General

A single dose of vaccine boosts potent responses against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus variants in those with previous COVID-19, a study has found. In those who have not previously been infected and have so far only received one dose of vaccine the immune response to variants of concern may be insufficient. The […]

Yale researchers have shown that developmental abnormalities, including those that lead to pregnancy loss and autism, are controlled by the genetics of the fetus and placenta — and not the mother’s intrauterine environment. The findings are reported in the online edition of the journal Placenta. One out of every 33 […]

It’s one of the most audacious projects in biology today—reading the entire genome of every bird, mammal, lizard, fish, and all other creatures with backbones. And now comes the first major payoff from the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP): near complete, high-quality genomes of 25 species, including the greater horseshoe bat, […]

Cancerous tumors thrive on blood, extending their roots deep into the fabric of the tissue of their host. They alter the genetics of surrounding cells and evolve to avoid the protective attacks of immune cells. Now, Penn State researchers have developed a way to study the relationship between solid, difficult-to-treat […]

Fixing traumatic injuries to the skin and bones of the face and skull is difficult because of the many layers of different types of tissues involved, but now, researchers have repaired such defects in a rat model using bioprinting during surgery, and their work may lead to faster and better […]

Penn scientists use cryo-electron microscopy to illuminate how piperlongumine works against glioblastoma. Piperlongumine, a chemical compound found in the Indian Long Pepper plant (Piper longum), is known to kill cancerous cells in many tumor types, including brain tumors. Now an international team including researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine […]

Sperm doesn’t shift into high gear in mammals just to show off, new research shows. It originally needed that extra speed to break the egg barrier. Later on, evolution enabled sperm to use its souped-up swimming to navigate tricky reproductive pathways even before reaching the egg. That is the finding […]

Women who receive COVID-19 mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna while in their third trimester of pregnancy generate a strong immune response and pass protective antibodies through umbilical cord blood to their babies, according to a study conducted by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian researchers, published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. […]

Using ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to map the brains of people with Down syndrome (DS), researchers from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and other institutions detected subtle differences in the structure and function of the hippocampus—a region of the brain tied to memory and learning. Such […]

Adding RNA sequencing to current genetic methods could help diagnose and treat thousands of patients with mystery diseases. Imagine having a terrible medical condition and not knowing what it was. More than 400,000 Albertans have a rare disease. Many of them face challenges getting the right diagnosis, let alone finding […]

A research project from the lab of University of Oregon evolutionary biologist Bill Cresko is setting out to explore the effects of a remarkable evolutionary innovation: male pregnancy in seahorses, pipefish and seadragons. “This is an amazingly diverse family of fish, and some species are the only vertebrates in which […]

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is seeking in vitro, stem-cell-derived 3-D human retina organoids. The goal of the challenge is to generate concrete prototypes of 3-D systems that model the cellular organization and function of the human retina. NEI is seeking innovative solutions […]

In October of 2020, Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their discovery of an adaptable, easy way to edit genomes, known as CRISPR, which has transformed the world of genetic engineering. CRISPR has been used to fight lung cancer and correct the mutation […]

University of California, Irvine biologists have developed a new genetically engineered mouse model that, unlike its predecessors, is based on the most common form of Alzheimer’s disease. The advance holds promise for making new strides against the neurodegenerative disease as cases continue to soar. Their study appears in the journal, Nature […]

A combination of inexpensive oral medications may be able to treat fatigue-inducing anemias caused by chronic diseases and inflammation, a new discovery from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests. This type of anemia is the second-most common kind, and it can be an added burden for organ-transplant recipients and […]

Imagine if you could re-engineer your immune system to target and attack cancer growing in your body. A new clinical trial led by a clinician-researcher at the University of Alberta is doing just that. Michael Chu, an assistant professor of oncology in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, is leading a […]

Immunotherapies that fight cancer have been a life-saving advancement for many patients, but the approach only works on a few types of malignancies, leaving few treatment options for most cancer patients with solid tumors. Now, in two related papers published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers at UCSF have demonstrated how to […]

The research is presented at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and published in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Study author Dr Zahra Raisi-Estabragh from Queen Mary’s William Harvey Research Institute said: “Previous studies have shown links between greater red meat […]

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Of these, approximately 80% lose arm function and as many as 50-60% of this population still experience problems six months later. Traditionally, stroke patients try to regain motor function through physical rehabilitation, where patients re-learn pre-stroke skills, such as eating […]

A new study published in Science, has revealed how the master switch for hunger in the brain, the melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4), works. The research team, including scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Queen Mary University of London and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, also clarified how this switch is […]

A national, University at Buffalo-led study on genes in pediatric cardiomyopathy demonstrates strong evidence for routine genetic screening in children with the disease. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, revealed wide variation in screening, with some centres conducting routine genetic testing and others conducting none. […]

The immune response to tuberculosis (TB) differs in adults and newborn babies due to the way immune cells use energy to kick into gear in a bid to kill the bacteria. This fresh discovery – just published in leading journal, Frontiers in Immunology – offers hope for improving treatments for what remains […]

Drugs and vaccines circulate through our vascular system reacting according to their chemical and structural nature. In some cases, their destination is diffuse. In other cases, like cancer treatments, the intended target is highly localized. The effectiveness of a medicine —and how much is needed and the amount of side-effects […]

A University of Alberta researcher is using nanotechnology to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients and reduce their side effects. Afsaneh Lavasanifar is a professor in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemical and Medical Engineering. Her lab develops […]

Experimental Alzheimer’s drugs have shown little success in slowing declines in memory and thinking, leaving scientists searching for explanations. But new research in mice has shown that some investigational Alzheimer’s therapies are more effective when paired with a treatment geared toward improving drainage of fluid — and debris — from […]

Innovative multidisciplinary research at Washington University led to development of 'breakthrough' device. A first-of-its-kind device that helps people disabled by stroke regain significant control over their arm and hand function by using their minds has received market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The IpsiHand Upper Extremity Rehabilitation […]

Brain changes in people with Alzheimer’s disease and in those with mild traumatic brain injuries have significant similarities, a new USC study shows, suggesting new ways to identify patients at high risk for Alzheimer’s. The findings appeared in GeroScience. Traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, affect over 1.7 million Americans every […]

Enhancing the brain’s lymphatic system when administering immunotherapies may lead to better clinical outcomes for Alzheimer’s disease patients, according to a new study in mice. Results published in Nature suggest that treatments such as the immunotherapies BAN2401 or aducanumab might be more effective when the brain’s lymphatic system can better drain […]

Scientists have made a pivotal breakthrough in understanding the way in which cells communicate with each other. A team of international researchers, including experts from the University of Exeter’s Living Systems Institute, has identified how signalling pathways of Wnt proteins – which orchestrate and control many cell developmental processes – […]

Pioneering research led by experts from the University of Exeter’s Living Systems Institute has provided new insight into formation of the human embryo. The team of researchers discovered an unique regenerative property of cells in the early human embryo. The first tissue to form in the embryo of mammals is […]