From the time of Aristotle, it has been known that the human liver has the greatest regenerative capacity of any organ in the body, being able to regrow even from a 70% amputation, which has enabled live-donor transplants. Although the liver regenerates fully upon injury, the mechanisms that regulate how to activate or stop the […]
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Researchers find potential path to a broadly protective COVID-19 vaccine using T cells
Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, a member of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, studies HIV, one of the fastest-mutating viruses known to humankind. But HIV’s ability to mutate isn’t unique among RNA viruses—most viruses develop mutations, or changes in their genetic code, over time. If a virus is disease-causing, the right mutation can […]
Researchers propose strategies to speed global vaccine availability
In a new paper published in the journal Vaccine: X, public health experts from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the University of Oslo, and Spark Street Advisors highlight actions to accelerate access to vaccines globally. The paper reviews the vaccine research and development process and proposes areas where reforms could increase access, speed […]
Researchers develop new risk score for predicting blood cancer relapse
Leukemia is a group of blood cancers that affects thousands of people worldwide. However, with advances in medicine, several different types of leukemia can be effectively treated with donor stem cells through allogenic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). One such type of leukemia is B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), which is caused by uncontrolled proliferation and […]
Researchers create new CRISPR tools to help contain mosquito disease transmission
Since the onset of the CRISPR genetic editing revolution, scientists have been working to leverage the technology in the development of gene drives that target pathogen-spreading mosquitoes such as Anopheles and Aedes species, which spread malaria, dengue and other life-threatening diseases. Much less genetic engineering has been devoted to Culex genus mosquitoes, which spread devastating […]
Researchers uncover the embryonic origin of the heart
Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute have studied the earliest point at which the heart forms during embryonic development and revealed, for the first time, that each part of the heart has a unique origin. Their study in mice, published in PLoS Biology today, has implications for understanding congenital heart diseases. As an embryo develops, […]
Researchers find mechanism underlying muscle weakness in Becker disease
Muscle weakness in patients with Becker disease is caused by unusual electrical activity in muscle fibers termed ‘plateau potentials’ that make them temporarily inactive, says a study published today in eLife. An understanding of these mechanisms and the ion channels involved may help the search for more effective therapies for weakness in Becker disease and […]
Researchers identify the proteins that cause intestinal disease
Researchers from Tel Aviv University have created an artificial intelligence platform that can identify the specific proteins that allow bacteria to infect the intestines—a method that paves the way for the creation of smart drugs that will neutralize the proteins and prevent disease, without the use of antibiotics. Participating in the study, which was published […]
Researchers test technological support with robots and functional electrical stimulation
Some robots can create an additional clinical benefit in the rehabilitation of stroke patients as a supplement to standard therapy. For another method, the functional electrical stimulation of individual muscles or muscle groups, such an additional benefit cannot beproven. These are the results of a study based on scientific evidence that the Austrian Institute for […]
Researchers call for clearer disclosures about added sugars, diet sweeteners and percent juice on product packages
Current labeling regulations and practices fail to give parents and caregivers adequate information, and likely contribute to widespread consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks by young children, according to a new paper from researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut and School of Global Public Health at New York […]