Well, here’s a development:
In the study of Alzheimer’s disease, the smallest steps forward have sometimes led to the most exciting breakthroughs.
In the case of a recent study from Novato’s Buck Institute, it’s a molecular step forward — specifically, modifying a single amino acid in the brains of lab mice that could prevent the frightening memory loss and dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
In the Buck Institute study, a protein was altered in the brains of lab mice. The mice that received the treatment showed all the pathological signs of suffering Alzheimer’s disease — most notably, a buildup of sticky plaque that scientists believe is related to the disease — but had none of the memory-loss symptoms or brain shrinkage.
We’ll certainly take this is a nice step along the way to a cure. And note that this step forward involves moving molecules around.
FuturePundit, commenting on the announcement of the new Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, makes not of this relationship between molecular nanotechnology and the future of medicine:
The functional components of cells are molecules. To measure and manipulate small components requires the development of technology that operate on the same scale as the target systems. Nanotechnology for biological systems therefore is the right approach for the development of great diagnostics, disease treatments, and enhancements.
There you have it, folks — Spock’s chessboard in action.