A new gene behind a rare form of inherited childhood kidney disease has been identified by a global research team.UQ IMB researchers were part of the team that made the discovery that will improve genetic testing and could provide clues for future treatments for autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD).

Advances in life science research provide critical knowledge across a wide range of biological fields, informing everything from our fundamental understanding of evolutionary biology to remarkable progress in personalised medicine. In order to ensure the security and global accessibility of molecular data, a concerted effort must be toward shared responsibility for the support and maintenance of core data resources.

Learn how the IMB Centre for Solar Biotechnology is using algae to power a more sustainable future.

Learn how the Butterfly Pea gave rise to a world first for natural insecticide.

Researchers from The University of Queensland are seeking the help of Australian mothers to identify the genetic factors involved in postpartum depression, which will help us understand and develop better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the condition.

The brain has its own inbuilt processes for mopping up damaging cellular waste – and these processes may provide protection from stroke and dementia. UQ scientists discovered a new type of lymphatic brain “scavenger” cell by studying tropical freshwater zebrafish – which share many of the same cell types and organs as humans.

Repairing damaged heart and vascular tissues will be the unique focus of a new University of Queensland research centre, established to combat cardiovascular disease. The UQ Centre for Cardiac and Vascular Biology (CCVB) brings together eight laboratories researching cardiovascular development, regeneration and disease.

Since the 1940s scientists have been fighting to protect us from bacterial strains that continue to evolve. The bacteria are developing resistance to antibiotics, our weapons against them, forcing us to find new ways to protect ourselves.

The periodic table is one of those classic images that you find in many science labs and classrooms. It’s an image almost everyone has seen at some time in their life. But what exactly does the periodic table show?

A small protein that could protect the brain from stroke-induced injury has been discovered by researchers from UQ and Monash University. IMB researcher Professor Glenn King, who led the research, said the small protein showed great promise as a future stroke treatment.

IMB researchers have made a big step towards improving the way we study immune responses to bacterial infections.

Inside one in ten women an invasive disease is ravaging reproductive and surrounding organs. It causes serious pain and in some cases, infertility. It’s called endometriosis and we know very little about it.

Researchers from The University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) have developed a faster and more accurate method for assembling genomes that could help clinicians rapidly identify antibiotic-resistant infections.

Australian researchers are a step closer to understanding immune sensitivities to well-known, and commonly prescribed, medications. Many drugs are successfully used to treat diseases, but can also have harmful side effects. While it has been known that some drugs can unpredictably impact on the functioning of the immune system, our understanding of this process has been unclear.

IMB researchers have found a promising small molecule treatment that blocked cancer spread and improved survival rates in mice in a pre-clinical study of breast cancer.

IMB agricultural sciences PhD student Samantha Nixon (King Group) has been named as one of 22 exceptional young Australians to receive a Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship. Samantha is is researching the concept of spider venoms as next generation treatments to combat drug resistance in parasites in Australian livestock.

Dr Joseph Powell and his team are investigating how differences in your DNA sequence impact on how disease starts and develops in the body. This NHMRC-funded research is important because it could lead to new approaches to prevent or to treat disease. (via NHMRC website)

No summer barbecue would be complete without the great Aussie salute. It's a tradition that has been linked to one specific fly: the Australian bush fly. IMB researcher Dr Maggie Hardy explains why this little Australian has got a bad rap. (via ABC Science)

Chances are, you’re going to marry someone a lot like you. Similar intelligence, similar height, similar body weight. A new study of tens of thousands of married couples suggests that this isn’t an accident. We don’t marry educated people because we happen to hang around with educated people, for example—we actively seek them out. And these preferences are shaping our genomes. Story via Science Magazine (external link).

IMB researchers have discovered a molecular trigger for inflammation that could lead to new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegenerative diseases. Professor Jennifer Stow said targeting this trigger - a protein called SCIMP, could reduce or ‘switch off’ inflammation.