Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on "Healthwatch," we've been talking about laboratory research that may lead to cures and treatments for diseases. Research can also lead to knowledge that helps prevent diseases.
Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center recently learned how a certain protein helps insects detect and interpret pheromones - chemical signals insects use to manage behaviors like feeding, mating and colonizing.
Dr. Dean Smith, the associate professor of pharmacology who led the study, says if this protein isn't working right, insects don't behave normally. How does this relate to diseases? A number of diseases are spread by insects. This knowledge may lead to new ways to repel and control insects or to keep them from breeding. That could help prevent deadly diseases like malaria.
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March 2005
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