Roni Dengler

Nov 25, 2024 | medicalxpress.com | Roni Dengler |Thomas Jefferson

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects nearly 12 million people in the U.S. alone and is the third leading cause of death worldwide. High levels of immune molecules known as cytokines, which can damage the lungs, are a hallmark of COPD. Now, molecular biologist Yohei Kirino, Ph.D. and lung disease expert Deepak Deshpande, Ph.D. have teamed up in a new study to discover a molecular smoking gun behind the rise of cytokines in COPD.

Aug 28, 2024 | medicalxpress.com | Roni Dengler |Thomas Jefferson

Tuberculosis kills about 1.3 million people each year, making it one of the most lethal infectious diseases in the world. Now, molecular biologist Yohei Kirino, Ph.D. and his research team at Thomas Jefferson University has found that certain RNA molecules in people with tuberculosis are drastically different than those in healthy people. The findings, published in the journal Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, reveal a potential pathway to bolster the immune system against infection.

Dec 13, 2023 | science.org | Catherine Offord |Roni Dengler

Exhaustion, vomiting, and aversion to strong smells are well-known—and well-loathed—pregnancy symptoms. But roughly 2% of pregnant people experience a particularly severe form of sickness known as hyperemesis gravidarum. These expectant parents vomit multiple times a day, which can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and, for some people, hospitalization and potentially life-threatening complications for themselves and the fetus.

May 29, 2023 | the-scientist.com | Roni Dengler

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold a lot of potential. They have the capacity to differentiate into bone and cartilage as well as muscle and fat. They are also critical to regenerating tissues, but how they go from stem cell to fat cell or bone cell is not completely understood. Now, researchers revealed that the stiffness of the environment affects the fate of MSCs via changes in expression of a gene that regulates myosin contractility called tropomyosin-1 (TPM1).