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Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,567

Researchers introduce into human cells a genetic mutation that protects against Alzheimer’s disease

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐗𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬:

The Neuro-Network.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞

𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚́ 𝙇𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖… See more.

Researchers from the Université Laval Faculty of Medicine and CHU de Québec–Université Laval Research Center have successfully edited the genome of human cells grown in vitro to introduce a mutation providing protection against Alzheimer’s disease. The details of this breakthrough were recently published in The CRISPR Journal.

“Some increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but there is a mutation that reduces this risk,” says lead author Professor Jacques-P. Tremblay. “This is a rare mutation identified in 2012 in the Icelandic population. The mutation has no known disadvantage for those who carry it and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Using an improved version of the CRISPR gene editing tool, we have been able to edit the genome of human cells to insert this mutation.”

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Could Astronauts Hibernate on Long Space Voyages?

The ESA is investigating hibernation technology that could allow astronauts to remain healthy during long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.

A renewed era of space exploration is upon us, and many exciting missions will be headed to space in the coming years. These include crewed missions to the Moon and the creation of permanent bases there. Beyond the Earth-Moon system, there are multiple proposals for crewed missions to Mars and beyond. This presents significant challenges since a one-way transit to Mars can take six to nine months. Even with new propulsion technologies like nuclear rockets, it could still take more than three months to get to Mars.

In addition to the physical and mental stresses imposed on the astronauts by the duration and long-term exposure to microgravity and radiation, there are also the logistical challenges these types of missions will impose (i.e., massive spacecraft, lots of supplies, and significant expense). Looking for alternatives, the European Space Agency (ESA) is investigating hibernation technology that would allow their astronauts to sleep for much of the voyage and arrive at Mars ready to explore.

This researcher was the subject of a recent study led by Alexander Choukér, a professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), and Thu Jennifer Ngo-Anh – a payload coordinator with the ESA’s Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration Programs. The paper that describes their findings was recently published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

How AI And Aging Research Can Help Life Insurance Companies?

The recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence, coupled with increases in computational power, have led to a lot of interest and hype in longevity biotechnology 30114–2). Hundreds of data scientists and companies are taking advantage of this hype to propel research and discovery of new technologies in aging research.

One of the major new areas in aging research are biomarkers of aging that give the true biological age of humans that may be different from their chronological age. One of the most advanced biomarkers of aging are deep aging clocks that can help researchers predict biological age as well as mortality of humans. In 2013, Steven Horvath published an article called ‘DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types,’ in which he outlined the development of a multi-tissue predictor of age that allows for the estimation of the DNA methylation age of most tissues and cell types. He also formed an aging clock that can be used to address questions in developmental biology, cancer, and aging research.

There have been several more studies on such clocks since 2013. For example, I was part of a team in 2016 and we published a study on the first deep aging clock titled ‘Deep biomarkers of human aging: Application of deep neural networks to biomarker development.’ Since our study was published, many other aging clocks that can predict age as well as mortality rapidly entered into many industries. it is clear that there is a boom in the longevity biotechnology industry and huge progress in aging research is expected to be made in the next few years. AI-based aging clocks provide a very good entry point for the insurance companies to get into the field of aging research and actually contribute while protecting their business and innovating in science and technology.

What is stopping gene-edited food from saving our planet?

Not science, apparentlyLast month, a Ph.D. student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem breed a new strain of ‘supercharged’ lettuce that expanded its vitamin C and beta carotene content by 800 percent and 70 percent respectively.

Research Interests.

Genomic/metabolomic/proteomic approaches for identification of novel (regulatory and biosynthetic) aroma genes.

Metabolic engineering of plants and yeast.

Site-specific genome modification and genetic engineering in plants.

Artificial Intelligence Can Identify Genetic Disorders in Embryo With Simple Blood Test

New Israeli startup aims to get product to market within two years; technology could also be used to identify early markers of cancer.

An Israeli startup is developing a non-invasive early detection method using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify genetic disorders in human embryos.

Via a simple blood test taken from the pregnant mother during the first trimester, IdentifAI Genetics can read the embryo’s entire DNA and provide in-depth analysis to detect genetic disorders.

Revolutionary ‘bionic’ pacemaker capable of reversing heart failure now set for human trials

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — We may be on the medical precipice of turning back time, or actually reversing the heart rhythm effects of cardiac events. A potentially game-changing “bionic” pacemaker capable of restoring the human heart’s naturally irregular beat is set to undergo trials involving heart patients in New Zealand this year.

“Currently, all pacemakers pace the heart metronomically, which means a very steady, even pace. But when you record heart rate in a healthy individual, you see it is constantly on the move,” says professor Julian Paton, a lead researcher and director of Manaaki Manawa, the Centre for Heart Research at the University of Auckland, in a university release.

Current pacemakers just can’t mimic the perfectly irregular pace of a naturally healthy human heart, Paton explains. This new version, though, may change everything. “If you analyze the frequencies within your heart rate, you find the heart rate is coupled to your breathing. It goes up on inspiration, and it goes down on expiration, and that is a natural phenomenon in all animals and humans. And we’re talking about very ancient animals that were on the planet 430 million years ago.”

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