Key gene blocks the ‘spillover’ of avian flu to humans
Understanding the genetic make-up of currently circulating avian flu strains may offer one of the best lines of defence against widespread human transmission.
This is according to new research which has found a key human...
Depression up, Covid-19 down in disease study list
Depression is now one of the top five most studied disease areas in clinical development, according to new global analysis by Phesi.
The mid-year analysis of all this year’s trials to date reveals that Covid-19...
New ‘Clinical Trial in a Dish’ for Alzheimer’s Disease
An extensive panel of consented patient samples and iPSC technology will advance AD drug development and patient stratification.
Pluripotent stem cell technology provider for drug discovery, Axol Bioscience Ltd (Axol), has signed an exclusive agreement...
1 in 6 children ‘neurodivergent’ as autism numbers quadruple
The number of children diagnosed with Attention-deficit /hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders classifying them as ‘neurodivergent’, has rocketed in both the UK and US.
“Now, one in six children in the US...
Antibiotic resistance widespread among bacteria
Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics are much more widespread in our environment than previously known.
A study, from Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, shows that bacteria in...
Herpes study sheds light on viral reinfections
A new study on herpes infections of the eye helps shed light on the question of viral reinfections by identifying a key protein involved in viral reinfections that could be targeted by antiviral drugs.
University...
An old scientific controversy is resolved… plants do make sounds!
For the first time ever, researchers at Tel Aviv University have recorded and analysed distinct sounds from plants.
The click-like sounds, similar to the popping of popcorn, are emitted at a volume similar to human...
How the brain’s ‘internal compass’ works
New study reveals how the brain makes sense of changing environmental cues.
Scientists have gained new insights into the part of the brain that gives us a sense of direction, by tracking neural activity with...
Highly targeted ‘light-activated’ cancer treatment on horizon
Scientists at the University of East Anglia are a step closer to creating a new generation of light-activated cancer treatments.
The futuristic sounding treatment would work by switching on LED lights embedded close to a...
There’s more to collagen than cosmetics…
Big strides are being made in collagen clinical development, particularly in treatment of age-related conditions. Dr Gen Li, president and founder of Phesi, discusses the increase in collagen research, and its clinical and biological...
Global community will assess environmental impact of clinical trials
The collaborative initiative will publish a publicly available methodology for calculating and comparing the carbon footprint of centralised and decentralised clinical trials.
A global, not-for-profit alliance that advocates for greater collaboration in life sciences R&D,...
Pain or gain? How the brain chooses
Imagine having to choose over and over between what you enjoy doing and the pain that it might cause you, whether physical or emotional.
If you live with conditions such as depression, anxiety, or chronic...
Precision breeding for a sustainable future: unpacking the future of genomics
Neil Ward, General Manager of PacBio EMEA, examines the potential impact of the UK’s Precision Breeding Bill.
Genomic sequencing holds the potential to unlock powerful insights that will advance our understanding of all life. In...
Protecting the confidentiality of individuals vs. the desire to improve healthcare through data
Wendy Lloyd-Goodwin, Founder of Life Science Law, looks at the implications of a new EU-wide framework for health data, including for research and clinical trials.
The EU is hoping to achieve a quantum leap forward...
Detecting viruses in a pinprick
A novel method of detecting viruses in very small volumes has been developed in a collaboration between scientists at Swansea University, Biovici Ltd and the National Physical Laboratory.
Their work – published in Advanced NanoBiomed...
Potential breakthrough in treatment of rare disease
Biotech company Actigen has initiated a clinical development programme for GNR-055, a potentially breakthrough treatment for the life-limiting, rare disease mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II) (also known as Hunter syndrome). Occurring in around 1 in...