Scientists have developed a new gene therapy approach that offers tremendous promise for one day treating an eye disease that leads to blindness and affects thousands of people across the globe. Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and University College London (UCL) teamed up to pool their expertise in genetics, virology and ophthalmology, beginning the journey...
Month: <span>June 2020</span>
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Hallucinations in people with seizures may point to suicide risk
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have shown for the first time, the mental health significance of hallucinations in people with a history of seizures. In a study published today (Thursday, June 11th, 2020), findings show that 8% of individuals with a history of seizures report hallucinations,...
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Gene therapy with a new base editing technique restores hearing in mice
Repairing a single mutation in the Tmc1 gene restored partial hearing in mice Key Findings: This is the first example of repairing a recessive gene mutation Repairing a single mutation in the Tmc1 gene restored partial hearing in mice The technique required the use of two viral vectors to deliver the base editing machinery Cells...
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How targeting killer T cells in the lungs could lead to immunity against respiratory viruses
by Salk Institute A significant site of damage during COVID-19 infection is the lungs. Understanding how the lungs’ immune cells are responding to viral infections could help scientists develop a vaccine. Now, a team of researchers led by Salk Professor Susan Kaech has discovered that the cellsresponsible for long-term immunity in the lungs can be...
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Little-studied immune cell may be key to activating energy-burning ‘beige fat’
by University of New South Wales Immune cells called eosinophils could be an essential part of the process that activates “beige fat,” a study in mice published this week in Nature Communications shows. If future research confirms this hypothesis, these cells may be a target for anti-obesity therapies down the track. There are three types...
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Scientists develop blood test to help improve liver cancer screening
by National Cancer Institute Scientists have developed a new test that can help identify people who are likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. The approach uses a simple blood test to check for the patient’s previous exposure to certain viruses. A study of the new approach was led...
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‘Lab-on-a-chip’ blood test could spot breast cancer early
by Dennis Thompson, Healthday Reporter A cutting-edge “lab-on-a-chip” has shown promise in detecting early breast cancers and tumors that have developed in other parts of the body. Roughly the size of a glass microscope slide, the EV-CLUE uses nanotechnology to pump a tiny amount of blood into eight miniscule channels equipped to detect different markers...
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Researchers identify new genetic defect linked to ALS
by Deborah Kotz, University of Maryland School of Medicine Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have identified how certain gene mutations cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The pathway identified by the researchers may also be responsible for a certain form of dementia related to ALS....
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High doses of ketamine can temporarily switch off the brain, say researchers
by University of Cambridge Wikipedia Researchers have identified two brain phenomena that may explain some of the side-effects of ketamine. Their measurements of the brain waves of sheep sedated by the drug may explain the out-of-body experience and state of complete oblivion it can cause. In a study aimed at understanding the effect of therapeutic...
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Noise disturbs the brain’s compass
by German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases Our sense of direction tends to decline with age. In the scientific journal Nature Communications, researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and experts from the U.S. report on new insights into the causes of this phenomenon. According to their findings, the main source of errors in...