IN BRIEF The CRISPR process will be used inside the human body for the first time on July 15th to combat HPV, which impacts millions of people worldwide. And this is just one of a huge amount of proposed CRISPR studies occurring soon. UNINVASIVE CRISPR A new CRISPR trial, which hopes to eliminate the human papillomavirus (HPV),...
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Immunological Functions of the Omentum
Trends VAT-associated Tregs are a transcriptionally and functionally unique population of Tregs that regulate immune responses and metabolic processes in adipose tissues, including the omentum. ILC2 cells are found in adipose tissues like the omentum, where they regulate local immune responses and adipocyte metabolism. The omentum is a well characterized site of ovarian cancer metastasis,...
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Gene therapy could ‘turn off’ severe allergies
A single treatment giving life-long protection from severe allergies such as asthma could be made possible by immunology research at The University of Queensland. A team led by Associate Professor Ray Steptoe at the UQ Diamantina Institute has been able to ‘turn-off’ the immune response which causes allergic reaction in animals. “When someone has an...
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One gene closer to regenerative therapy for muscular disorders
A detour on the road to regenerative medicine for people with muscular disorders is figuring out how to coax muscle stem cells to fuse together and form functioning skeletal muscle tissues. A study published June 1 by Nature Communications reports scientists identify a new gene essential to this process, shedding new light on possible new therapeutic strategies....
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Genetic sequencing could influence treatment for nearly 3/4 of advanced cancer patients
A new analysis finds that nearly three-quarters of 500 patients with advanced cancer could be referred to a potential targeted treatment based on the results of a comprehensive analysis of their tumor’s genetic landscape. The study suggests the value of so-called next generation sequencing, a sophisticated method of evaluating the DNA and RNA of a...
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The puzzling way that writing heals the body
Can writing about pain and secret feelings really help boost your body’s immune system? BBC Future investigates. In 1986 the psychology professor James Pennebaker discovered something extraordinary, something which would inspire a generation of researchers to conduct several hundred studies. He asked students to spend 15 minutes writing about the biggest trauma of their lives...
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‘Hail Mary’ mechanism can rescue cells with severely damaged chromosomes
Understanding the mechanisms involved in chromosome repair, and how they can fail, may lead to new strategies to combat cancer The DNA vital to the life of a cell is packaged in chromosomes, and a variety of checkpoints, repair mechanisms, and other cellular safeguards exist to maintain the integrity of the chromosomes during cell growth...
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Non-invasive, effective contact lenses and glasses to treat glaucoma, prevent blindness
A Purdue-affiliated startup, Bionode LLC, is developing a wearable neuro-modulation device that could be used as a non-invasive, personalized therapy to treat and prevent elevated intra-ocular pressure in patients diagnosed with glaucoma. The technology was developed in Purdue’s Center for Implantable Devices by Pedro Irazoqui, professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering and...
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Psoriasis sensor gets under peoples’ skin
When doctors assess the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis, they generally do so via a visual examination of the red, scaly patches on the skin’s surface. This can be subjective, however, plus it doesn’t take into account what’s going on at a deeper level. That’s why German scientists from Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University...
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New disposable, wearable patch found to effectively detect sleep apnea
Results of a definitive clinical trial show that a new, disposable diagnostic patch effectively detects obstructive sleep apnea across all severity levels. Results show that the total rate of clinical agreement between the patch and standard in-lab polysomnography was 87.4 percent with 95 percent confidence interval of 81.4 percent to 91.9 percent. According to the authors, the...