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Category: biotech/medical – Page 2,735

Anti-Aging Pioneer Aubrey de Grey: “People in Middle Age Now Have a Fair Chance”

Aging is not a mystery, says famed researcher Dr. Aubrey de Grey, perhaps the world’s foremost advocate of the provocative view that medical technology will one day allow humans to control the aging process and live healthily into our hundreds—or even thousands.

“The cultural attitudes toward all of this are going to be completely turned upside down by sufficiently promising results in the lab, in mice.”

He likens aging to a car wearing down over time; as the body operates normally, it accumulates damage which can be tolerated for a while, but eventually sends us into steep decline. The most promising way to escape this biological reality, he says, is to repair the damage as needed with precise scientific tools.

Scientists Just Identified The Physical Source of Anxiety in The Brain

We’re not wired to feel safe all the time, but maybe one day we could be.

A new study investigating the neurological basis of anxiety in the brain has identified ‘anxiety cells’ located in the hippocampus – which not only regulate anxious behaviour but can be controlled by a beam of light.

The findings, so far demonstrated in experiments with lab mice, could offer a ray of hope for the millions of people worldwide who experience anxiety disorders (including almost one in five adults in the US), by leading to new drugs that silence these anxiety-controlling neurons.

Robots and AI Will Take Over These 3 Medical Niches First

We’re no stranger to robotics in the medical field. Robot-assisted surgery is becoming more and more common. Many training programs are starting to include robotic and virtual reality scenarios to provide hands-on training for students without putting patients at risk.

With all of these advances in medical robotics, three niches stand out above the rest: surgery, medical imaging, and drug discovery. How have robotics already begun to exert their influence on these practices, and how will they change them for good?

Researchers report promising pterostilbene and NR clinical trial results

Results of NR and pterostilbene clinical trial are promising.

A clinical trial of an NR and pterostilbene anti-aging supplement appeared to be safe over the short-term as it increased NAD levels in a sustained way. [This article first appeared on the website LongevityFacts.com. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

A clinical trial of NR and pterostilbene sustainably increased NAD levels and appeared to be safe over the short-term. Moreover, the study suggests that it increased the mobility of the aging test subjects.

Our NAD levels decline as we age, and as the theory goes, boosting NAD will also increase our energy and keep our bodies in better condition.

Could a protein named klotho block aging and dementia?

Could a protein called klotho block aging and dementia?

Summary: More klotho means better cognitive function says a scientist. By injecting the protein Klotho into mice with Alzheimer’s, a UCSF researcher improved their brain function. The researcher hopes to eventually apply the treatment to humans to treat aging and dementia. [Introduction by Brady Hartman, followed by a link to the full article.]

Neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Dena Dubal wants to prevent dementia and aging with a protein called Klotho. Dr. Dubal, MD, Ph.D. – an associate professor of neurology at UC San Francisco – aims to use this novel approach to battle neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Rather than battle these diseases head-on, professor Dubal aims to block the aging process itself. Dr. Dubal is testing the protein’s potential as a therapeutic. The researcher found that by administering the protein to mice, she gave them a cognitive boost, equivalent to genetically increasing klotho. In fact, after injecting the protein into mice that had a condition similar to Alzheimer’s, Dr. Dubal remarked.

Revolutionary stealth virus holds promise for cancer therapy

Researchers solved a problem that has been holding back the use of viral vectors for cancer therapy. They re-engineered viruses with a novel stealth technique that enables them to be used to treat cancer.

Up until now, viral vectors couldn’t be used widely in cancer therapy. Researchers just announced that they re-engineered an adenovirus with a novel stealth technique that enables it to be used to fight tumors. [This article first appeared on the website LongevityFacts.com. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Viral vectors are well-developed tools used by scientists to deliver genetic material into cells. Unfortunately, they haven’t worked well to treat cancer until a group of researchers in Switzerland re-engineered them to enable them to be used in cancer therapy.

Researchers from the University of Zurich have re-engineered an adenovirus for use in cancer therapy. To achieve this, scientists developed a new protein shield that hides the virus and protects it from being eliminated by the body. Moreover, adapters on the surface of the virus enable the reconstructed virus to target and infect tumor cells.

Developing a Science-based Personal Longevity Strategy

When developing any personal health and longevity strategy it is essential to apply the scientific method.

There is one common public reaction to my talks that bothers me quite a bit. I am worried that after each of my lectures, people will just start taking lots of anti-aging pills without regard for dosage or effectiveness, potentially hurting themselves in the process.

This is because one of the most common reactions to me mentioning any currently available interventions is to search for each and every component and order them all right away. Whatever I say about safety and the need to test before people make any changes in their lifestyles seems ineffective.

So, I want to talk about this problem.

Researchers Cure Lung Fibrosis in Mice With a Single Gene Therapy

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a disease associated with critically short telomeres, and it currently lacks a reliable and effective treatment. Researchers at the Telomere and Telomerase Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have cured the disease in mice using telomerase therapy to lengthen short telomeres.

A proof of concept for an effective treatment against pulmonary fibrosis

The authors of this study have stated that this is a “proof of concept that telomerase activation represents an effective treatment against pulmonary fibrosis” in their publication[1].

The End Of Root Canals: Stem Cell Fillings Trigger Teeth To Repair Themselves, Research Study Claims

What if damaged teeth could heal themselves without the need of a root canal? Apparently, that’s what Harvard and the University of Nottingham are trying to figure out. They believe they can create stem cell stimulated fillings.

Worldwide, dentists treat hundreds of millions of cavities each year by drilling out the decayed part of the tooth and replacing it with a filling. According to Popular Science, the problem is up to 15 percent of those procedures will fail, which will lead to a root canal to remove the tooth’s pulp, a soft tissue in the center of the tooth that contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue. The downside is, following a root canal, the tooth’s strength is weaker and could eventually need to be removed.

Adam Celiz is a therapeutic biomaterials researcher who believes that stem cells could help reduce the number of root canals and the need for dentures. Celiz and his team developed a new kind of filling that is made from stem cells that can help your tooth heal. Just like regular fillings, the biomaterial stem cells are injected into the tooth and hardened with ultra-violet light.