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Fundamental Research Division
The DRF at the CEA assemble approximately 6,000 scientists since January 2016.
What are the dynamics with which a protein becomes functional? Researchers from the IBS (CEA, CNRS, UJF), in collaboration with the EPFL and ENS of Lyon, have designed an NMR device capable of observing a protein progressively “wake up” from an inert to functional state. This is a first in analyzing these complex, perpetually mobile biological molecules.
The movement of water in the brain, particularly within neurons, could serve as an early marker of Alzheimer’s disease.
People afflicted with microcephaly have undersized brains. Researchers from the CEA-I2BM have developed a mathematical analysis of MRI images that can discriminate variations in cortical folding complexity. This is a methodological step towards a more effective diagnostic approach, as well as a better understanding of cerebral development.
An international team involving the IBS has just demonstrated the role that water has on the activity of proteins at the molecular level. The researchers discovered how the movement of water molecules is involved on the surface of proteins in order to make them dynamic and therefore functional.
Why are we not aware of external noises while we sleep? A study by the CEA-I2BM shows that even if the sounds still penetrate into the auditory cortex, sleep disrupts the brain’s ability to anticipate.
A nano-drug has been developed for treating certain neurological diseases such as brain ischemia, as well as injuries to bone marrow. It is composed of a therapeutic molecule, adenosine, and the vector squalene, which allows it to circulate in the body and reach the areas to be treated.
The CEA-IBEB has partnered with the CEA-I2BM to develop original MRI contrast agents. Nano-magnets produced by bacteria may reveal targets at the molecular level.
A crossover study in neuroimaging and genetics has linked genetic mutations to variations in the size of deep brain structures. This is a new step in evaluating the risk factors for developing a neurodegenerative disease.
Formate dehydrogenases are bacterial enzymes that represent a hope in giving value to CO2 as a renewable energy vector. A team from the CEA-IBEB has elucidated a key step in their maturation.
Although they are involved in many biological mechanisms, disordered proteins have escaped the methods of structural biology. A team from the IBS has now succeeded in characterizing the interaction of two of them.
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CEA is a French government-funded technological research organisation in four main areas: low-carbon energies, defense and security, information technologies and health technologies. A prominent player in the European Research Area, it is involved in setting up collaborative projects with many partners around the world.