Research highlights archive: October 2002

		Structure-based drug design: Complex is crystal clear Two groups have determined the crystal structure of the epidermal growth factor receptor-ligand complex. 25 October 2002
		Apoptosis: A dysfunctional harlequin A genetic model for neurodegeneration that is mediated by oxidative stress has highlighted a vital role for the apoptosis-inducing factor in neuronal survival. 25 October 2002
		Macrophages: Immune activation by anthrax Bacillus anthracis kills macrophages and evades the host immune response by secreting a protein that leads p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition. 25 October 2002
		Anticoagulants: Balance control An RNA aptamer could be a promising new form of reversible anticoagulant therapy. 18 October 2002
		Tumorigenesis: Clockwork Could genes that control circadian rhythms be involved in tumorigenesis? 18 October 2002
		Neurological disorders: Lesions with a jagged edge The reactivation of an embryo-specific pathway might contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. 18 October 2002
		Structure-based drug design: Reiterating the point Structure-based development and iterative biological evaluation can be used to optimize inhibitors rapidly. 3 October 2002
		Signalling: Fuzzy logic Inhibitors of the Hedgehog pathway induces regression of established tumour models of medulloblastoma, revealing a new therapeutic approach for this aggressive cancer 3 October 2002
		Neurodegeneration: Autophagy lurks around lurcher The process in which cells digest their own cytoplasm during starvation leads to neuronal death through glutamate receptors. 3 October 2002