Leaks from the lab

• Share
• Tweet
• Discuss

Screening for heart disease not necessary for diabetic patients

According to a new Yale study, heart screening is not effective for patients with type 2 diabetes who display no symptoms of heart disease — and may actually initially lead to more invasive and expensive health procedures. Instead, the findings, published in the April 15 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, show such patients can be managed with preventive therapies such as lipid-lowering drugs, blood pressure medication, aspirin and diabetes treatment. While the study did find that diabetic individuals were at an increased risk for coronary artery disease, the risk was found to be so low that it did not warrant the shortcomings of routine screening procedures.

Study identifies protein responsible for Salmonella’s ability to infect

Yale researchers have identified a protein responsible for the ability of the deadly bacterium Salmonella to invade intestinal cells and hijack their cellular processes. The study, published in the April 15 issue of Cell, shows that the protein, called SopB, enables the bacteria to escape detection by the host organism — shedding light into its lethal strategy. Salmonella kills more than 2 million people a year.

Prison inmates more likely to have high blood pressure

Former prison inmates are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure as young adults than those who have never been in jail, according to a Yale School of Medicine study. Led by researcher Emily Wang, the Yale team found that, although this correlation was most dramatic for black men and the less educated, it persisted even after controlling for demographic characteristics like race, socioeconomic status, obesity and drug and alcohol use. The study was published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

West Campus VP of planning to speak on Darwin, evolutionary biology

Michael Donoghue, vice president of West Campus planning and program development and evolutionary biology professor, will present the keynote address, “Charles Darwin, the Tree of Life, and the Future of Biodiversity,” at the 61st annual Cushing/Whitney Medical Library Associates Lecture held today at 4 p.m. The event is just one among many that will be held through out the year honoring Charles Darwin’s 200th anniversary and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking work “The Origin of the Species.” The talk, which will be held in the Medical Library Rotunda, aims to provide an up-to-date perspective on evolutionary biology.

Immunology prof receives Early Career Scientist award

Susan Kaech, an assistant professor of immunology, was recently honored with the Early Career Scientist award, presented by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to 50 young researchers nationwide. The award will provide Kaech $1.5 million in research support over six years. Kaech’s research focuses on the immunology of protective T cells, which fight infections. In particular, she studies memory T cells, long-lived cells that have the ability to ‘recall’ pathogens the body has already been infected with, providing long-term protection against reinfection.