Health & Medicine
Nanoparticles as Trojan horses: A safe and effective way to deliver oncolytic viruses to treat all cancers
Advanced cancer often comes with a lack of treatment options. Immunotherapies like cancer-killing viruses – oncolytic viruses (OVs) – are becoming increasingly popular but are currently limited by their inability to be administered into the blood. However, Dr Faith Howard and Dr Munitta Muthana, researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK, demonstrate that OVs can be injected into […]
Melanin – a protector from skin cancer
Skin cancer is a worldwide problem and is more common in people with lighter skin than people with darker skin colour. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary contributor to skin cancer development by causing DNA damage in skin cells called keratinocytes. Melanin, the pigment responsible for skin colour, also plays a role in generating so-called melanin caps – umbrella-like structures […]
Calcium ions and healthy skin: Key process gives insight for future skin therapies
Our skin is the first line of defence from external harm and a central part of the thermoregulatory system. Dr Richard Evans and Dr Andrew Mayes of Unilever Research & Development in the UK, alongside a team of collaborators from the University of Liverpool, UK, present mounting evidence regarding the essential role of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) for normal skin function. […]
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Establishing the first set of guidelines for breast cancer management in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Specialised centres that monitor breast cancer patients can help improve disease outcomes by recording patient information and by helping to implement centralised guidelines for disease management. In Bosnia and Herzegovina there is no accurate data on breast cancer patients, nor any centralised guidelines. Dr Lejla Hadžikadić-Gušić, a breast surgical oncologist, […]
Pathbreaking method leads to optimised mRNA production
The COVID-19 pandemic placed mRNA at the centre of biopharmaceutical research, as mRNA is now being developed for cancer therapy, protein replacement therapy, and infectious diseases. That is why, worldwide, the need to produce mRNA on a large scale has increased dramatically. The currently used method is quite costly, limiting the scale-up of mRNA production. Dr Rok Sekirnik and colleagues […]
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Neuromodulation – the future of diabetes treatments
The treatments for type 2 diabetes are limited in breadth and effectiveness. Medications have side effects, and many patients forget to take their medications regularly. An alternative treatment option that does not require daily compliance could provide better outcomes and is more likely to be used by patients. Dr Jonathan Waataja of ReShape Lifesciences in California, USA and colleagues have […]
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Rethinking a tenet of cancer risk assessment for low radiation doses
Science isn’t perfect, but it does theoretically correct itself, and in the process even overturns keystones to fields of knowledge. However, such shifts don’t occur without pushback, especially from individuals and organisations with something to protect. The Health Physics Society, which is dedicated to radiation safety, produced a documentary that exposes a history of scientific errors, profound bias, professional self-interest, […]
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How we experience pain may unlock the mystery of consciousness
In a recent publication, Professor Richard Ambron of Columbia University in New York, USA, addresses the fascinating topic of consciousness. He reasons that if we can understand the consciousness of pain, we might better understand consciousness in general. He outlines the neurological systems involved in pain and theorises that the consciousness of pain arises through non-physical ‘waves’ known as local […]
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Why do women experience more chronic pain than men?
Chronic pain is poorly managed by current healthcare systems, with limited treatments. However, little is known about chronic pain, especially in autoimmune diseases. Dr Gurmit Singh and colleagues at McMaster University, Canada, have investigated whether chronic pain should be considered an autoimmune disease and why chronic pain is more common in women. They have identified various explanations as to why women […]
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Self-assembled nanomaterials fight viral outbreaks
Developing efficient ways to treat viral infections and control their spread in humans and animals has become a worldwide priority, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional approaches to creating vaccines suffer from very long development and testing times which make them unsuitable for treating new viral infections. Dr Alaa F Nahhas at King Abdulaziz University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, shows […]
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