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Ancient ink for cancer treatment

Researchers discovered Hu-Kaiwen ink can kill cancer cells without harming normal tissues, offering an alternative to expensive and toxic PTT. The traditional Chinese ink absorbs near-infrared light and heats up when exposed to a laser, demonstrating its potential as a non-toxic photothermal therapy agent.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Omega·DateSep 27, 2017

Back from the brink

Researchers discovered anastasis has two distinct stages and cells hold onto pro-survival molecules even when dying. The study's findings suggest this process may enable cancer cells to bounce back after treatment, raising questions about the long-term cellular effects of anastasis.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalJournal of Cell Science·DateSep 27, 2017

Cells programmed like computers to fight disease

Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered a way to program cells using genetic engineering, enabling them to control actions such as fighting disease. The technique uses a common molecule called RNA, which can be engineered into sequences similar to computer code to instruct cells to perform specific actions.

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateSep 18, 2017

The turbulent healing powers of plasma

Computer simulations reveal that turbulence in plasma jets emerges from heat-induced sound waves, offering a new understanding of plasma's therapeutic properties. This insight may lead to more consistent and effective medical therapies, including wound healing and cancer treatment.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateSep 11, 2017

Melatonin may help treat blood cancers

Researchers found melatonin boosts immune response against cancer cells, inhibits growth and protects healthy cells from chemotherapy effects. Timing of melatonin treatments is crucial for their anticancer effects due to its role in regulating circadian rhythms.

SourceWiley·JournalBritish Journal of Pharmacology·DateSep 1, 2017

Cell culture system could offer cancer breakthrough

A new microfluidic cell culture device allows researchers to study the development of drug resistance in cancer cells in real-time. The system, developed by Princeton University and Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, provides a tool for preclinical cancer drug development and screening.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalConvergent Science Physical Oncology·DateAug 29, 2017

Next-generation drug testing on chips

Researchers at Kyoto University developed a tiny 'body-on-a-chip' device to test the side effects of anti-cancer drugs on human cells. The device revealed that a metabolite of the drug caused toxicity in heart cells, leading to improved pre-clinical testing for these medications.

SourceKyoto University·JournalRSC Advances·DateAug 25, 2017

Drug hope for acute myeloid leukemia

Researchers at the University of Bradford have discovered a new drug candidate, HXR9, that targets HOX genes to prevent cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis. Combining HXR9 with another drug shows enhanced results in reducing cancer growth.

SourceUniversity of Bradford·JournalOncoTargets and Therapy·DateAug 8, 2017

Alcohol intake may increase risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers

A recent analysis of published studies found that higher alcohol intake increases the risk of basal cell carcinoma by 7% and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by 11% for every 10 gram increase per day. The study suggests that limiting alcohol consumption may help reduce skin cancer risk.

SourceWiley·JournalBritish Journal of Dermatology·DateJul 31, 2017

Killing cancer in the heat of the moment

Researchers from Kyoto University developed a new method to transfer genes into cancer cells using gold nanorods coated with oleate and DOTAP. The nanorods are activated by near-infrared laser heat, inducing cell death in surrounding cancer cells.

SourceKyoto University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 8, 2017

Watch cancer spread in a mouse

Scientists in Japan develop a method to image cancer at the single-cell level, revealing cancerous colonies in detail. The technique allows researchers to track cancer cells as they multiply and metastasize, providing insight into metastatic pathways.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Reports·DateJul 5, 2017

Visualizing whole-body cancer metastasis at the single-cell level

Researchers have developed a method to visualize cancer metastasis in whole organs at the single-cell level, enabling early detection of dormant or resistant cancer cells. This breakthrough uses transparent mice and advanced imaging techniques to create 3-D maps of cancer cells throughout the body and organs.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCell Reports·DateJul 5, 2017

Mapping genes could improve cancer diagnosis

Researchers have developed a new method to detect genetic changes in cancer cells using Hi-C, which can identify major genome rearrangements and copy number variations with high accuracy. This approach has the potential to aid targeted treatments and enhance cancer diagnosis.

SourceBabraham Institute·JournalGenome Biology·DateJul 4, 2017

UNIST researchers find new way to tackle cancer cells

Researchers at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology have developed a novel method to control cellular fate by introducing organelle-localized self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles. This approach enables targeted cancer chemotherapy by activating the intrinsic apoptotic pathway against cancer cells, reducing side effects.