COMBAT AND CONTROL OF DISEASES
Why new drugs are effective for Alzheimer’s
Amyloid beta is one of the toxic proteins which builds up in clumps or ‘aggregates’ in the brains of people affected by Alzheimer’s.
Several drugs targeting the protein have been tested in trials over recent years. These drugs are antibodies...
Most engineered human cells created for studying disease
The most complex engineering of human cell lines ever has been achieved by scientists, revealing that our genomes are more resilient to significant structural changes than was previously thought.
Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Imperial College London, Harvard University...
DNA damage can EVADE REPAIR for YEARS, changing views on mutations
While most known types of DNA damage are fixed by our cells’ in-house repair mechanisms, some forms of DNA damage evade repair and can persist for many years, new research shows.
This means that the damage has multiple chances to...
Key cells could be targeted to prevent PAINFUL rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups
Research has pinpointed key cells that could be targeted to prevent rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups, offering potential new hope to millions of people with the condition world-wide.
The findings - published in the journal Immunity - highlight the potential to use...
‘Healthy fats’ could protect against motor neuron disease
Enhancing levels of ‘healthy fats’ like omega-3s in the brain could be beneficial in motor neuron disease (MND), new research suggests.
Previous epidemiological studies* have linked high dietary levels of omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in oily fish, nuts...
HiFi long read sequencing a ‘major advance’ for rare disease diagnostics
A new study demonstrates the impact of HiFi long-read sequencing technology in identifying genetic causes of rare diseases, illustrating the feasibility of potentially replacing multiple diagnostic tests with a single, more comprehensive approach.
PacBio, specialists in highly accurate long-read sequencing...
Early skeleton map reveals how bones form in humans
The first ‘blueprint’ of human skeletal development reveals how the skeleton forms, shedding light on the process of arthritis, and highlighting cells involved in conditions that affect skull and bone growth.
Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and collaborators have...
‘Sunshine against cancer’ RESEARCH breakthrough
Oxford researchers have unveiled a photodynamic composition, branded ‘Sunshine Against Cancer’, which they claim marks a significant breakthrough in the field.
The team from Oxperial BioHealth introduced Green Products Photodynamic Therapy (GPDT) at the 2024 Pharmaceutical Science Conference in Barcelona and...
Human immune system ‘ready to go’ long before birth
By creating the first spatial atlas of the developing human thymus - a vital organ that trains immune cells to protect against infections and cancer - scientists have discovered that the foundation for lifelong immunity is established earlier than...
Pathology ‘differences’ between child and adult brain injury patients
A study led by the University of Glasgow has revealed differences in the brains of paediatric and adult patients’ that might explain the sometimes-catastrophic outcomes seen in children following a traumatic brain injury.
In findings published in the journal JAMA...
Biomaterial offers potential new treatment for central nervous system damage
Transplantable piezoelectric biomaterial offers new treatment potential for central nervous system injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers at the University of Bath and Keele University have invented a composite material that can help neural stem cells to grow.
The electrically active transplantable...
Grant to TRANSFORM early detection of brain diseases
A leading nanomedicine researcher at The University of Manchester has received a £1.3m grant to advance research on Alzheimer’s and glioblastoma.
NanoNeuroOmics is a five-year project which aims to combine breakthroughs in nanotechnology, protein analysis, and blood biomarker discovery to...
New rapid method for determining virus infectivity
A new method that can rapidly determine whether a virus is infectious or non-infectious could revolutionise the response to future pandemics.
Called FAIRY (Fluorescence Assay for vIRal IntegritY), the assay can screen viruses against virucidal antivirals in minutes, allowing for...
Hospital bacteria tracking with new technique
A new genomic technique, which can track the spread of multiple superbugs in a hospital simultaneously, could help prevent and manage common hospital infections quicker and more effectively than ever before.
Current methods culture and sequence all pathogens separately which...
How climate change will affect malaria transmission
A new model for predicting the effects of climate change on malaria transmission in Africa could lead to more targeted interventions to control the disease.
Previous methods have used rainfall totals to indicate the presence of surface water suitable for...
‘Healer army’ defends body against injury and disease
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have discovered that a type of white blood cell - called a regulatory T cell - exists as a single large population of cells that constantly move throughout the body looking for, and...
Bacteria with the personal touch
The trillions of bacteria that call your body home — collectively known as the microbiome — appear to be unique to you like a fingerprint, writes Sarah C.P. Williams.
That’s one conclusion of a detailed study of the gut, mouth,...
New research into microplastics and nanoplastics urgently needed due to ‘significant’ health threat
A new metastudy published in Cambridge Prisms: Plastics by Cambridge University Press, has identified a body of evidence demonstrating the negative impact of microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs) on human health and identifying the limitations of current research.
‘Mitochondria...
Bacteria insights could boost rare cancer treatment
The microbiome can identify those who benefit from combination immunotherapy across multiple different cancers, including rare gynaecological cancers, biliary tract cancers and melanoma.
Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Australia and collaborators, have...
Brain scan tech takes major step forward
Advanced MRI scanners being developed by University of California Berkeley will allow doctors and scientists to see the brain in greater detail than ever before, which could lead to ground-breaking treatments for brain disorders such as degenerative diseases, schizophrenia...
Study paves the way for new cirrhosis treatments
The world’s most extensive clinical study into liver cirrhosis has been announced by Newcastle University, University of Edinburgh and r esearch-driven global biopharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim.
The ADVANCE (Accelerating Discovery: Actionable NASH Cirrhosis Endpoints) study will be the most detailed...
£13m disease early warning system for England to open at University of Bath
Water-based community health monitoring Centre of Excellence will detect disease outbreaks.
A new £13 million Centre of Excellence in water-based health monitoring will be established at the University of Bath following a major funding award.
The Centre of Excellence in Water-Based...
Bacterial Biofilms: A game-changer in the battle against infection
Bacteria, those tiny, often-misunderstood microorganisms, have revealed a groundbreaking secret that could transform our approach to combating infections. Luiza Beirão Campos, of the European Science Communication Institute (ESCI), explains how.
Bacteria are notorious for banding together and ...
Improved radionuclide supply can transform nuclear medicine
Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) is a promising cancer treatment in nuclear medicine, but the supply of alpha-emitting radionuclides - which the treatment relies on - is very limited. A lack of alpha-emitting radionuclides in the UK is preventing research...
The promise of immuno-oncology: An R&D perspective
Dr Robin Knight, CEO and co-founder, IN-PART, discusses emerging cancer immunotherapies.
Cancer immunotherapy, also referred to as immuno-oncology, is gaining traction. New treatments are becoming available all the time, and they’re showing incredible promise in being able to treat diseases...
All hands to the pumps – how bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics
Bacteria can rapidly evolve resistance to antibiotics by adapting special pumps to flush them out of their cells, say researchers from the Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia.
The findings, published in the journal npj Antimicrobials and Resistance¸ should...
Leukaemia diagnosis and treatment on brink of huge change
UK scientists hope they can learn to better predict leukaemia (blood cancer) occurrence, and develop improved drug screening pathways to treat the disease, with funding worth £12million.
Two projects – led by the University of Glasgow and funded by the...
Attacking cancer cells from the inside out
The power of proteins is being harnessed to stop cancer cells in their tracks.
“Proteins are the workhorses of the cell,” said Walid A. Houry, professor of biochemistry at the University of Toronto (U of T), who is leading the...
New microscope uses photonics for insights into ‘superbugs’
Scientists are building a new super-resolution microscope that uses laser light to study the inner workings and behaviours of superbugs to gain new insights into how they cause disease.
The microscope will allow scientists to peer into bacteria like at a...
Cutting to the chase – how a folded piece of paper is saving lives
Around the world, many hundreds of millions of people are infected by parasitic diseases such as malaria and schistosomiasis. Many more millions of people are affected by the impact of these diseases with profound consequences in terms of education...
