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...

Adult Vaccination

“Vaccination can provide cost-effective protection against a host of diseases throughout life, but remains an underused public-health strategy in adults for the promotion of healthy ageing. Without specific vaccination programmes for the adult population...

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...

Stay future-ready: Running parallel operations with a CDMO during clinical trials

Bringing a drug candidate through clinical trials is a challenging and high-risk process, since only 10% of candidates actually reach final approval. Both established pharma companies and small startups are often faced with this...

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...

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...

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,...

Growing microtumours in a dish hailed as ‘rapid way to identify tumour genes’

Researchers have identified a new way to screen genes that cause several different types of cancers to grow, identifying particularly promising targets for precision oncology in oral and esophageal squamous cancers. The study, published 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...

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...

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...

Vibrating glove helps stroke patients control spasms

After a stroke, survivors often experience uncontrollable spasms that can twist their arms and hands into perpetual fists. The only treatments are expensive, frequently painful injections of botulinum toxin or oral medications so strong...

Promising first human trial for ‘wonder’ material

A revolutionary nanomaterial with potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests. Carefully controlled inhalation of a specific type of graphene – the world’s thinnest,...

When do brains grow up?

Research shows mouse and primate brains mature at the same pace, writes Kristen Mally Dean. A study from Argonne National Laboratory reveals that short-lived mice and longer-living primates develop brain synapses on the exact same...