Human Genetic Variation Alters Anthrax Toxin Sensitivity
Martchenko, Candille et al., PNAS
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine show that genetic variation affecting capillary morphogenesis gene 2, or CMG2, dramatically alters toxin sensitivity in humans. In its analysis, the team reports on "a CMG2 single-nucleotide polymorphism occurring frequently in African and European populations [that they found] independently altered toxin uptake." The group goes on to suggest "testing of genomically characterized human cell populations may offer a broadly useful strategy for elucidating effects of genetic variation on infectious disease susceptibility."
Money, Money, Money
July 09, 2009
To keep biomedical research chugging along happily, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology says the NIH budget needs to get raises after the stimulus funding runs out. According to Science Insider, NIH needs a 10 percent raise in 2011 and 3 percent above inflation (6 to 7 percent) raises after that, so that in 2012, the NIH budget would be $36 billion. If these increases do not happen, incoming FASEB president Mark Lively says, new awards will plummet. "We're going to slow progress; we're going to end careers; we're going to be terribly discouraging to young scientists," he says. Lively also suggests that investigators be given more time to spend their stimulus funds.