Health & Medicine
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 […]
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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. […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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The silent pandemic: Addressing antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent pandemic that poses a huge threat to global health and development. The World Health Organization and its partner organisations are seeking to raise awareness of the issue. One approach is through annual monitoring of progress through the Tripartite AMR Country Self-Assessment Survey (TrACSS), for which the 2021 results are now available, www.amrcountryprogress.org. While significant […]
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A solution-focused project to address the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions on children and young people
Apart from the severe health complications, the Coronavirus pandemic has posed other significant challenges to our society: loss of economic stability, social isolation, and deterioration of mental health are among some of them. Arguably one of the most affected demographics are the vulnerable and the young. Children and young people (CYP) living with physical and mental disabilities, especially in low- […]
Synthesising circular RNA is as easy as PIE
Naturally occurring circular loops of RNA, circRNAs, are the result of rare but significant backsplicing events. They are found throughout the eukaryotic domain and have been associated with pathological states such as tumour growth and suppression. Existing molecular techniques have taught us a great deal about circRNAs, but they are often difficult to implement and limited in scope. Dr Jason […]
Significance of patient positioning guidelines in endoscopic procedures
Patients are placed on an operating table for surgery or, in the event of endoscopic treatment, on a trolley. Surgery may need patient placement that is not at all comfortable, posing challenges for the patient. There are well-established rules for patient positioning during surgical operations, but no such criteria are available for endoscopic treatments. A study conducted by Dr Vera […]
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The role of testosterone in SARS-CoV-2 infection
Data from multiple countries has shown gender imbalances in COVID-19 severity and risk of mortality, with worse outcomes seen in men. To explore why male gender is a major risk factor for more severe disease, Marta Camici, of The Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases (IRCCS), has explored the links between testosterone and COVID-19. Her research findings suggest that […]
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