Yeast are a genetically tractable model system to study various aspects of cellular physiology or toxicology. In the study by Jochem and colleagues, the researchers investigated a potential mechanism for a connection between arsenic exposure and type 2 diabetes by analyzing the effects of arsenic exposure in yeast. This study is a follow up to … Read more
Summaries of recent articles related to human pathogenic and commensal microbes
Frequently, I am asked, “Isn’t there a blood test for pancreatic cancer?” I think this question arises because, as my friends and I are getting older, we have more friends, relatives, and acquaintances who are diagnosed with cancer, and those with pancreatic cancer are the ones that tend to die soonest. Many have heard of … Read more
Two studies in March 2019 focus on MYC as a target in cancer. MYC is encoded by a well known oncogene, meaning that it can promote cancer. However, MYC has both pro-cancer and anti-cancer properties. The anti-cancer activity tends to dominate when there is more of this protein in the cell; the pro-cancer activity dominates … Read more