Salk Institute scientists have captured never-before-seen footage of the motor protein dynein being "unlocked" by its small partner protein Lis1, setting he foundation for future therapeutics that restore dynein and Lis1 function. The dysfunction of motor proteins and their associated proteins can lead to severe neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, and the dysfunction of Lis1 can lead to the rare fatal birth defect lissencephaly for which there is no cure.

OKLAHOMA CITY – In medicine, moving a breakthrough from the lab to the doctor’s office often involves navigating a dizzying maze of bureaucratic and financial obstacles. Most health care startups – 90% by some estimates – fail to find a path to profitability. But one Oklahoma City-based company is poised to become an exception. Fourteen years after its founding, Moleculera Biosciences is emerging from the startup labyrinth.