New research has found that a novel drug cocktail almost doubled the lifespan of a microscopic worm, the largest drug-induced lifespan extension in an animal ever reported. The study suggests that pharmacological intervention to help us live longer could be a realistic proposition. The microscopic C. elegans worms, often used in anti-aging studies, had their lifespan almost doubled after treatment with a novel triple-drug...
Post
MIT punches out cell-sized robots made of graphene
MIT researchers have developed a technique to mass produce cell–sized robots out of graphene(Credit: Felice Frankel) Robots are getting smaller and smaller, from the size of bugs down to tiny bead-shaped robots that could one day swim through the body to monitor health or deliver medication. MIT engineers recently managed to create cell–sized robots that could collect data about their environment, but were a little tricky to manufacture. Now, the team has found...
Post
Psychedelic psilocybin therapy for depression granted Breakthrough Therapy status by FDA
In an extraordinary step forward for the psychedelic drug research community, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just given psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression a Breakthrough Therapy designation. This classification suggests the treatment has demonstrated significant potential in early clinical evidence, allowing the FDA to assist and expedite subsequent development and review processes....
Post
Scientists uncover why knee joint injury leads to osteoarthritis
Knee joint injuries are typically related to sports, such as football, rugby or ice hockey, but people often do not know that such injuries may lead to joint inflammation and post-traumatic osteoarthritis. In advanced post-traumatic osteoarthritis, joint cartilage breaks down completely, causing severe joint pain, lack of mobility and even social isolation. However, the mechanisms leading to osteoarthritis are not known. Currently, it is not possible...
Post
The body’s defence mechanisms: Teamwork is key for cancer-fighting proteins
The mechanisms that orchestrate the functions of our bodies and keep us healthy are quite complex, involving critical molecular components that are still poorly understood. The prestigious journal Nature Communications has published recent research on this topic by a team led by Dr. El Bachir Affar, a professor in the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at the Université...
Post
Novel combination therapy promotes wound healing
October 25, 2018–(BRONX, NY)–By incorporating a gene-suppressing drug into an over-the-counter gel, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and their colleagues cut healing time by half and significantly improved healing outcomes compared to control treatments. Results from the combination therapy, which was tested in mice, were published online today in Advances in Wound Care....
Post
New epigenetic drug strategy to treat cancer
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM (Philadelphia, PA) – Researchers have discovered that inhibiting CDK9, a DNA transcription regulator reactivates genes that have been epigenetically silenced by cancer. Reactivation leads to restored tumor suppressor gene expression and enhanced anti-cancer immunity. It is the first time this particular kinase has been linked to gene silencing in mammals. Jean-Pierre...
Post
A team of scholars tested a new way of skin cancer early diagnostics
The methods created by the team, allowed to increase the efficiency of diagnosis up to 97 percent SAMARA UNIVERSITY A team of scholars of Samara National Research University and Samara State Medical University, as well as clinic specialists of Samara Regional Oncology Centre (SROC), tested a new way of skin cancer early diagnostics with the help of original complex of three devices. The efficiency of oncology treatment is directly connected...
Post
Hallucinations associated with brain hyperactivity in people with macular degeneration
New research from the University of Queensland has shown for the first time that visual hallucinations in people with macular degeneration are associated with abnormally heightened activity in the visual cortex of the brain. The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, could improve the diagnosis of such hallucinations. Macular degeneration is a retinal eye...
Post
Study opens new therapeutic avenue for mitochondria malfunction
Jefferson scientists identify key interaction controlling calcium’s access to the cell’s powerhouse THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY (PHILADELPHIA)–A surprising offender has been emerging to drive the progression of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and other neurodegenerative diseases: calcium. Calcium controls the production of fuel in mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses. But too much calcium can lead to cellular damage and even...