Another Piece of the Weight-Control Puzzle Identified
As scientists continue to investigate the brain’s intricate circuitry, they are forming a clearer picture of the myriad events that lead to weight gain and loss. A recent study by professor Bradford Lowell and colleagues has identified an important piece of this complex puzzle.

Researchers halt spread of HIV with RNAi
Using a novel method to deliver small molecules called siRNAs into T cells, Premlata Shankar (left), Priti Kumar, and colleagues dramatically suppressed HIV in the first-ever animal model that mirrors progression of the disease in humans.

Promising Drug Target Identified in Prostate Tumors
Assistant professor Jean Zhao and colleagues have blocked the development of prostate tumors in cancer-prone mice by knocking out a molecular "powerhouse" that drives runaway cell growth. The molecule, called p110beta, is a promising target for novel cancer therapies designed to shut it down.

Novel Imaging Study Sheds Light on Mystery Condition
A brain imaging study of chronic pain has shed new light on a mysterious condition known as complex regional pain syndrome. "This may offer very important insights into the development of new therapeutic approaches to chronic pain," said David Borsook, HMS associate professor at McLean Hospital.

Parkinson’s Disease Linked to Genetic Mechanisms
Production of the gene which is a cause of Parkinson’s disease is controlled by the build up of a certain protein, reports assistant professor Clemens Scherzer and colleagues. This direct pathway could become a target for drug therapy.