Cyclopamine, it turns out, blocks the function of a gene called Sonic hedgehog that is essential for embryonic development but also plays a lead role in causing deadly cancers of the pancreas, skin, prostate and esophagus.

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Children with the disease have a genetic mutation that causes them to produce the protein progerin, which blocks normal cell function.

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But the Merck-bound scientist's main interest has been in the structure and function of proteins, the building blocks of all living things and the basis for most drugs.

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Anyone can issue instructions to the basic building blocks of the Internet, the backbone routers, that, if accepted, will seriously disrupt the function of the Internet.

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