Carmen Leitch

To learn more about the biology underlying cocaine addiction, researchers analyzed almost 900 rats to map the genetic basis of behaviors associated with cocaine use, like taking the drug, taking increasing amounts of the drug, and compulsion. This work revealed several addiction-related genes, some of which have been found in previous studies of alcohol or tobacco use disorders. The research also identified a potential target for addiction treatment, which is a liver-related gene involved in cocaine metabolism. The findings have been

Scientists have used a zebrafish model to show that small pieces of genes, or microexons that are expressed in neurons can trigger a state of hyperarousal. These states, which are characterized by insomnia and increased neuronal activity, can arise when aberrant patterns of microexons occur. Though it needs to be confirmed in people, this work may add to our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders that have been linked to mutations in microexons. The findings have been

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a bacterium that is naturally found in the gut. But it haș also been known as a bacterial pathogen that often affects people in hospital and healthcare settings, and it has been highlighted as a growing threat because of increasing rates of drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. K. pneumoniae often causes urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly in elderly women. These infections can become chronic. Now

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder in which tumors grow on the peripheral nervous system. Most of these tumors are benign, but some progress to a highly aggressive type of cancer known as malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). This is a form of sarcoma that has few treatment options for patients. Now scientists have used a stem cell model to learn more about how these tumors progress from benign to aggressively malignant tumors. This work, which was