“novartis foundation”

Microbial responses to acidic and alkaline pH are important in many areas of bacteriology. For example, the mechanisms of resistance to acidic pH are important in the understanding of the passage of human pathogens through the acid of the stomach; and an understanding of microbial degradation of alk... More

Gramicidin channels have been studied intensively for more than 25 years. They serve as model transport systems for large protein ion channels, since it is difficult to glean high-resolution structural information on the latter. This book includes contributions from virtually all the major scientis... More

There is an urgent need to uncover new therapies that will protect against malaria, as the parasite becomes increasingly resistant to available drugs and this book offers insights into three interrelated aspects of the malaria-infected erythrocyte: * The transport of solutes into and out of the infe... More

The heat shock, or cell stress, response was first identified in the polytene chromosomes of "Drosophila," This was later related to the appearance of novel proteins within stressed cells, and the key signal stimulating this appearance was identified as the presence of unfolded proteins within the c... More

Smooth muscle contraction is a vital component of the functioning of blood vessels, the uterus, airways and the bladder. Its malfunction can lead to serious pathological conditions, such as hypertension and pre-term labour. The calcium ion plays a central role in its function, increasing in concentr... More

Drug resistance in epilepsy is an important clinical problem. About 200f patients diagnosed as having epilepsy fail to respond to prescribed antiepileptic drugs and continue to have seizures. But despite the size of the problem, remarkably little attention has been paid to the biological basis of re... More

The ability at the molecular level to keep track of time is a property shared by organisms ranging from the simplest unicells to humans. The primary feature of these biological clocks is their ability to entrain to environmental stimuli. The dominant stimulus comes from environmental light cues, whi... More

Although normally thought of as a sex hormone, recent research has highlighted the numerous and significant effects that oestrogen has on the CNS, extending far beyond its important reproductive role. It has been shown that oestrogen acts as a neural growth factor with important influences on the su... More

Dietary supplements can contain a wide variety of ingredients, either singly or in combination, including nutrients, botanicals and 'bioactive components' commonly found in foods. They are marketed and used by consumers for a range of reasons: to enhance "well-being," as traditional medicines, for h... More