Blueberries are nature's super fruit, packed with fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. Blueberries are also a big industry for North Carolina. Now scientists are working to decode the blueberry genome and create the super blueberry bush, which would help the state's blueberry industry.
Health
What a Pain!
UNC School of Medicine researchers have found a new treatment for chronic pain, which is pain that lasts for months and affects 116 million people. Scientists discovered an enzyme that blocks the reception of pain signals by sensors in the skin. It could lead to safer and more effective pain medications.
Oh Shuck!
Raw oysters, delicious with hot sauce, can carry a bacteria that makes people very sick. Researchers are working to better understand Vibrio bacteria and create a warning system for oystermen, which would alert them to the best and worst times to harvest oysters.
The Liver Takes It All
Drug-induced liver injuries result in more regulatory actions and delays in pharmaceutical developments than any other serious medical event. Scientists and pharma companies have created a virtual liver to better understand the effects of pharmaceutical drugs.
The 99% Solution
Approximately 99% of the population take medicines without a problem. But some people experience dangerous reactions, which can force the FDA to pull drugs from the shelf, denying patients needed help and costing drug companies billions. Researchers with The Hamner–UNC Institute for Drug Safety Science are trying to understand why.
Self-Healing Muscles
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have been able to grow living skeletal muscles in the lab that look and act like the real thing. It's a first step in growing human muscle that can treat injuries and disease.
Just a Spoonful of Soybeans
A biotech start-up at UNC Charlotte could revolutionize how we take medicines by using soybean seeds. Scientists are inserting the DNA from viruses in the protein-rich seeds of soybeans, and believe eating the modified soybeans can turn the human immune system in the gut on or off against various diseases.
New Fields For Food
Mary-Dell Chilton's DNA discoveries launched the field of genetically modifying plants to ward off pests, use less water, and improve yields. Supporters say it could help feed the world. Opponents say it's not safe, threatening the environment and people in ways that may not be known yet. By discovering the mechanism of DNA transfer, Chilton bestowed that power to humans.
The Body in Motion
Researchers with the Appalachian State University Human Performance Lab are providing new insights into how even a small amount of exercise can cut the risk of disease in half.
Rapid Water Test
The greatest danger for beachgoers may be millions of microbes also swimming in the water. While many are there naturally, stormwater runoff and sewage system failures can overwhelm coastal waters. One percent of NC's beaches were closed for short times in 2012 because of microbial contaminants. A marine biologist has now developed a rapid water test to keep the public safe.