Category: biotech/medical – Page 2,782
Illinois Is Experimenting with Blockchains to Replace Physical Birth Certificates
The state of Illinois is testing a new way for people to prove their identities, albeit without the need to request their birth certificates and wait weeks for it to arrive in the mail. The state aims to give citizens more control of their data, as well as provide solace in knowing it’s more secure than ever.
To accomplish this task, the state is turning to the same blockchain technology that companies like Bitcoin and Ethereum utilize for their own networks. In August, the Illinois Blockchain Initiative — a collaboration launched by the state to explore blockchain and distributed ledger technology — announced it’s partnering with self-sovereign identity solutions firm Evernym to create an online ledger that’s only accessible to the owner of the ID and any other individuals they’re granted access. It’s very similar to how the technology could be used to track and share information between hospitals.
Scientists Just Used Gene Editing to Remove a Fatal Blood Disorder From Human Embryos
A team of researchers from Sun Yat-sen University have used gene editing to correct a potentially fatal blood condition. This world-first accomplishment represents the first step to a future where we literally edit disease out of our bodies.
Beta-thalassemia is a blood disorder that plagues individuals throughout the entirety of their lives. There is no truly viable cure. The only real hope that people have of overcoming this disease is either a stem cell or bone marrow transplant; however, these procedures are rarely performed due to the life-threatening risk that comes with them.
Scientists discover a protein that protects the eyes from glaucoma
Researchers at Macquarie University have discovered that a naturally occurring protein in the body protects the eye from the common eye disease glaucoma, which is particularly sensitive to oxidation through environmental factors that may include cigarette smoke. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
The researchers have demonstrated that the protein “neuroserpin” is critical to a healthy retina, regulating other enzymes and maintaining a natural protective environment in the eye.
Neuroserpin belongs to a family of proteins “serpins” that are particularly sensitive to oxidation through environmental factors.
Skin patch speeds healing while reducing scarring
Scientists have struggled to develop a single substance that can both speed up wound healing and reduce the formation of scars. Scar reduction medications tend to interfere with the natural process of healing, but now a team of researchers has created a novel skin patch that can reduce scarring and increase the pace of wound healing.
The team from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore discovered a key protein called Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) plays several roles over different phases of healing. ANGPTL4 not only reduces inflammation and induces new cell growth, but in later stages of healing it produces molecules that interfere with a key protein that induces scar tissue.
Excessive collagen production is a key factor in the scarring we are familiar with when a wound heals. The key to the new innovation was developing a way to modulate collagen production without turning it off completely, as it is fundamentally necessary for wound repair.
Dr. David Sinclair, Discoverer of Anti-aging NAD Fad, Speaks About Human Trials of NMN
This report on the NAD booster nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) will definetly be of interest to Lifeboat members.
NAD is the fountain of youth in mice and is boosted by NMN. This report includes highlights of Aug 2017 interview with Dr. David Sinclair, the researcher who discovered that the anti-aging molecule NAD has rejuvenating effects on mice.
Summary: NMN as a NAD-boosting anti-aging drug. Highlights of the August 2017 interview with David Sinclair, the scientist who discovered that the fountain of youth molecule NAD has remarkable rejuvenating effects on mice. The career of David Sinclair follows a link between sirtuins, resveratrol, NAD-boosting anti-aging compound nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), and calorie restriction.
Professor David A. Sinclair, Ph.D. has discovered what may be the fountain of youth. The Australian geneticist with the UNSW School of Medical Sciences and Harvard Medical School reported that by boosting NAD, a naturally-occurring compound found in our bodies, he was able to reverse DNA damage and turn elderly mice into energetic young ones.
That’s all fine and well for mice, but when will clinical trials show that NAD-boosting NMN is safe and effective for us humans?
Increasing Human Life Expectancy through Stem Cell Rejuvenation
Dr. Mark Katakowski makes the case that rejuvenation of the bone marrow niche is a practical approach to life-extension today. Mark is President of the longevity company Forever Labs, and is a medical physicist with extensive experience developing stem cell therapies for neurological disease and injury.
Mark was first to demonstrate that microRNA functions as a communication molecule between brain tumor cells, a previously unknown mechanism of intercellular eukaryotic gene regulation. Based upon his use of stem cells to treat age-related disease, Mark surmises that rejuvenating the bone marrow provides significant opportunity to combat aging.