Molecular and Cell Biology

The two faces of BID. When duty calls, it leaves the cell nucleus to initiate cell suicide. Illustration: Elite Avni

Meeting Places

23.04.2012

Stem Cells, Molecular and Cell Biology, Disease, Drugs & Diagnostics

How does one protein direct two different life-or-death activities in the cell?

Profs. Bernardo Vidne and Talila Volk. From human hearts to fruit fly hearts

Heart and Mind

02.04.2012

Molecular and Cell Biology, Disease, Drugs & Diagnostics, Genetics, Science Teaching

After a career as a top cardiac surgeon, Prof. Bernardo Vidne decided to get a Ph.D. in science

Left: Natural control mechanism blocks the enzyme's zinc active site. Right: Novel antibody works as effectively as the natural control mechanism

Immune System Tricks

19.03.2012

Molecular and Cell Biology, Immunology, Disease, Drugs & Diagnostics, Structural Biology

A synthetic molecule causes a useful immune response in mice

Wild type yeast cells (l) exhibit changes in the membrane pump proteins under different nutrient conditions, while yeast engineered to avoid repressing one transporter type (r) show no change

Doubly Prepared

19.03.2012

Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics

Why do cells keep two pump systems for nutrient uptake?

Prof. Yosef Yarden, Dr. Wolfgang Köstler, Amit Zeisel and Prof. Eytan Domany

Production Overshoot

11.03.2012

Space & Physics, Cancer, Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics

Bits of gene code that are normally discarded have found a surprising new use in research

Neuron cover

A Unique ON-OFF Switch for the Stress Response

23.02.2012

Brain & Behavior, Molecular and Cell Biology

Both parts of the mechanism – ON and OFF receptors – are encoded in the same gene.

Weizmann Institute Scientists Discover How Cells Brace for Starvation

Weizmann Institute Scientists Discover How Cells Brace for Starvation

22.02.2012

Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics

Why do cells have two different pump mechanisms for nutrients?

Electron microscope image of an effector cell inserting several appendages through endothelial cell membranes

Hidden Passage

30.01.2012

Cancer, Molecular and Cell Biology, Immunology

Hidden “exit signs” ensure that only certain white blood cells can find them.

Mature oocyte, ready for fertilization; surrounding the oocyte are follicle cells

The X Factor of Ovulation

24.01.2012

Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Fertility

What keeps the eggs in the ovary from maturing until the time comes for ovulation?

Cells growing under normal (l) and starvation (c and r) conditions. The green spots indicate an autophagy protein that is normally diffused in the cytoplasm, but is recruited to form autophagosomes in response to stress

One Protein, Two Programs

16.01.2012

Molecular and Cell Biology

A cell’s decision to commit suicide involves an exchange of information between two suicide mechanisms

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Top Stories

Shedding Light on the Dark Hours

Credit: Coleen Murphy, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Cracking the Code of a Worm's Throat

“Eight Shining Examples of Excellence”

Burning Cancer’s Bridges

Press Releases

“Eight Shining Examples of Excellence”

The Weizmann Institute of Science Ranked among the World’s Top Ten Academic Institutions

A Discovery to Set Your Heart a-Knocking