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Wireless activation of targeted brain circuits in less than one second

Researchers from Rice University, Duke University, Brown University and Baylor College of Medicine developed a magnetic technology to wirelessly control neural circuits in fruit flies. They used genetic engineering to express heat-sensitive ion channels in neurons that control the behavior, and iron nanoparticles to activate the channels.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 14, 2022

SMART researchers enable early-stage detection of microbial contamination in cell therapy

Researchers from CAMP have identified a secreted metabolite biomarker, nicotinic acid to nicotinamide ratio, to detect microbial contaminations in human cell therapy products. This method enables early-stage detection of microbial contaminants and differentiates between live and dead bacteria.

SourceSingapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)·JournalMolecular Therapy — Methods & Clinical Development·DateMay 19, 2022

World’s largest islet transplant program celebrates 20 years of changing lives for people with diabetes

The Edmonton Protocol team has reported that islet transplantation is an effective therapy for patients with difficult-to-control Type 1 diabetes, with a high rate of graft survival and insulin independence. The procedure has been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels and improve quality of life for patients.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalThe Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology·DateMay 19, 2022

Patient-derived micro-organospheres enable cutting-edge precision oncology

Researchers developed a droplet-based microfluidic technology to produce micro-organospheres from cancer patient biopsies within an hour. These miniature tumors retain the original microenvironment and can be used for testing many drug conditions, showing almost perfect correlation with actual clinical treatment outcomes.

SourceTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 5, 2022

HIV: bestowing CD8+ T cells with properties observed in natural controllers

Researchers successfully reprogrammed non-controllers' CD8+ T cells to acquire properties of natural HIV controllers, enabling them to suppress viral load and survive without exhaustion. This breakthrough could lead to a cell therapy strategy for achieving HIV remission, with potential applications in cancer treatments.

SourceInstitut Pasteur·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 5, 2022

ESMO Breast Cancer Congress 2022

The ESMO Breast Cancer Congress 2022 event will present more than 200 studies on various aspects of breast cancer, including new treatments and innovative clinical practices. The congress will be held onsite in Berlin, Germany, and online, offering a platform for breast cancer specialists to share knowledge and improve patient outcomes.

Illumination of immune checkpoint LAG3 ‘black box’ could yield new cancer and autoimmune therapies

Researchers have shed light on how immune checkpoint protein LAG3 modulates T cell activity, providing crucial information for the development of new LAG3-blocking therapies. The study found that LAG3 suppresses T cell activation by disrupting coreceptor-Lck association, even in the absence of MHC Class II molecules.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalNature Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 18, 2022

Treatment which ‘switches off’ cancer cells and limits tumour growth, could make aggressive brain tumour easier to treat

Researchers have discovered a potential new treatment for glioblastoma, which targets 'kinase' proteins to limit tumour growth and improve existing chemotherapeutic drugs. This breakthrough therapy may provide hope for patients with aggressive brain tumours, offering a more effective and sustainable approach to treatment.

SourceUniversity of Sussex·JournalOncogene·DateApr 7, 2022

New tool to accelerate drug discovery

Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a novel technology to monitor membrane protein trafficking in real-time using bioluminescence. This allows for the study of cellular processes and drug development for heart disease, metabolic disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, COVID-19, and others.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalCommunications Biology·DateMar 22, 2022

Novel acute myeloid leukemia subtypes identified

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry have discovered a new subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) characterized by high amounts of mitochondrial proteins and altered mitochondrial metabolism. This subtype, called Mito-AML, shows clinical resistance to chemotherapy and can be effectively combated with inhibitors again...

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCancer Cell·DateMar 7, 2022

New study discovers novel inhibitory roles of hnRNPK in skeletal muscle cell differentiation

Researchers uncover the pleiotropic functions of hnRNPK in regulating skeletal muscle cell differentiation, including inhibition of myoblast differentiation and suppression of genes involved in endoplasmic reticulum stress. The study suggests that targeting hnRNPK could be a potential therapeutic strategy for treating human disorders.

SourceFujita Health University·JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 7, 2022

A possible therapeutic approach to COVID-19

The article suggests a potential treatment option for COVID-19 by targeting SARS-CoV-2's interaction with ACE2 receptors. Combining DPP4 inhibitors and spironolactone may mitigate COVID-19 complications and infections without adverse side effects.

SourceBentham Science Publishers·JournalEndocrine Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets·TypeSystematic review·DateFeb 27, 2022

Data from Codiak’s exoASO™-STAT6 preclinical development program for the treatment of primary and metastatic hepatic cancers published in Science Advances

Codiak BioSciences' exoASO-STAT6 demonstrates potent anti-tumor efficacy by reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages to an M1 phenotype, showing promise as a monotherapy candidate for hepatocellular carcinomas and other cancers. The company plans to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials in the first half of 2022.

SourceScient Public Relations, Inc.·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 18, 2022

Coronary artery calcium may help determine lung cancer patients’ risk of cardiovascular events during radiation treatment

Patients with severe coronary artery calcium have a significantly increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events during thoracic radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer. The study found that patients with severe coronary artery calcium had a 21.4 times increased risk compared to those with no coronary artery calcium.

Study of Penn patients with decade-long leukemia remissions after Car T cell therapy reveals new details about persistence of personalized “living drug” cells

Researchers discovered two patients with CAR T cell therapy achieved the longest-known remission to date, providing new details about treatment effects and outcomes. The study shows that the infused CAR T cells remained detectable for at least a decade, with sustained remission in both patients.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNature·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 2, 2022