Discovery's Edge Winter Issue

Monday, December 22, 2008

Here are highlights from the winter issue of Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's research magazine. You may cite and link to this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed with proper attribution. Please include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit Discovery's Edge for subscription information.

Breast Cancer: Finding a New Drug by Studying an Old One
Mayo Clinic researchers are pointing the way toward a new breast cancer drug that could help women who are resistant to the benefits of tamoxifen, the standard medication for decades.

Receptors of Death: Apoptosis and Liver Injury
Death receptor. It sounds like a gadget Darth Vader would use. Yet it's a normal part of your body. If certain cells don't die when they should, tumors can develop. Read how a Mayo investigator discovers the mechanisms for proper cell death in the liver.

The Science of Healthy Aging
Mild cognitive impairment is not dementia or Alzheimer's, but it affects the well-being of millions as they age. It can be treated or prevented, depending on the cause. Learn how Mayo population scientists are teaming with physicians to discover more.

Unlocking the Mysteries of Graves' Ophthalmopathy
Graves' disease (the most common form of hyperthyroidism) has afflicted many, including at least one U.S. president. A subset of Graves' patients also experience eye problems, but until recently it wasn't clear why. How can the thyroid affect the eyes? Mayo researchers are providing answers.

Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's online research magazine, highlights stories of leading medical investigators. Many features cover ongoing projects long before they reach the journals. Science writers and medical reporters seeking story ideas will want to check out the articles, which span a wide range of conditions and feature visuals they can use in their own publications.

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Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of "the needs of the patient come first." More than 3,700 physicians, scientists and researchers and 50,100 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn; Jacksonville, Fla; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. and community based providers in more than 70 locations in Southern Minn., Western Wis. and Northeast Iowa. These locations treat more than half a million people each year. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education, visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.