http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Melbourne scientists have made the surprise discovery that malaria parasites can 'talk' to each other – a social behaviour to ensure the parasite's survival and improve its chances of being transmitted to other humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-idle-chatter-malaria-parasites.html Medical research Wed, 15 May 2013 13:28:48 EST news287843320 The understanding of how a powerful protein called p53 protects against cancer development has been upended by a discovery by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-reveals-cancer-suppressing-protein-multitasks.html Cancer Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:02 EST news287311745 Scientists have identified the gene essential for survival of antibody-producing cells, a finding that could lead to better treatments for diseases where these cells are out of control, such as myeloma and chronic immune disorders. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-immune-cell-survival-gene-key.html Immunology Sun, 03 Feb 2013 13:00:23 EST news279115369 Melbourne scientists have discovered how female steroid hormones can make dramatic changes to the genetic material in breast cells, changes that could potentially lead to breast cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-hormones-breast-genetic-material.html Medical research Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:00:01 EST news278853837 Melbourne researchers have discovered that the death of immune system cells is an important safeguard against the development of diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which occur when the immune system attacks the body's own tissues. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-immune-cell-death-defects-linked.html Immunology Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:28:34 EST news278159306 A landmark discovery about how insulin docks on cells could help in the development of improved types of insulin for treating both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-image-insulin-docking-diabetes-treatments.html Diabetes Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:00:11 EST news276954034 Researchers have discovered an immune system 'kill switch' that destroys blood stem cells when the body is under severe stress, such as that induced by chemotherapy and systemic infections. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-immune-chemotherapy-infection-recovery.html Immunology Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:00:37 EST news274005038 Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered that a pair of molecules work together to kill so-called 'self-reactive' immune cells that are programmed to attack the body's own organs. The finding is helping to explain how autoimmune diseases develop. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-immune-cell-death-safeguards-autoimmune.html Immunology Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:00:05 EST news266148082 The malaria species rampant in the Asia-Pacific region has been a significant driver of evolution of the human genome, a new study has shown. An international team of researchers has shown that Plasmodium vivax malaria, the most prevalent malaria species in the Asia-Pacific, is a significant cause of genetic evolution that provides protection against malaria. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-benign-malaria-key-driver-human.html Medical research Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:00:06 EST news265972255 The discovery of a 'switch' that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations in the severity of birth defects in children with DiGeorge syndrome. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-gene-digeorge-syndrome-severity.html Genetics Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:10:02 EST news264936047 A new technique that accurately determines the risk of infants in endemic countries developing clinical malaria could provide a valuable tool for evaluating new malaria prevention strategies and vaccines. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-technology-malaria-vaccine.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:24:19 EST news258110548 A novel anti-inflammatory drug could help to improve survival in the most severe cases of malaria by preventing the immune system from causing irrevocable brain and tissue damage. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-anti-inflammatory-drugs-survival-severe-malaria.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 23 May 2012 14:00:01 EST news256995503