Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
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Category: biotech/medical – Page 2,672

Dr. Oliver Medvedik Vice President of LEAF appears in this new TED interview where he talks about aging research and the possibilities of future medicine.

Aging happens to all of us, but scientists still don’t know the mechanism behind it. We need to focus on finding an answer, says molecular biologist Oliver Medvedik.

If given the option, would you choose to live forever? Many of us would say “yes,” but with one major caveat: just as long we don’t age. In scientific terms, aging means “a progressive loss of fitness in an organism over time,” says molecular biologist and TED Fellow Oliver Medvedik. What causes this loss of fitness in humans is multifaceted, although scientists are exploring different theories including — and these are just a few of the many avenues of research — the deterioration of the health of our telomeres (the ends of our chromosomes), changes in cell mitochondria, inefficient clearance of damaged cell proteins, and the senescence of stem cells, leading to chronic inflammation and a depletion of stem cells.

Although it causes a loss of fitness and health, aging is not seen as a disease. “The FDA defines a disease as something that afflicts only a segment of the population. But aging affects everyone,” says Medvedik, the co-founder of Genspace, a citizen science biotech lab, and a professor of bioengineering at the Cooper Union in New York City. And because aging is not considered a disease by the government, it limits the amount of federal funding available in order to study it.

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In the basement of the Engineering Center at the University of Colorado Boulder, a group of researchers is working to create the next generation of robots. Instead of the metallic droids you may be imagining, they are developing robots made from soft materials that are more similar to biological systems. Such soft robots contain tremendous potential for future applications as they adapt to dynamic environments and are well-suited to closely interact with humans.

A central challenge in this field known as “” is a lack of actuators or “” that can replicate the versatility and performance of the real thing. However, the Keplinger Research Group in the College of Engineering and Applied Science has now developed a new class of soft, electrically activated devices capable of mimicking the expansion and contraction of natural muscles. These devices, which can be constructed from a wide range of low-cost materials, are able to self-sense their movements and self-heal from electrical damage, representing a major advance in soft robotics.

The newly developed hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators eschew the bulky, rigid pistons and motors of conventional robots for soft structures that react to applied voltage with a wide range of motions. The soft devices can perform a variety of tasks, including grasping delicate objects such as a raspberry and a raw egg, as well as lifting heavy objects. HASEL actuators exceed or match the strength, speed and efficiency of biological muscle and their versatility may enable artificial muscles for human-like robots and a next generation of prosthetic limbs.

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A look back at the most popular health articles of 2017. Here is the report: “Top Five Deadly Vitamins”

Summary: High-dose vitamin and mineral supplements were once promoted as ways to prevent heart disease, aging, and cancer. To the contrary, recent research has shown that excessive vitamin and mineral consumption sometimes shortens life. Using evidence from scores of clinical trials we generate a list of five vitamin and mineral supplements that have been shown to be harmful to an otherwise healthy person when consumed in excess. [Note: This article was extensively updated on Nov 2, 2017]. This article first appeared on LongevityFacts.com. Follow us on Google+ | Facebook | Reddit. Author: Brady Hartman.

Recent research shows that some vitamin or mineral supplements are hazardous to your health.

In particular, five vitamin and mineral supplements have been shown to be harmful to an otherwise healthy person when consumed in supranormal doses.

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A look back at the most popular health articles of 2017. Here is the report: “9 Things Everybody Ought To Know About Fish Oils”

In brief: Do fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids significantly improve heart health, brain health and a host of other conditions? Here’s what the science says.

Fish oil is the third most widely used supplement in the U.S. According to a study published in 2015 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nearly one in twelve Americans used fish oils in 2012.

Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that are essential for health and are required for some functions in the body. Research studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may help in a wide range of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, depression, cancer, ADHD, cardiovascular disease and various autoimmune diseases.

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Revisiting the most popular life extension science videos of 2017. Here is the video: “Genes Rule Over Our Aging Bodies — Dr. David Sinclair on Sirtuins”

Summary: (Video) Dr. David Sinclair is the leading expert on sirtuins, the repairmen of our bodies. Watch Dr. David Sinclair explain how sirtuin genes control cellular repair and how drugs and supplements that affect the sirtuins can slow the aging process. [Author: Brady Hartman. This article first appeared on LongevityFacts.com. Follow us on Reddit | Google+ | Facebook. ] Scroll down for video

Sirtuins

Sirtuins are a family of genes, enzymes, and proteins, which affect multiple pathways that increase the lifespan and the overall health of organisms. Since enzymes are proteins and genes code for proteins, sirtuins are interchangeably referred to as enzymes, genes, and proteins.

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A look back at the most popular health and medical science videos of 2017. Here is the video: “View the Future of Medicine with Nanorobots, Weaponized Killer T-cells, Lab-grown Organs, and Gene Editing”

A glimpse at the future in a new film clip from CATS with medical nanorobots, weaponized killer T-cells, synthetic organs, and gene editing.

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Researchers have demonstrated how alcohol damages stem cell DNA in a new study, helping to explain why drinking can increase cancer risk[1′. The study was published in the journal Nature on January 3.

There have been multiple cell culture studies looking at how alcohol promotes cancer, but this study used mice to show how alcohol can cause permanent damage to DNA.

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Gene therapy is not alone in commanding staggering sums, particularly when it comes to treatments for rare diseases. Soliris, a drug that treats a condition called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria that attacks red blood cells, can cost up to $700,000 a year, while Elaprase, used in the treatment of Hunter syndrome, costs $500,000 a year.

Spark Therapeutics says ‘responsible price’ for Luxturna gene therapy ensures access for patients with retinal defect.

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The technology underpinning the new bionic hand was developed in 2014, but at the time, the equipment necessary to support it was so big the prosthetic limb could not leave the lab.

For Dennis Aabo Sorensen, who lost his hand in 2004 in a firecracker explosion, regaining the experience of touch was “fantastic.” He told CattolicaNews that “being able to feel different textures, understanding whether objects were hard or soft and how I was holding them was just incredible.”

Researchers found that Dennis was able to distinguish between a hard, soft or medium object in 78 percent of cases. In 88 percent of cases, he could correctly describe the size and shape of specific objects such as a baseball, a glass, and a tangerine. Three years later, Almerina has been given the same ability just by carrying a small computer in a backpack.

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