A researcher from Michigan State University (MSU) has developed a working vaccine for enterotoxigenic E. Coli, which is responsible for the deaths of 2 to 3 million children each year in the developing world. It also causes health problems for U.S. troops serving overseas and is responsible for what is commonly called traveler’s diarrhea. “This […]
Evidence has been uncovered that some molecular interactions on cell surfaces may have a “memory” that affects their future interactions. The intriguing new findings, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences could lead to a re-examination of previous results from single-molecule research. In the past, researchers using sequentially repeated tests to obtain […]
Molecular “computations” are essential for the survival of all organisms. To work, the molecules must pinpoint and then bind to specific counterparts while swimming in a thick, erratic molecular stew – a bit like finding a friend in a busy subway station during rush hour. In the traditional view of molecular recognition, the binding molecules […]
One of the problems in molecular synthesis is that there simply “aren’t enough atoms in the universe to make all the reasonable-sized molecules that could be made,” explains Duke University chemistry professor David Beratan. To help sift through this giant haystack, he’s investigating a new computer method that could help scientists identify the best molecules […]
A novel molecule that “walks” like a human could be a key component in future molecular computers. The molecule, known as 9,10-dithioanthracene (DTA), has two linkers that the researchers say act as feet. It obtains energy from heat supplied to it and then moves in a way so that only one of the linkers is […]
A technique that uses photochemical molecular devices to produce hydrogen gas from water could be an important step on the way to seeing the widespread use of hydrogen as a power source in the future. The chemists from Virginia Tech (VT) presented their research yesterday at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in […]
Compared to the specialized chemistry that powers the muscles and cellular motors of the human body, the micro-machines built by scientists today look pretty crude. But that may be about to change thanks to a new theory outlining how molecular machines can be driven individually (using only one molecule) by applying an electric current that […]
