BY JOCELYN KAISE, 1 JUN 2022 4:30 PM A version of this story appeared in Science, Vol 376, Issue 6597. Tools such as CRISPR that snip DNA to alter its sequence are moving tantalizingly close to the clinic as treatment for some genetic diseases. But away from the limelight, researchers are increasingly excited about an...
Month: <span>June 2022</span>
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Engineers develop nanoparticles that cross the blood-brain barrier
Tested using a new brain tissue model, the particles may be able to deliver chemotherapy drugs for glioblastoma. There are currently few good treatment options for glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer with a high fatality rate. One reason that the disease is so difficult to treat is that most chemotherapy drugs can’t penetrate...
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New cellular secrets of ageing unlocked by researchers
Researchers have discovered how genetic mutations accumulated slowly over a lifetime lead to dramatic changes in how blood is formed after the age of 70, providing a new theory for ageing. New research has uncovered how genetic changes that accumulate slowly in blood stem cells throughout life are likely to be responsible for the dramatic...
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Impact of DNA mutations on lifelong blood cell production uncovered
Researchers discover how leukemia-associated gene mutations steadily commandeer blood cell production over a lifetime, and how these changes relate to aging and cancer development. New research has uncovered how genetic mutations hijack the production of blood cells in different periods of life. Scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, EMBL’s European Bioinformatics...
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3D in a Snap: Next-Generation System for Imaging Organoids
Biomedical researchers develop and use organoids as a tool for studying human development and disease. These little lab-grown cultures mimic human organs and provide a sharp view of tissue development, drug interaction, and other biochemical functions, offering an innovative approach to personalized medicine. “Getting detailed 3D images of these miniature models of organs, and getting a good...
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How bacteria store information to kill viruses (but not themselves)
During the last few years, CRISPR has grabbed headlines for helping treat patients with conditions as varied as blindness and sickle cell disease. However, long before humans co-opted CRISPR to fight genetic disorders, bacteria were using CRISPR as an immune system to fight off viruses. In bacteria, CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) works...
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Engineers Develop a New Method that Could Enable a Patient’s Own Antibodies to Eliminate Their Tumors
One of the reasons that cancer is notoriously difficult to treat is that it can look very different for each patient. As a result, most targeted therapies only work for a fraction of cancer patients. In many cases, patients will have tumors with no known markers that can be targeted, creating an incredible challenge in...
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Preoperative BMI and weight may predict outcomes after weight-loss surgery, data spanning 15 years suggests
THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF ANAESTHESIOLOGY AND INTENSIVE CARE (ESAIC) *Note this work is being presented at the Euroanaesthesia Congress in Milan, 4-6 June. Please credit the congress when using this story** New research being presented at this year’s Euroanaesthesia Congress in Milan, Italy (4-6 June), suggests that preoperative body mass index (BMI) and weight play...
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Identifying new minimally invasive biomarkers for non-small cell lung cancer
by University of Missouri Credit: CC0 Public Domain In a recent study, researchers at the University of Missouri are identifying new minimally invasive biomarkers to develop a blood test for early detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), one of two main types of lung cancer. This blood test also could help identify potential drug...
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Gua sha for TMJ: What to know
Gua sha, or skin scraping therapy, is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that releases pressure in the face. It can help with conditions such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. TMJ disorder affects the joints that connect the lower jaw to the main skull. It can cause chronic pain and discomfort and impact a person’s...