Health & Medicine
A framework for global health promotion: The Circle of Health
The Circle of Health (COH) is an interactive and exemplary framework that bridges gaps in health promotion and draws together both the external and internal factors that drive our health. Spearheaded by Patsy Beattie-Huggan, BN, MScN, founder and president of The Quaich Inc., this novel tool was developed, refined and evaluated through broad consultation in PEI, Canada. With collaborators Kirsten […]
RNA sequencing reveals secrets of skin aging
As we age, so does our skin. One of the factors that affects how quickly skin appears to age is exposure to UV light. Dr Jeong-Sun Seo of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Republic of Korea, is investigating how UV light affects skin aging at the genetic level. Using RNA sequencing data, Dr Seo and his team demonstrate that some […]
Towards a quantitative personalised oncology
Dr Heiko Enderling from Moffitt Cancer Center, together with researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, focus on Mathematical Oncology, and radiotherapy in particular, highlighted by the interconnectivity of metastatic disease through a patient’s immune system. Studies show that different radiation doses induce anti-tumour immunity at different strengths. This prompted the research team to develop […]
Using eHealth to monitor idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Dr Marlies Wijsenbeek and Dr Karen Moor from the Erasmus Medical Centre are developing novel eHealth tools, in collaboration with patients, to enable home monitoring of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Patients are able to use the eHealth tool to find information about IPF, record their symptoms and conduct consultations via video or email. Furthermore, the patient can take […]
Extracellular vesicle DNA: A promising cancer biomarker
Lung cancer patients could one day receive faster, cheaper and more accurate diagnoses thanks to extracellular vesicle DNA found in liquid biopsies. These were the findings of a research team led by Professors Kye Young Lee and Jae Young Hur of Konkuk University’s School of Medicine. Their work offers an alternative to invasive tissue biopsies which are currently used to detect […]
Values and evidence meet: Appropriate healthcare assessment for vulnerable patients
Healthcare technology assessment is about discovering how healthcare technologies enable us to create value. A key factor is clinical ethics, yet historically this has been overlooked. Researchers Gert Jan van der Wilt, Herbert Rolden, Janneke Grutters and Angela Maas at Radboud University Medical Centre explore the ethical and social implications of health care technologies. Their research aims to develop concepts […]
Evolutionary arms race: A 400 million-year-old battle between HIV and ancient genes, HERC5 and HERC6
Two human genes, HERC5 and HERC6 have protective effects against HIV and other viruses. Dr Stephen D. Barr from Western University, Canada, traces the evolution of these genes throughout human history and investigates their protective effects. His work has shown that these genes are involved in an evolutionary arms race, with host defence mechanisms and the virus ever trying to […]
MacBrainResource: Virtual access to decades-old primate brains
MacBrainResource is a vast collection of macaque brain slides and electron microscope (EM) blocks generated in the laboratories of Dr Pasko Rakic and the late Dr Patricia Goldman-Rakic. Drs Lynn Selemon and Alvaro Duque at Yale University School of Medicine are committed to making these valuable brains available to researchers both on-site and remotely via website access (macbrainresource.org). MacBrainResource represents […]
Adipose stem cells may promote cancer progression
Adipose stem cells have been considered ideal for use in regenerative medicine due to their ‘safe and reliable’ qualities and ability to be easily and repeatedly harvested from humans. However, new research led by Dr Robert Katona of the Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Genetics calls their safety into question, suggesting that the stem cells may promote […]
A potential new treatment for brain injury
Injuries to the brain can have dire consequences, leading to debilitating symptoms and an increased risk of long-term degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite the impact these injuries have on the lives of millions, there are no good treatments or preventative therapies. Associate Professor Daniel Linseman, of the Department of Biological Sciences and the […]