Aug

New method of using nanotube x-rays creates CT images faster than traditional scanners

CHAPEL HILL -- Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a new method to create computed tomography (CT) images using carbon nanotube x-rays that works much faster than traditional scanners and uses less peak power.

UNC mammography scientist Pisano honored by Ladies’ Home Journal

CHAPEL HILL – Dr. Etta Pisano, professor in the departments of radiology and biomedical engineering and vice dean of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, is one of seven recipients of a new award presented by Ladies’ Home Journal.

UNC study shows ingredient commonly found in shampoos may inhibit brain development

CHAPEL HILL – An ingredient found in many shampoos and other personal care products appears to interfere with normal brain development in baby mice when applied to the skin of pregnant mice, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have discovered.

Between 41 and 71 percent of U.S. residents will need blood transfusion in their lifetime, study estimates

CHAPEL HILL – Between 41 and 71 percent of people in the United States will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives, a study conducted at the University of North Carolina Hospitals estimates.

Different gene-expression predictors of breast cancer agree, UNC study shows

CHAPEL HILL -- Breast cancer researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified a number of activity patterns in the genes of individual tumors that make them biologically different from others. These findings could provide valuable clinical information such as how likely the tumors are to be invasive, how well they might respond to different treatments and how likely they are to recur or spread.

Study reveals how cells destroy faulty proteins in cystic fibrosis

CHAPEL HILL – The cellular system that degrades faulty proteins created by the cystic fibrosis gene has been identified by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scientists. Turning off the degradation system allows some proteins to regain their proper shape, offering a new avenue for treatments aimed at curing the disease.

Idursulfase is effective treatment for Hunter syndrome, UNC-led clinical trial concludes

CHAPEL HILL – An article reporting results from a pivotal clinical trial that helped gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the first treatment for Hunter syndrome has been published online by the journal Genetics in Medicine.

Primary care billing data can help track emerging infections, UNC pilot study finds

CHAPEL HILL - Billing data routinely collected by primary care providers can help public health authorities detect outbreaks of emerging infections, according to a pilot study conducted by UNC researchers.

Statins may inhibit progression of multiple sclerosis

CHAPEL HILL – Scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have established how statins -- cholesterol-lowering drugs -- inhibit inflammation and nerve cell damage caused by multiple sclerosis.

Study identifies molecular process underlying leukemia

CHAPEL HILL – New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has identified a molecular process in cells that is crucial to the development of two common leukemias.

Scientists stop autoimmune disease without shutting off immune system

CHAPEL HILL – Skin is our first line of defense against infection. But people with a rare, life-threatening autoimmune disease called pemphigus vulgaris lack that protection because their immune system attacks the proteins that hold skin cells together. They develop severe blisters and raw sores as the top layer of their skin falls apart, leaving them extremely vulnerable to infection.

Myasthenia Gravis Foundation honors Howard for public awareness efforts

Dr. James F. Howard Jr., a distinguished professor in the UNC School of Medicine’s department of neurology, has been honored by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America for his public awareness efforts.