Health & Medicine
Drug-adapted RET mutations
RET is a protein tyrosine kinase that is upregulated and activated in many diverse forms of cancer. Treatments using RET-specific inhibitors have been highly effective, but the threat of resistance to these drugs looms. For this reason, Dr Jie Wu and Dr Blaine Mooers from the University of Oklahoma, together with Dr Vivek Subbiah from the University of Texas, decided […]
The anti-ageing and anti-tumour effects of Fermented Papaya Preparation (FPP®): A new neo-adjuvant cancer therapy?
The fruit of the Carica Papaya plant has long been celebrated as a champion of traditional indigenous practices for its potent digestive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, papaya has been shown to have potential oncological applications, fighting accumulation of cancer-causing free radicals. To investigate the anti-cancer and anti-ageing properties of this fascinating fruit, Professor Stefano Fais, head of Research at […]
Transforming medical imaging: Artificial intelligence for smarter healthcare
Research conducted by Dr Seong K Mun, Professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, aims at maximising the utility of imaging technology in healthcare. Dr Mun has more than 40 years of academic research in imaging; beginning with the development of one of the first superconducting MRI systems in the 1980s. Along with his research partners, Dr Shih-Chung B […]
Using genetics to guide treatment of arterial hypertension with Rostafuroxin
Primary hypertension is a major health concern and can cause serious cardiac, renal and brain complications responsible for about 10% of worldwide health burden and costs. The development of hypertension is triggered by genetic factors that, in turn, are modulated by biological and environmental factors. Many drugs are available for the treatment of hypertension, but none target the underlying genetic […]
Novel insights into parasite dynamics for leishmaniasis treatment
Neglected tropical diseases such as leishmaniasis have a huge impact on global health but are under-researched and under-funded. Treatment and diagnostic techniques remain expensive and difficult to implement in remote areas. Dr Maria Fernanda Laranjeira-Silva of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been conducting research into potential new therapeutic targets, focusing on exploiting the parasite’s need to appropriate the […]
Gender equality in oncology: The importance of representation
The field of oncology has a gender imbalance, with women only occupying a small number of leadership positions. So how can we improve gender equality in oncology? Dr Pilar Garrido, Dr Anna Sophie Berghoff, Dr Cristiana Sessa and colleagues, from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)’s Women for Oncology (W4O) Committee, are monitoring the representation of female oncologists. Through […]
A new concept for the treatment of brain cancer
Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is a serious form of brain cancer with highly limited treatment options. Through extensive clinical trials, dendritic cell vaccines have been shown to prolong life in patients. However, a successful randomised controlled clinical trial (RCT) has not been carried out. Professor Stefaan Van Gool, Medical Director of the Immuno-Oncological Center (IOZK) in Cologne, aims to understand why. […]
Increasing the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies
The advent of monoclonal antibody (mAb) technology has allowed the production of antibodies that can target specific antigens on malignant tumour cells or other inflammatory molecules that are known to exacerbate diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s disease. Dr Martina Zimmermann, Dr Aline Zimmer, and their team from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, added 5-Thio-L-Fucose (ThioFuc) to the cell culture […]
Poor appetite in dogs: A potentially common symptom of gall bladder disease
Poor appetite is common in dogs, but it’s often dismissed if there are no other symptoms. Dr A D Viljoen, from Vets4Pets Torquay, believes this may be a sign that can help to identify dogs with early stages of gall bladder disease and should be investigated further. Some of these dogs appear to benefit clinically from having their gall bladder […]
Could a serpin antibody help to treat type 1 diabetes?
Research from Dr Jan Czyzyk and his team at the University of Minnesota, USA, explores the balance between proteases and serpins, and how their activity can in turn affect the inflammation and tissue regeneration of pancreatic islet cells. Their findings show that antibodies can be used to change this serpin–protease balance, with interesting impacts. Excitingly, their research opens the possibility […]