Today’s dose is pro-research, whether it’s research on lung cancer, stem cells, or even sushi. And if that’s not enough for you, consider joining today’s ‘pro-test.’

— Researchers have found a potential reason why many Japanese have an appetite for sushi: because their gut bacteria do. A new study in Nature found evidence that enzymes for digesting algae, such as the nori wrapping of sushi rolls, may have been the result of gene transfer long ago between a marine bacterium and a human gut bacterium. The bacterial genes were only seen among people with Japanese ancestry.

— Prices for samples of some human embryonic stem cell lines have doubled to $1000 per vial after the National Stem Cell Bank’s contract expired last month. Lines were previously available, and government-subsidized, through the WiCell Research Institute in Madison, Wisconsin, but now researchers must purchase from the Wisconsin International Stem Cell Bank, which aims to at least break even. (The Scientist)

— A different kind of protest is happening today at the University of California–Los Angeles. The “Pro-Test for Science,” now in its second year, begins at 11:30 am PT with scientists and others rallying in support of animal research. Last year’s event drew hundreds, as well as some animal rights activists. (ScienceInsider)

— Researchers say that genetic profiling could differentiate smokers with a high risk of developing lung cancer. In their study, published in Science Translational Medicine, the authors found increased activity in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway during tumor development, so measuring the underlying gene levels at a young age could become a marker for cancer risk.

Image by jlastras via Flickr Creative Commons