UNC-Duke ties lead to collaborative finding about cell division and metabolism:

UNC-Duke ties lead to collaborative finding about cell division and metabolism: NCI Cancer Center News

A new finding based on multiple collaborations between UNC and Duke scientists over several years points to new avenues for investigation of cell metabolism that may provide insights into diseases ranging from neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease to certain types of cancers... [S]cientists observed that a protein related to a gene called Ras, which is known to be associated with several different types of cancer, was concentrated in a part of the cell called the mitochondria.... [The scientists] noticed that the interaction of two proteins called RalA and Aurora-A, when present in the cell's mitochondria, caused those "power plants" to behave oddly during cell division.

Click here to read full press release from UNC-Duke .

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Among the research institutions NCI funds across the United States, it currently designates 66 as Cancer Centers. Largely based in research universities, these facilities are home to many of the NCI-supported scientists who conduct a wide range of intense, laboratory research into cancer’s origins and development. The Cancer Centers Program also focuses on trans-disciplinary research, including population science and clinical research. The centers’ research results are often at the forefront of studies in the cancer field.