Tumor avatars to fight colorectal cancer
- Details
- Category: Research
How to determine the most effective treatment for colon cancer? The response to chemotherapy varies greatly from one patient to another. A team from the UNIGE has developed a new method for testing different drugs, without going through the affected person’s body and without resorting to animal experiments. The researchers used organoids - miniature reproductions of organs and tissues - derived from patients and exposed to treatments.
AI predicts enzyme function better than leading tools
- Details
- Category: Research
A new artificial intelligence tool can predict the functions of enzymes based on their amino acid sequences, even when the enzymes are unstudied or poorly understood. The researchers said the AI tool, dubbed CLEAN, outperforms the leading state-of-the-art tools in accuracy, reliability and sensitivity. Better understanding of enzymes and their functions would be a boon for research in genomics, chemistry, industrial materials, medicine, pharmaceuticals and more.
Candidate found to inhibit malignant melanoma growth
- Details
- Category: Research
Malignant melanoma is a relatively aggressive type of skin cancer. When detected early, it is usually treatable by surgical resection only, but metastases develop often spreading to distant areas. Currently, tumor thickness and the presence of ulceration are some of the known prognostic factors used as indicators of malignant melanoma. Therefore, the discovery of valuable markers to assess the malignant potential of melanoma more accurately may be necessary to develop appropriate treatments.
A nasal spray protects against coronavirus infection - Effective also against recent immune-evasive variants
- Details
- Category: Research
Researchers have developed a molecule that is, when administered nasally, extremely effective in preventing the disease caused by all known variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The molecule can be a key tool in preparing for future pandemics, as it is aimed at preventing both the transmission and spread of the virus.
In laboratory animal studies, a molecule known as TriSb92, developed by researchers at the University of Helsinki, has been confirmed as affording effective protection against coronavirus infection.
'Biohybrid' device could restore function in paralysed limbs
- Details
- Category: Research
Researchers have developed a new type of neural implant that could restore limb function to amputees and others who have lost the use of their arms or legs.
In a study carried out in rats, researchers from the University of Cambridge used the device to improve the connection between the brain and paralysed limbs. The device combines flexible electronics and human stem cells - the body's 'reprogrammable' master cells - to better integrate with the nerve and drive limb function.
Scientists use tardigrade proteins for human health breakthrough
- Details
- Category: Research
University of Wyoming researchers' study of how microscopic creatures called tardigrades survive extreme conditions has led to a major breakthrough that could eventually make life-saving treatments available to people where refrigeration isn’t possible.
Thomas Boothby, an assistant professor of molecular biology, and colleagues have shown that natural and engineered versions of tardigrade proteins can be used to
DNA treatment could delay paralysis that strikes nearly all patients with ALS
- Details
- Category: Research
In virtually all persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in up to half of all cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia, a protein called TDP-43 is lost from its normal location in the nucleus of the cell. In turn, this triggers the loss of stathmin-2, a protein crucial to regeneration of neurons and the maintenance of their connections to muscle fibers, essential to contraction and movement.
More Pharma News ...
- Scientists reveal a potential new approach to treating liver cancer
- Normalizing tumor blood vessels may improve immunotherapy against brain cancer
- Engineered bacteria find tumors, then alert the authorities
- First nasal monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 shows promise for treating virus, other diseases
- Gene and cell therapies to combat pancreatic cancer
- Tumour cells' response to chemotherapy is driven by randomness
- "Semantic similarity" leads to novel drug candidates for Parkinson's disease