Diseases articles within Nature

Featured

  • Letter |

    Recently, numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified as being associated with obesity, but these loci together account for only a small fraction of the known heritable component. Here, an association is reported between rare deletions of at least 593 kilobases at 16p11.2 and a highly penetrant form of obesity. The strategy used of combining study of extreme phenotypes with targeted follow-up is promising for identifying missing heritability in obesity.

    • R. G. Walters
    • , S. Jacquemont
    •  & J. S. Beckmann

  • Books & Arts |

    Steve Silberman enjoys a moving account that probes racial and ethical issues in medicine through the story of the young mother whose death from cancer led to the first immortal cell line.

    • Steve Silberman

  • News & Views |

    Embryonic stem cells can create copies of themselves, but can also mature into almost any type of cell in the body. Tiny gene regulators called microRNAs are now shown to have a role in directing these properties.

    • Frank J. Slack

  • Column |

    Innovation policies are more likely to be successful if they leverage existing capabilities, argues Daniel Sarewitz.

    • Daniel Sarewitz

  • Article |

    Insect vectors of diseases locate their animal hosts through olfaction via largely unknown molecular processes. Here the 'empty neuron' system of genetically engineered Drosophila is used to assign specific odorants to the entire repertoire of olfactory receptors of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. The results illuminate ecological and neurobiological differences between mosquitoes and fruitflies and provide new potential molecular targets to boost the struggle against insect–borne diseases.

    • Allison F. Carey
    • , Guirong Wang
    •  & John R. Carlson

  • Editorial |

    The reporting of candidate biomarkers for disease must be rigorous to drive translational research.

  • Letter |

    High mutation rates in the influenza A virus facilitate the generation of viral escape mutants, rendering vaccines and drugs potentially ineffective, but targeting host cell determinants could prevent viral escape. Here, 287 human host cell genes influencing influenza A virus replication are found using a genome-wide RNA interference screen. An independent assay is then used to investigate overlap between genes necessary for different viral strains.

    • Alexander Karlas
    • , Nikolaus Machuy
    •  & Thomas F. Meyer

  • Editorial |

    It is time to assess what worked, and what didn't, in the global efforts to cope with swine flu.

  • News Feature |

    An increase in premature births means that more babies are at risk of neurological damage. Erika Check Hayden talks with researchers who are developing ways to help these children.

    • Erika Check Hayden

  • News Feature |

    Richard Besser led the United States' top public-health agency as swine flu broke out on its doorstep. And his communication shaped the early days of a pandemic, finds Brendan Maher.

    • Brendan Maher

  • Editorial |

    There are many ways in which the understanding and treatment of conditions such as schizophrenia are ripe for a revolution.

  • News & Views |

    Retrieving a memory initiates a window of vulnerability for that memory. Simple behavioural methods can modify distressing memories during this window, eliminating fear reactions to traumatic reminders.

    • Gregory J. Quirk
    •  & Mohammed R. Milad

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