Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: biotech/medical – Page 16

AI designed peptide-MHC binders expressed in T cells kill cancer cells

Normally, T cells naturally identify cancer cells by recognizing specific protein fragments, known as peptides, presented on the cell surface by molecules called pMHCs. It is a slow and challenging process to utilize this knowledge for therapy, often because the variation in the body’s own T-cell receptors makes it challenging to create a personalized treatment.

In the study, the researchers tested the strength of the AI platform on a well-known cancer target, NY-ESO-1, which is found in a wide range of cancers. The team succeeded in designing a minibinder that bound tightly to the NY-ESO-1 pMHC molecules. When the designed protein was inserted into T cells, it created a unique new cell product named ‘IMPAC-T’ cells by the researchers, which effectively guided the T cells to kill cancer cells in laboratory experiments.

“It was incredibly exciting to take these minibinders, which were created entirely on a computer, and see them work so effectively in the laboratory,” says a co-author of the study.

The researchers also applied the pipeline to design binders for a cancer target identified in a metastatic melanoma patient, successfully generating binders for this target as well. This documented that the method also can be used for tailored immunotherapy against novel cancer targets.

A crucial step in the researchers’ innovation was the development of a ‘virtual safety check’. The team used AI to screen their designed minibinders and assess them in relation to pMHC molecules found on healthy cells. This method enabled them to filter out minibinders that could cause dangerous side effects before any experiments were carried out.

Precision cancer treatment on a larger scale is moving closer after researchers have developed an AI platform that can tailor protein components and arm the patient’s immune cells to fight cancer. The new method, published in the scientific journal Science, demonstrates for the first time, that it is possible to design proteins in the computer for redirecting immune cells to target cancer cells through pMHC molecules.

Continue reading “AI designed peptide-MHC binders expressed in T cells kill cancer cells” | >

Progressing future osteoarthritis treatment toward precision medicine: integrating regenerative medicine, gene therapy and circadian biology

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease that causes pain and stiffness, especially in older adults. Researchers are exploring new therapies to address this issue, here focusing on regenerative medicine, which uses stem cells to repair damaged cartilage. This involves injecting stem cells into joints to promote healing. However, challenges such as cell survival and long-term effectiveness remain. This study also examines gene therapy, which targets specific genes to reduce inflammation and cartilage breakdown. Biomaterials such as hydrogels and nanoparticles are used to deliver these therapies directly to the joint, improving treatment precision. In addition, this research highlights the role of circadian rhythms in OA, suggesting that timing treatments could enhance their effectiveness. These advancements aim to provide more personalized and effective OA treatments. Future research will focus on refining these approaches for better patient outcomes.

This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author.

AI-designed T cell receptor substitutes can accelerate precision cancer immunotherapy

New designer proteins created using an AI tool can selectively target peptide segments that bind to markers on diseased cancer cells, acting like molecular flags that signal immune cells to attack and destroy the threats.

In a recent breakthrough, a team of researchers from the U.S. presented protein binders that specifically recognized the peptide portion of 11 diverse pMHCI complexes—amino-acid fragments found on the surface of almost all cells in the body that play a central role in the immune system’s ability to recognize and respond to abnormal or diseased cells, such as cancer cells.

These proteins, designed with the aid of AI, help human immune cells identify the correct targets and function more effectively, according to findings published in Science.

A new approach to combating asthma-induced bronchial remodeling

Patients with bronchial asthma suffer from attacks of shortness of breath caused by constricted airways. “Anti-inflammatory medications are usually given to treat this, although it isn’t quite clear how inflammation and constriction correlate,” says Professor Daniela Wenzel, head of the Department of Systems Physiology in the Faculty of Medicine at Ruhr University Bochum.

“These medications often stop working at a certain point.” Furthermore, often experience a thickening of the bronchial tissue due to the accumulation of collagen. Goblet cells also form in increasing numbers, producing mucus and making breathing even more difficult. Currently, there is no medication to counteract these changes.

Groundbreaking Study Identifies Four Biologically Distinct Autism Subtypes

Autism reveals multiple biological subtypes, each with unique genetic and developmental patterns. Researchers from Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have discovered four autism subtypes that are both clinically and biologically distinct. This breakthrough offers a deeper understandin

Kinase enzymes exist throughout tree of life—those found in bacteria may be vulnerable targets for new antibiotics

Enzymes known as kinases play a critical role in cell growth, metabolism and signaling in a multitude of organisms across the tree of life—from algae to helminths to mammals. Now, scientists have developed an atlas of bacterial kinases and say their new compendium holds a motherlode of possible targets for reimagined antimicrobial drugs.

A team of researchers at the University of Georgia has zeroed in on serine-threonine , regulators of cell growth and pathogenicity in a multitude of bacterial species. They say their compendium can provide guidance on research into bacterial virulence and potentially trailblazing ways to attack bacteria by inhibiting the activity of serine-threonine kinases. The team’s compendium was developed by analyzing serine-threonine kinases in nearly 26,000 strains of bacteria.

“Bacterial serine-threonine kinases regulate diverse cellular processes associated with , virulence, and pathogenicity and are evolutionarily related to the druggable eukaryotic serine-threonine kinases,” writes researcher Dr. Brady O’Boyle of the University of Georgia, lead author of the new study involving the massive atlas. O’Boyle and his team found that the number of serine-threonine kinases within bacterial genomes ranges from 1 in Escherichia coli to more than 60 in some species of Actinobacteria.

Study offers clearer picture of childhood brain tumor survival

Childhood brain tumor survival depends on the type of tumor. Comparing survival rates across countries is difficult, because brain tumors aren’t recorded in the same way everywhere in Europe. A new study led by the Princess Máxima Center is helping to change that. For the first time, the research provides a clear and clinically relevant overview of survival outcomes for children with brain tumors.

Researchers at the Princess Máxima Center analyzed data from more than 30,000 diagnosed with a brain tumor between 1998 and 2013. The data came from 80 cancer registries across 31 European countries. The study was published today in The Lancet Oncology.

Powering up T cells: A new path in cancer immunotherapy

Researchers have discovered a way to make the immune system’s T cells significantly more effective at fighting cancer. By blocking a protein called Ant2, they were able to reprogram how these cells consume and generate energy—essentially rewiring their internal power supply.

This shift makes T cells more active, resilient, and better at attacking tumors. The findings open the door to new treatments that could strengthen the body’s own immune response, offering a smarter, more targeted approach to .

Led by Ph.D. student Omri Yosef and Prof. Michael Berger from the Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University, in collaboration with Prof. Magdalena Huber of Philipps University of Marburg and Prof. Eyal Gottlieb of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the international team discovered that fine-tuning ’ metabolism dramatically improves their ability to destroy .

/* */