5 Jan 2017

‘Molecular volume control’ may help combat tumours

A ‘molecular volume control’ may one day be used to manipulate enzyme activity in order to control the development and treatment of cancer, according to research at the Universities of Dundee and Bath. The researchers have uncovered new functions of an enzyme called Dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5), which will help scientists to better understand how tumours develop. DUSP5 is known to switch off the activity of another enzyme, called ERK, which controls cell growth in a number of cancers, including colon, lung and melanoma. This would suggest that DUSP5 is a tumour suppressor, but studi...

22 Dec 2016

Christmas comes early for Dundee charity

The University of Dundee has raised £991 for local charity Home-Start Dundee at its Annual Candlelit Carol Service. Almost £1,000 was raised in aid of Home-Start Dundee, a charity that supports families who are experiencing stress or difficulties in the local area. The University Chaplain, Reverend Dr Fiona Douglas, said, “The money we have donated to Home-Start Dundee was collected as an offering during the Carol Service which took place at St Paul’s Cathedral. “It was a wonderful ceremony and has been made even more special as those who attended know that their offerings ...

20 Dec 2016

Biomarker found for bronchiectasis chest infections

A study conducted by the University of Dundee has shown for the first time that a simple test can predict chest infections before they occur in patients with bronchiectasis, a common lung condition which affects people of all ages and leads to thousands of hospital admissions every year in the UK. Bronchiectasis is a long-term chronic condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. Patients can suffer from a persistent cough and breathlessness as well as persistent chest infections. The conditi...

19 Dec 2016

Professor Irwin McLean recognised for skin disease research

The University of Dundee’s Professor Irwin McLean, one of the world’s leading authorities on skin diseases, has been elected as a Member of the Academia Europaea. Members of the prestigious organisation comprise scientists and scholars from across Europe collectively aiming to promote learning, education and research. Members include 52 Nobel Laureates, several of whom were elected to the Academia before receiving the prize. Irwin McLean is Professor of Human Genetics at the University’s School of Life Sciences. His research group has identified the faulty genes that cause dozens of her...

14 Dec 2016

New study testing the delivery of the best asthma treatment based on genetics

A study by researchers from across the UK is aiming to discover whether treating asthmatic children according to their genetic status can improve their quality of life by reducing hospitalisations, missed school days and other problems caused by the disease. Previous studies have shown that 100,000 young people are routinely prescribed an asthma controller medication called salmeterol, which can offer little benefit to some of them. Young volunteers are now being sought for the Personalised Medicine for Asthma Control (PACT) study developed by researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), toge...