules déjà spécialisées appelées progéniteurs**.
Une nouvelle source de cellules « souches »
Au sein de l’Institut de radiobiologie cellulaire et moléculaire (CEA/iRCM), une équipe associant l’Inserm et le CEA, en collaboration avec des chercheurs du CNRS, vient de montrer qu’il est possible de renouveler chez l’adulte le stock de cellules souches germinales* à partir de cellules déjà spécialisées appelées progéniteurs**.
CEA
Friday December 19 2008
Lymphoma: new tumour-suppressor gene discovered
Scientists at the Institute of cellular and molecular radiation biology (CEA/iRCM) have identified a new tumor-suppressor gene that plays a pivotal role in controlling the proliferation of B cells. This finding opens up new perspectives for understanding and controlling the abnormal proliferation of B cells in certain lymphomas. These results have just been published online in the 15 December issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Lymphoma: new tumour-suppressor gene discovered
Scientists at the Institute of cellular and molecular radiation biology (CEA/iRCM) have identified a new tumor-suppressor gene that plays a pivotal role in controlling the proliferation of B cells. This finding opens up new perspectives for understanding and controlling the abnormal proliferation of B cells in certain lymphomas. These results have just been published online in the 15 December issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
CEA
Wednesday December 03 2008
READNA : un consortium européen pour accélérer le développement des technologies d’analyse de l’ADN
Le consortium READNA, pour REvolutionary Approaches and Devices for Nucleic Acid analysis*, vient d’être fondé pour favoriser le développement de nouvelles technologies d’analyse de l’ADN et des autres acides nucléiques. READNA inclut des projets qui vont permettre de franchir de nouveaux paliers dans le développement des technologies et des méthodes de pointe pour le séquençage de l’ADN. Ce consortium rassemble 16 partenaires européens venant du monde académique et de l’industrie. Il est financé à hauteur de 12 millions d’euros par la Commission Européenne en tant que projet intégré du 7e PCRD**.
READNA : un consortium européen pour accélérer le développement des technologies d’analyse de l’ADN
Le consortium READNA, pour REvolutionary Approaches and Devices for Nucleic Acid analysis*, vient d’être fondé pour favoriser le développement de nouvelles technologies d’analyse de l’ADN et des autres acides nucléiques. READNA inclut des projets qui vont permettre de franchir de nouveaux paliers dans le développement des technologies et des méthodes de pointe pour le séquençage de l’ADN. Ce consortium rassemble 16 partenaires européens venant du monde académique et de l’industrie. Il est financé à hauteur de 12 millions d’euros par la Commission Européenne en tant que projet intégré du 7e PCRD**.
Monday December 01 2008
Les traitements hormonaux favoriseraient-ils le cancer du sein ?
Première cause de mortalité féminine en France, le cancer du sein est le plus fréquent des cancers chez les femmes. Avec 85 à 90% de cas, sa forme sporadique, non héréditaire, s'avère la plus répandue tout en restant la plus mystérieuse. Des chercheurs du CNRS et du CEA , en collaboration avec une équipe de l'hôpital Saint-Louis , viennent de lever un voile sur l'origine de 50% des cancers du sein sporadiques. De plus, leurs résultats permettraient d'expliquer les études épidémiologiques qui suggèrent une prédisposition au cancer du sein causée par les traitements hormonaux. Ils sont publiés dans la revue Cancer Research.
Les traitements hormonaux favoriseraient-ils le cancer du sein ?
Première cause de mortalité féminine en France, le cancer du sein est le plus fréquent des cancers chez les femmes. Avec 85 à 90% de cas, sa forme sporadique, non héréditaire, s'avère la plus répandue tout en restant la plus mystérieuse. Des chercheurs du CNRS et du CEA , en collaboration avec une équipe de l'hôpital Saint-Louis , viennent de lever un voile sur l'origine de 50% des cancers du sein sporadiques. De plus, leurs résultats permettraient d'expliquer les études épidémiologiques qui suggèrent une prédisposition au cancer du sein causée par les traitements hormonaux. Ils sont publiés dans la revue Cancer Research.
CEA
Thursday November 20 2008
A biological switch for imaging
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology (IBS, a CEA-CNRS-Joseph Fourier University of Grenoble joint-run institute) and the ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble) have joined forces with UK and German teams to successfully engineer a new fluorescent protein derived from GFP (green fluorescent protein). This protein, named Iris-FP, should make it possible to track the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins using ultra-high-resolution optical microscopy. These findings open up exciting prospects in nanoscopy[1] and biophotonics[2] . The results have just been published in online by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
A biological switch for imaging
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology (IBS, a CEA-CNRS-Joseph Fourier University of Grenoble joint-run institute) and the ESRF (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble) have joined forces with UK and German teams to successfully engineer a new fluorescent protein derived from GFP (green fluorescent protein). This protein, named Iris-FP, should make it possible to track the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins using ultra-high-resolution optical microscopy. These findings open up exciting prospects in nanoscopy[1] and biophotonics[2] . The results have just been published in online by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
CEA
Thursday October 30 2008
The Chauvet Cave bears:from cave paintings to genomics analysis
Researchers from the CEA Institut of Biotechnology–Saclay (iBiTec-S) and a multidisciplinary team involving researchers from the CNRS tasked with analyzing the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave have announced that starting with a bone from the cave, they have been able to sequence the mitochondrial DNA of the cave bear, a species that has been extinct for 15,000 years. These genomics analyses have demonstrated that the last common ancestor to the cave bear and the brown bear walked the Earth around 1.6 million years ago. The results of this research have just been published in the 27th October issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
The Chauvet Cave bears:from cave paintings to genomics analysis
Researchers from the CEA Institut of Biotechnology–Saclay (iBiTec-S) and a multidisciplinary team involving researchers from the CNRS tasked with analyzing the Chauvet-Pont d’Arc Cave have announced that starting with a bone from the cave, they have been able to sequence the mitochondrial DNA of the cave bear, a species that has been extinct for 15,000 years. These genomics analyses have demonstrated that the last common ancestor to the cave bear and the brown bear walked the Earth around 1.6 million years ago. The results of this research have just been published in the 27th October issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
Thursday October 16 2008
Identification of markers of genetic susceptibility to asthma
A consortium of French research teams has just identified genetic markers highlighting an increased risk of developing asthma during early childhood that is further heightened by early exposure to tobacco smoke. These results were obtained through the EGEA Study (Epidemiological study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma) and have been published in the 15 October 2008 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, together with editorial commentary. The major breakthrough in this research is the identification of interactions between genetic and environmental factors occurring at a very early stage of asthma development. These findings represent breakthrough insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning early-onset asthma, paving the way to targeted prevention strategies and new therapeutic treatments. The identification of gene-environment interactions is one of the major challenges in contemporary genetics research.
Identification of markers of genetic susceptibility to asthma
A consortium of French research teams has just identified genetic markers highlighting an increased risk of developing asthma during early childhood that is further heightened by early exposure to tobacco smoke. These results were obtained through the EGEA Study (Epidemiological study on the Genetics and Environment of Asthma) and have been published in the 15 October 2008 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, together with editorial commentary. The major breakthrough in this research is the identification of interactions between genetic and environmental factors occurring at a very early stage of asthma development. These findings represent breakthrough insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning early-onset asthma, paving the way to targeted prevention strategies and new therapeutic treatments. The identification of gene-environment interactions is one of the major challenges in contemporary genetics research.
Thursday October 16 2008
Biomimetic nanotechnology: a new family of biosensors
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology[1] (CEA-CNRS-UJF) and the Institute of life sciences research and technologies[2] (CEA) have finalized the development of a new generation of biosensors[3]. Protein engineering has enabled them to create proteins that combine two functions: recognizing chemical signals and transducing these signals into electrical signals. These next-generation biosensors could pave the way to miniaturized detection systems that can be used for screening therapeutic targets, for diagnostics, or for detecting toxins. This research has just been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Biomimetic nanotechnology: a new family of biosensors
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology[1] (CEA-CNRS-UJF) and the Institute of life sciences research and technologies[2] (CEA) have finalized the development of a new generation of biosensors[3]. Protein engineering has enabled them to create proteins that combine two functions: recognizing chemical signals and transducing these signals into electrical signals. These next-generation biosensors could pave the way to miniaturized detection systems that can be used for screening therapeutic targets, for diagnostics, or for detecting toxins. This research has just been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
CEA
Monday September 22 2008
Schizophrénie de l’adolescent : mise en évidence d'anomalies anatomiques du cerveau
Les chercheurs de l’unité mixte CEA-Inserm du SHFJ* (U797 - Neuroimagerie & Psychiatrie) en partenariat avec l’Institut de Psychiatrie de Londres (IoP) viennent de montrer que le cortex du lobe temporal du cerveau d‘adolescents atteints de schizophrénie présente des anomalies anatomiques.
Schizophrénie de l’adolescent : mise en évidence d'anomalies anatomiques du cerveau
Les chercheurs de l’unité mixte CEA-Inserm du SHFJ* (U797 - Neuroimagerie & Psychiatrie) en partenariat avec l’Institut de Psychiatrie de Londres (IoP) viennent de montrer que le cortex du lobe temporal du cerveau d‘adolescents atteints de schizophrénie présente des anomalies anatomiques.
CEA
Tuesday September 09 2008
Biomimetic nanotechnology: a new family of biosensors
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology[1] (CEA-CNRS-UJF) and the Institute of life sciences research and technologies[2] (CEA) have finalized the development of a new generation of biosensors[3]. Protein engineering has enabled them to create proteins that combine two functions: recognizing chemical signals and transducing these signals into electrical signals. These next-generation biosensors could pave the way to miniaturized detection systems that can be used for screening therapeutic targets, for diagnostics, or for detecting toxins. This research has just been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Biomimetic nanotechnology: a new family of biosensors
Researchers at the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology[1] (CEA-CNRS-UJF) and the Institute of life sciences research and technologies[2] (CEA) have finalized the development of a new generation of biosensors[3]. Protein engineering has enabled them to create proteins that combine two functions: recognizing chemical signals and transducing these signals into electrical signals. These next-generation biosensors could pave the way to miniaturized detection systems that can be used for screening therapeutic targets, for diagnostics, or for detecting toxins. This research has just been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Tuesday September 09 2008
Spontaneous brain activity
Researchers from NeuroSpin [1] have established that baseline fluctuations in spontaneous brain activity affect our visual perception. These findings, published in the August 5 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provide yet another step forward in modeling decision-making, which is one of core focuses in neuroscience today.
Spontaneous brain activity
Researchers from NeuroSpin [1] have established that baseline fluctuations in spontaneous brain activity affect our visual perception. These findings, published in the August 5 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provide yet another step forward in modeling decision-making, which is one of core focuses in neuroscience today.
CEA
Monday August 18 2008
The target site of anti-Alzheimer drugs
Dynamic tracking of acetylcholinesterase to understand its mechanism of action – that was the objective set for researchers from Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology [1] , who recently published their findings in the 4th August issue of the renowned Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. Working in tandem with colleagues from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel [2], the team was able to track structural changes in the architecture of the enzyme during its active cycle. This enzyme is one of the main targets for the development of anti-Alzheimer therapies, and an understanding of its structural dynamics is a major step forward towards engineering more efficient drug treatments.
The target site of anti-Alzheimer drugs
Dynamic tracking of acetylcholinesterase to understand its mechanism of action – that was the objective set for researchers from Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology [1] , who recently published their findings in the 4th August issue of the renowned Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. Working in tandem with colleagues from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel [2], the team was able to track structural changes in the architecture of the enzyme during its active cycle. This enzyme is one of the main targets for the development of anti-Alzheimer therapies, and an understanding of its structural dynamics is a major step forward towards engineering more efficient drug treatments.
CEA
Thursday July 24 2008
Could metals help treat cancer?
A fruitful collaboration between chemists and biologists has made it possible to identify the effects of a new class of molecules, polyoxometalates[1] , primarily composed of metals and oxygen. These molecules are very powerful inhibitors of a specific protein kinase, CK2, an enzyme that is overactive in a number of cancers. The enzyme’s instrumental role in controlling cell proliferation and survival makes it an important target in the search for new medications. These results have just been published in the journal Chemistry and Biology by chemists from the Institut de chimie moléculaire (CNRS / UPMC) and biologists from the Institut de recherche en technologies et sciences pour le vivant (iRTSV, CEA de Grenoble / CNRS / Inserm.)
Could metals help treat cancer?
A fruitful collaboration between chemists and biologists has made it possible to identify the effects of a new class of molecules, polyoxometalates[1] , primarily composed of metals and oxygen. These molecules are very powerful inhibitors of a specific protein kinase, CK2, an enzyme that is overactive in a number of cancers. The enzyme’s instrumental role in controlling cell proliferation and survival makes it an important target in the search for new medications. These results have just been published in the journal Chemistry and Biology by chemists from the Institut de chimie moléculaire (CNRS / UPMC) and biologists from the Institut de recherche en technologies et sciences pour le vivant (iRTSV, CEA de Grenoble / CNRS / Inserm.)
CEA
Thursday July 24 2008
Des métaux pour traiter le cancer ?
Une collaboration fructueuse entre des chimistes et des biologistes a permis d'identifier l’action d’une nouvelle classe de molécules, les polyoxométallates[1] , composés principalement de métaux et d’oxygène. Ces molécules inhibent spécifiquement et de façon très puissante la protéine-kinase CK2, une enzyme hyperactivée dans de nombreux cancers. Le rôle déterminant de cette enzyme dans le contrôle de la prolifération et de la survie cellulaire en fait une cible importante pour la recherche de nouveaux médicaments. Ces travaux viennent d’être publiés dans la revue Chemistry and Biology par des chimistes de l’Institut de chimie moléculaire (CNRS / UPMC) et des biologistes de l’Institut de recherche en technologies et sciences pour le vivant (iRTSV, CEA de Grenoble / CNRS / Inserm).
Des métaux pour traiter le cancer ?
Une collaboration fructueuse entre des chimistes et des biologistes a permis d'identifier l’action d’une nouvelle classe de molécules, les polyoxométallates[1] , composés principalement de métaux et d’oxygène. Ces molécules inhibent spécifiquement et de façon très puissante la protéine-kinase CK2, une enzyme hyperactivée dans de nombreux cancers. Le rôle déterminant de cette enzyme dans le contrôle de la prolifération et de la survie cellulaire en fait une cible importante pour la recherche de nouveaux médicaments. Ces travaux viennent d’être publiés dans la revue Chemistry and Biology par des chimistes de l’Institut de chimie moléculaire (CNRS / UPMC) et des biologistes de l’Institut de recherche en technologies et sciences pour le vivant (iRTSV, CEA de Grenoble / CNRS / Inserm).
Identification of polyoxometalates as nanomolar noncompetitive inhibitors of protein kinase CK2, Renaud Prudent, Virginie Moucadel, Béatrice Laudet, Caroline Barette, Laurence Lafanechère, Bernold Hasenknopf, Joaquim Li, sébastian Bareyt, Emmanuel Lacôte, Serge Thorimbert, Max Malacria, Pierre Gouzerh, Claude Cochet, Chemistry and Biology, 21 juillet 2008.
CEA
Thursday July 10 2008
Jean Weissenbach, médaille d’or du CNRS
Jean Weissenbach, chef de l’Institut de génomique de la Direction des sciences du vivant (DSV), reçoit ce mercredi 9 juillet la médaille d’or du CNRS.
Jean Weissenbach, médaille d’or du CNRS
Jean Weissenbach, chef de l’Institut de génomique de la Direction des sciences du vivant (DSV), reçoit ce mercredi 9 juillet la médaille d’or du CNRS.
CEA
Friday June 13 2008
Hommage au professeur André Ménez
Journée scientifique « de l’évolution des toxines à l’évolution de l’espèce » Lundi 23 juin 2008 Grand amphithéâtre du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle Entrée libre, sur inscription exclusivement
Hommage au professeur André Ménez
Journée scientifique « de l’évolution des toxines à l’évolution de l’espèce » Lundi 23 juin 2008 Grand amphithéâtre du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle Entrée libre, sur inscription exclusivement
CEA
Friday April 11 2008
How plants get out of the shade
Intensively-farmed plants growing competitively side-by-side fight one another to get the most sunlight possible. If they are able to do this, it is because they have developed a series of responses called “shade-avoidance syndrome”. What biological mechanism(s) can enable these plants to boost their growth and dominate their neighbours? This is the question that prompted the work led by researchers from the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology (IBS, a joint CEA-CNRS-Joseph Fourier University institute) together with American, Swedish and Argentinean teams. Their latest results, which have just been published in Cell, open up perspectives for agronomics research.
How plants get out of the shade
Intensively-farmed plants growing competitively side-by-side fight one another to get the most sunlight possible. If they are able to do this, it is because they have developed a series of responses called “shade-avoidance syndrome”. What biological mechanism(s) can enable these plants to boost their growth and dominate their neighbours? This is the question that prompted the work led by researchers from the Jean-Pierre Ebel Institute of Structural Biology (IBS, a joint CEA-CNRS-Joseph Fourier University institute) together with American, Swedish and Argentinean teams. Their latest results, which have just been published in Cell, open up perspectives for agronomics research.
CEA
Thursday April 10 2008
Le 50e anniversaire du Service hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, SHFJ
Le SHFJ a été créé en 1958 dans le but de développer l’utilisation médicale des isotopes radioactifs : une molécule marquée avec un élément radioactif permet de suivre le fonctionnement d’un tissu ou d’un groupe de cellules dans l’organisme. Les techniques développées au SHFJ ont permis au fil des ans de progresser dans de nombreux domaines comme le diagnostic précoce, le suivi des patients, les choix thérapeutiques et l’administration du médicament ou encore en cancérologie, immunothérapie, neurologie…
Le 50e anniversaire du Service hospitalier Frédéric Joliot, SHFJ
Le SHFJ a été créé en 1958 dans le but de développer l’utilisation médicale des isotopes radioactifs : une molécule marquée avec un élément radioactif permet de suivre le fonctionnement d’un tissu ou d’un groupe de cellules dans l’organisme. Les techniques développées au SHFJ ont permis au fil des ans de progresser dans de nombreux domaines comme le diagnostic précoce, le suivi des patients, les choix thérapeutiques et l’administration du médicament ou encore en cancérologie, immunothérapie, neurologie…
CEA
Friday February 29 2008
Cancerology research: evidence that helicase Srs2 protein promotes genome stability
The Srs2 protein possesses all the biochemical activities necessary to prevent ‘crossovers’, or DNA fragment exchanges between chromosomes, from forming during one of the DNA strand break repair processes – homologous recombination. Srs2 therefore plays a pivotal role in maintaining genome stability and defending the cell against cancer.
Cancerology research: evidence that helicase Srs2 protein promotes genome stability
The Srs2 protein possesses all the biochemical activities necessary to prevent ‘crossovers’, or DNA fragment exchanges between chromosomes, from forming during one of the DNA strand break repair processes – homologous recombination. Srs2 therefore plays a pivotal role in maintaining genome stability and defending the cell against cancer.
CEA
Friday February 15 2008
3-month-old infants possess number sense
All humans, regardless of their culture and education, possess what we call number sense. It is through number sense that we can, for example, perceive the rough number of objects in a set within a fraction of a second. Over the last twenty years or so, methods employed in behavioural research have shown how 5 to 6-month-old infants possess number sense. A team from the cognitive neuroimaging laboratory at NeuroSpin(1) (joint CEA-Inserm Unit 562) have been the first to highlight brain regions activated in number processing in 3-month-old infants. The results of this study, which was led at Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris, were published in the February 5 2008 release of PloS Biology. (1) NeuroSpin is attached to the CEA's Institute of Biomedical Imaging, I²BM
3-month-old infants possess number sense
All humans, regardless of their culture and education, possess what we call number sense. It is through number sense that we can, for example, perceive the rough number of objects in a set within a fraction of a second. Over the last twenty years or so, methods employed in behavioural research have shown how 5 to 6-month-old infants possess number sense. A team from the cognitive neuroimaging laboratory at NeuroSpin(1) (joint CEA-Inserm Unit 562) have been the first to highlight brain regions activated in number processing in 3-month-old infants. The results of this study, which was led at Kremlin-Bicêtre Hospital in Paris, were published in the February 5 2008 release of PloS Biology. (1) NeuroSpin is attached to the CEA's Institute of Biomedical Imaging, I²BM
CEA
Friday January 11 2008
Towards a bio-inspired production of hydrogen that bypasses the use of noble metal-based catalysts
The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier could provide solutions to a range of specific 21st century energy challenges. Carbon-free hydrogen production is currently based on the catalytic properties of noble metals such as platinum. Researchers at the Laboratory of Metals in Chemical and Biology (CEA-CNRS-Université J. Fourier, at the CEA site in Grenoble) recently made a groundbreaking advance by producing hydrogen using a molecular system that bypasses the use of noble metal-based catalysts. A report on this breakthrough, which has important implications for the economic future of the hydrogen energy sector, has been published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
Towards a bio-inspired production of hydrogen that bypasses the use of noble metal-based catalysts
The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier could provide solutions to a range of specific 21st century energy challenges. Carbon-free hydrogen production is currently based on the catalytic properties of noble metals such as platinum. Researchers at the Laboratory of Metals in Chemical and Biology (CEA-CNRS-Université J. Fourier, at the CEA site in Grenoble) recently made a groundbreaking advance by producing hydrogen using a molecular system that bypasses the use of noble metal-based catalysts. A report on this breakthrough, which has important implications for the economic future of the hydrogen energy sector, has been published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition.