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Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,198

Highly immune evasive omicron XBB.1.5 variant is quickly becoming dominant in U.S. as it doubles weekly

The Covid omicron XBB.1.5 variant is rapidly becoming dominant in the U.S. because it is highly immune evasive and appears more effective at binding to cells than related subvariants, scientists say.

XBB.1.5 now represents about 41% of new cases nationwide in the U.S., nearly doubling in prevalence over the past week, according to the data published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subvariant more than doubled as a share of cases every week through Dec. 24. In the past week, it nearly doubled from 21.7% prevalence.

Scientists and public health officials have been closely monitoring the XBB subvariant family for months because the strains have many mutations that could render the Covid-19 vaccines, including the omicron boosters, less effective and cause even more breakthrough infections.

Genomics pioneer George Church, former Kindred Bio execs launch CRISPR-designed pets company AdoraPet Biosciences

A Peninsula biotech startup cofounded by pioneering geneticist George Church — who already is working to engineer the woolly mammoth out of extinction — is trying to raise as much as $5 million in a crowdfunding effort to design healthier, longer-living pets.

AdoraPet Biosciences Inc. of San Mateo plans to apply the genome-engineering CRISPR technology at the egg stage of dogs and cats or insert CRISPR-modified DNA into eggs, to make nonallergenic pets that don’t shed and ultimately live longer, are free of genetic diseases caused by inbreeding and are resistant to cancer and other serious diseases.

Researchers From Japan Discovered That The Juice Of This Fruit May Inhibit Lung Cancer In Mice

Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, following skin and breast cancers– with over two hundred and thirty-six thousand cases diagnosed in 2022 alone, according to the American Cancer Society. The most significant risk factor includes smoking, with eighty to ninety percent of all lung cancer deaths being linked to smoking in the U.S. Other contributing factors include secondhand smoke, the inhalation of radon– a naturally occurring gas– and familial history of lung cancer.

Surprising Findings — Ancient Disease Has the Potential To Regenerate a Vital Organ

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It affects the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes, and can lead to severe disfigurement and disability if left untreated.

Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, is one of the oldest and most persistent diseases in the world. However, new surprising research suggests that the bacteria that cause leprosy may also have the ability to stimulate the growth and regeneration of the liver in adult animals without causing damage or scarring. Scientists have discovered that parasites associated with leprosy can reprogram cells to increase the size of the liver.

The findings suggest the potential to use this natural process to rejuvenate aging livers and extend the period of disease-free living in humans, known as healthspan. It may also be possible to use this process to regenerate damaged livers, potentially reducing the need for liver transplantation, which is currently the only effective treatment for individuals with severely scarred livers.

Applying CRISPR Tech to Edit the Code of Life | Dr. Jennifer Doudna | GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Nobel winner Jennifer Doudna explains CRISPR, the gene-editing technology she pioneered.

Berkeley scientist Jennifer Doudna won the 2020 Nobel Prize for her work on the revolutionary gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. It has the potential to cure genetic diseases like sickle cell anemia and hereditary blindness and may even be used to treat cancer and HIV. But when it comes to editing humanity, where do we draw the line? How do we avoid falling into the same kind of dystopian nightmare outlined in Blade Runner? Doudna discussed the risks and benefits of CRISPR in an interview with Ian Bremmer on GZERO World. Also in this episode: a look at cloning our pets (speaking of going too far…).

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Where Did Viruses Come From?

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There are fossils of viruses, of sorts, preserved in the DNA of the hosts that they’ve infected. Including you. This molecular fossil trail can help us understand where viruses came from, how they evolved and it can even help us tackle the biggest question of all: Are viruses alive?

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From chronic to aggressive, how blood cancer in some can progress as a disease

The researchers conducted a deep dive into the genetics of these tumours, both during the slow chronic phase and after the disease had transformed into the aggressive form. Researchers have identified an important transition point in the shift from chronic to aggressive blood cancer by conducting experiments in mice, providing a new intervention point for hampering the progress of the disease, according to a study.

Career Counseling with Sonia Arrison

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