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The immune system is involved in almost every disease, at one level or another. Special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs that defend people against germs and other perceived invaders are its sum. Doctors and researchers conduct an array of tests to characterize a person’s immune health, including looking at the […]

A UC San Francisco study of human and mouse pancreatic tissue suggests a new origin story for type 1 (T1) diabetes. The findings flip current assumptions about the causes of the disease on their head and demonstrate a promising new preventative strategy that dramatically reduced disease risk in laboratory animals. […]

Skin cells taken from patients with a rare genetic disorder are up to ten times more sensitive to damage from ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation in laboratory tests, than those from a healthy population, according to new research from the University of Bath. It is hoped that the work, which has […]

UC San Francisco scientists have used the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system to create the first pluripotent stem cells that are functionally “invisible” to the immune system, a feat of biological engineering that, in laboratory studies, prevented rejection of stem cell transplants. Because these “universal” stem cells can be manufactured more efficiently […]

Melissa Thone, a fourth-year doctoral student in chemical & biomolecular engineering, recently won over the judges of UCI’s Public Impact Fellowship program with her innovative and promising work on cancer treatments. In a competition hosted by the Graduate Division, she was one of only four students awarded $12,000 2018-19 Public […]

It is something everyone will have to deal with. Our life has its beginning and it has its ending. It is not fun being aware of that, but it is the reality. End of life typically requires some sort of care. People get sick physically and mentally and cannot take […]

Engineers have used microfluidic technology to create a “placenta-on-a-chip” that models how compounds can be passed from a mother to a fetus. “I am interested in microfluidics and I’ve been excited about using the technology to understand what happens in the cellular environment and within the body,” said Nicole Hashemi, […]

In older people, symptoms of pain, depression and fatigue are commonplace. But how common? Researchers examined the prevalence and impact of six common symptoms (pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, breathing difficulty, sleep problems) and found that nearly half of adults ages 65 and older have two or more of these symptoms […]

The idea of team-based cancer care most often focuses on involving primary care physicians in the care of cancer survivors. But research has shown patients are discussing initial cancer treatment options with their primary care doctors. And now a new study finds that a significant number of these physicians report notable […]

Using sophisticated gene sequencing and computing techniques, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the San Diego Supercomputer Center have achieved a first-of-its-kind glimpse into how the body’s immune system gears up to fight off infection. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, could aid development of “rational vaccine design,” as […]

Not much is known about how bipolar disorder (BD) affects people throughout their lives. Do women and men differ in the severity of their symptoms? Does a person’s age when a bipolar diagnosis is made have any bearing on how severe the symptoms are? How do other medical conditions affect […]

New research on how cancer mutations influence a certain type of receptor on the cell membrane opens the way for the development of tailored drugs for certain cancers, such as rectal cancer and lung cancer. This according to researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, who have been collaborating with […]

Life is short and it is even shorter if you‘re alone. It is not just some tacky popular wisdom – it is scientific reality. Numerous researches have proven that healthy relationships help people remain healthier for longer. Now a team of scientists, led by the University of Edinburgh, found that […]

A new Purdue University technique to analyze proteins expressed on cancer cells shows promise in more rapidly detecting these cell types in patients.. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The days – or even weeks – spent waiting for the results of a cancer-screening test can feel like an eternity. Especially when […]

A growing collection of anecdotal stories raises the possibility that nerve injury in an arm or a leg can act as a trigger for the development amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS — a progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the famous New York Yankee who […]

A protein known to play a role in cancer may also be increasing fibrosis in scleroderma patients. Scleroderma, a rare, chronic autoimmune disease, is marked by hardening of the skin and internal organs. Symptoms often include pain, stiffness, fatigue and breathing difficulties. “The disease creates excessive fibroblast activation that ultimately […]

Researchers from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center have found that a genetic mutation seen in about half of all brain tumors produces a response that prevents radiation treatment from working. Altering that response using FDA-approved drugs restores tumors’ sensitivity to radiation therapy, extending survival in mice. The paper, representing more […]

New research has revealed the fascinating adaptation of some Australian sea snakes that helps protect their vulnerable paddle-shaped tails from predators. An international study led by the University of Adelaide shows that several species of Australian sea snakes can sense light on their tail skin, prompting them to withdraw their […]

University of Queensland research may explain why vitamin D is vital for brain health, and how deficiency leads to disorders including depression and schizophrenia. Associate Professor Thomas Burne at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute led the studies, which provide the groundwork for research into better prevention and treatments. “Over a billion […]

From shampoos to food storage containers to pesticides, we touch, ingest and breathe chemicals every day. Despite their ubiquity, the effects of these substances on human reproductive health are largely unknown. With thousands of chemicals to test, how can researchers quickly zero in on the ones most likely to cause […]

After reviewing thousands of case studies going back 25 years across six countries, generalisable survival data is now available for the first time to estimate how long hip and knee replacements are likely to last. The findings of researchers, funded by the National Joint Registry and the NIHR, from the Musculoskeletal Research Unit at the University […]

Scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a potential explanation for the mysterious death of specific brain cells seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The new research suggests that the cells may die because of naturally occurring gene variation in brain cells that were, until recently, […]

Cancer cells are, in some respects, impressive: They can grow relentlessly, sidestep the aging process by becoming immortal, and evade the immune system’s persistent attacks. But in the process of acquiring such superpowers, the cells must occasionally relinquish other, more mundane skills—including the ability to produce certain nutrients. Researchers at […]

Artificial Intelligence is helping to guide and support some 50 breast cancer patients in rural Georgia through a novel mobile application that gives them personalized recommendations on everything from side effects to insurance. The app, called MyPath, adapts to each stage in a patient’s cancer journey. So the information available […]

Part of a growing body of research examining how the “microbiome” — the composition of bacteria living inside the body — may improve health or contribute to disease, the new study found a significant association between the composition of a woman’s cervical microbiome and the presence of pre-cancerous lesions on […]

Depression is common in older age and with an ageing population how late-life depression is managed will become increasingly important. Researchers from the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL) suggest mental health in later life should be given greater priority by healthcare professionals. Nearly ten per cent of […]

One of the downsides to getting older is that skeletal muscle loses its ability to heal after injury. New research from the University of Pittsburgh implicates the so-called “longevity protein” Klotho, both as culprit and therapeutic target. The paper, published in Nature Communications, showed that, in young animals, Klotho expression soars after a […]

University at Buffalo researchers have received part of a $1.5 million grant to investigate light therapy as a replacement for prescription opioids in treating oral mucositis, painful ulcers and swelling in the mouth that result from chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. Funded by the National Institutes of Dental and […]

Researchers say they are closer to solving the mystery of how a good night’s sleep protects against heart disease. In studies using mice, they discovered a previously unknown mechanism between the brain, bone marrow, and blood vessels that appears to protect against the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the […]

New tool lets researchers quantify contraction, relaxation in human heart cells in a dish. The human heart beats an estimated 2 to 3 billion times over a 70-year lifespan. Powering each beat are muscle cells’ individual units of contraction, called sarcomeres. Above, sarcomeres beat in human heart cells in a […]