While filaments of either tau or TDP-43 underlie 90% of frontotemporal dementia cases, the proteopathic culprits behind the remaining 10 percent have eluded researchers. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) often forms inclusions in such cases, hence Benjamin Ryskeldi-Falcon’s group and collaborators expected to find FUS fibrils when they put samples from these patients’ brains through the cryoEM ringer. As reported in Nature, they happened upon filaments of another RNA-binding protein, namely TAF15. More…
Sought FUS, Found TAF—A New Fibril in Frontotemporal Dementia
The band and the rhythm
The latest episode of The EMBO podcast features John O’Neill and Andrew Beale, Group Leader and postdoctoral researcher in the LMB’s Cell Biology Division. They talk about how investigating a mysterious band on a western blot led to a new understanding of the red blood cell’s clockwork mechanism. Read more…
Cheaper microscope could bring protein mapping technique to the masses
A news piece in Science highlights how Chris Russo’s group and Richard Henderson, both in the LMB’s Structural Studies Division, have worked with other collaborators to build a new cryo–electron microscope at a fraction of the size and costs of current suppliers. More…
A success for the Raymond Nicolet Trust charity cake sale at the LMB
The Raymond Nicolet Trust organised a charity cake sale at the LMB on Monday 21st November. Volunteer patisserie amateurs baked a variety of different cakes and successfully raised £248.75. All proceedings are going to support The Sveti Sava Elementary School, Bajina Basta in Serbia. Thank you so much to everyone who helped! More…
Tracking the milestones of the genome sequencing revolution highlights LMB achievements
In charting the milestones in the history of genome sequencing development, UKRI include LMB research as integral to the revolution in the field. Namely, they cite the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953 and the 1977 development of the ‘Sanger sequencing method’ to sequence DNA. More…
The Infinite Monkey Cage asks if octopuses are aliens on Earth
The latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s The Infinite Monkey Cage features Amy Courtney, postdoctoral researcher in William Schafer’s group in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division. Together with hosts Brain Cox and Robin Ince and panellists Tim Lamont and Russell Kane, she discusses the strange lives of octopuses, including their doughnut shaped brains, how they compete for prey and whether they have arms or legs. More…