Author Archives: mdunn

Recent discovery of a food allergy candidate gene on chromosome 5q22.1

By mdunn | Published: March 9, 2010
Allergies are a broad category of disorders that all have one common trait, immune reactions to normally non-harmful substances. They are chronic diseases (ranked 5th on the list among chronic diseases in the US) that can dramatically degrade the lifestyle of those affected depending on the degree of severity. About 55% of the population has an [...]
Posted in Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology | 610 Comments

Mitochondria, Efficient Energy Production with Dangerous Side Effects?

By mdunn | Published: March 5, 2010
Scientists from Harvard Teaching Medical Hospital have discovered that Mitochondria respond to trauma by creating patient inflammation and a response not unlike bacterial infection. Best known as the energy producing powerhouses of the cell (being home of the Citric Acid Cycle and oxidative phosphorylation), Mitochondria have long been recognized as ancient symbiots – not originally [...]
Posted in Biology, Cell Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Health & Medicine | 6 Comments