A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in Germany has developed a type of gene therapy that could be used to help people with cystic fibrosis. In their paper published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, the group describes how they developed a new class of non-viral gene vectors that could be used to reduce […]
Random cellular changes play vital role in longevity beyond genetics and environment
A new model of aging takes into account not only genetics and environmental exposures but also the tiny changes that randomly arise at the cellular level. University Professor Caleb Finch introduced the "Tripartite Phenotype of Aging" as a new conceptual model that addresses why lifespan varies so much, even among human identical twins who share […]
New evidence supports the use of antisense oligonucleotides as feasible therapeutic strategy for MDS
Many cognitive neurodevelopmental disorders are a result of too many or too few copies of certain genes or chromosomes. To date, no treatment options exist for this class of disorders. MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is one such disorder that primarily affects boys and results from a duplication spanning the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) locus […]
Yale researchers identify multiple genes involved in suppression of axon regeneration
When central nervous system cells in the brain and spine are damaged by disease or injury, they fail to regenerate, limiting the body's ability to recover. In contrast, peripheral nerve cells that serve most other areas of the body are more able to regenerate. Scientists for decades have searched for molecular clues as to why […]
The origin of SARS-CoV-2 furin cleavage site remains a mystery
The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has largely defied attempts to contain its spread by non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). With the massive loss of life and economic damage, the only way out, in the absence of specific antiviral therapeutics, has been the development of […]
Spinal fluid of people with Alzheimer’s risk gene signals inflammation
People who have a gene variant associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease also tend to have changes in the fluid around their brain and spinal cord that are detectable years before symptoms arise, according to new research from Duke Health. The work found that in people who carry the APOE4 gene variant, […]
Freiburg immunologists decipher anti-cancer drug's mode of operation
Rituximab, an anti-cancer drug targeting the membrane protein CD20, was the first approved therapeutic antibody against B tumor cells. Immunologists at the University of Freiburg have now solved a mystery about how it works. A team headed by Professor Dr. Michael Reth used cell cultures, healthy cells, and cells from cancer patients to investigate how […]
What is Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID)?
Skip to: What is CVID? What is the prevalence of CVID? What are the causative factors? How CVID is inherited? What are the common symptoms? How is CVID diagnosed? How is CVID treated? Common variable immune deficiency (CVID) is a genetic disorder characterized by a weakened immune system. Patients with CVID frequently suffer from infections. […]
Alstrom Syndrome Research
Alstrom syndrome has been the focus of attention, among other ciliopathies, in research on the biological functions of cilia as well as the best mode of treatment of these disorders. The ALMS1 gene has been associated with this condition. Physiological Roles of ALMS1 Protein The ALMS1 gene has been the locus of research because of […]
Experts predict 125,000 fewer COVID deaths if 50% of U.S. population initiate vaccination by March 1
A new report combining forecasting and expert prediction data, predicts that 125,000 lives could be saved by the end of 2021 if 50% or more of the U.S. population initiated COVID vaccination by March 1, 2021. "Meta and consensus forecast of COVID-19 targets," developed by Thomas McAndrew, a computational scientist and faculty member at Lehigh […]