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Category: biotech/medical – Page 288

Genetic discovery offers hope for personalized epilepsy treatments

Recent research led by UTHealth Houston scientists has uncovered two genes associated with variants linked to epilepsy, which showed specific traits that make them promising diagnostic biomarkers.

The study is published in Nature Communications.

Led by Dennis Lal, Ph.D., director of the Center for Neurogenetics and associate professor of neurology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, the research team analyzed data from 1,386 human brain tissues for somatic variants in the of individuals undergoing . Somatic variants are DNA changes that occur after conception and can only be identified in the brain tissue.

Controlling Human Body Temperature to Mimic Hibernation

Summary: Researchers have discovered a way to control human body temperature, mimicking the hibernation process of animals like bears. By manipulating the brain’s temperature regulation system, they can induce a state of “thermoregulatory inversion” (TI) in rats, reducing heat production even in cold environments.

This breakthrough could lead to controlled hypothermia in humans, improving survival rates in life-threatening situations like heart attacks and strokes. The discovery opens the door to therapeutic hypothermia, which can protect tissues from damage by lowering metabolism and oxygen demand.

New AI tool uses routine blood tests to predict immunotherapy response for many cancers

Doctors around the world may soon have access to a new tool that could better predict whether individual cancer patients will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors—a type of immunotherapy—using only routine blood tests and clinical data.

The artificial intelligence–based model, dubbed SCORPIO, was developed by a team of researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai.

The model is not only cheaper and more accessible, it’s significantly better at predicting outcomes than the two current biomarkers approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to findings published in Nature Medicine.

Telomerase enzyme research may help delay ageing and age-related diseases

BioViva focuses on translating this research into therapies.

In the search to extend human lifespan and address age-related diseases, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) stands out as a promising focus of research. This enzyme, known for its role in maintaining telomeres—the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes—offers potential pathways to combat ageing at a cellular level. BioViva, under the leadership of CEO Liz Parrish, is working to transform telomerase-based scientific breakthroughs into tangible therapies aimed at enhancing health and longevity.

This Water-Resistant Paper Could Revolutionize Packaging and Replace Plastic

A groundbreaking study showcases the creation of sustainable hydrophobic paper, enhanced by cellulose nanofibres and peptides, presenting a biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based materials, with potential uses in packaging and biomedical devices.

Researchers aimed to develop hydrophobic paper by leveraging the strength and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers, creating a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical applications. This innovative approach involved integrating short protein chains, known as peptide sequences, without chemically altering the cellulose nanofibers. The result is a potential alternative to petroleum-based materials, with significant environmental benefits.

The study, titled “Nanocellulose-short peptide self-assembly for improved mechanical strength and barrier performance,” was recently featured on the cover of the Journal of Materials Chemistry B. The research was conducted by the “Giulio Natta” Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Aalto University, the VTT-Technical Research Centre of Finland, and the SCITEC Institute of the CNR.

“Selective Silencing”: New Research Challenges Textbook Principle of Genetics

Why it matters

The new study explains a longstanding puzzle in medicine: why do some people who’ve inherited a disease-causing mutation experience fewer symptoms than others with the same mutation? “In many diseases, we’ll see that 90% of people who carry a mutation are sick, but 10% who carry the mutation don’t get sick at all,” says Bogunovic, a scientist who studies children with rare immunological disorders at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Enlisting an international team of collaborators, the researchers looked at several families with different genetic disorders affecting their immune systems. In each case, the disease-causing copy was more likely to be active in sick patients and suppressed in healthy relatives who had inherited the same genes.

Genes can now be studied by bending DNA strands with light

In a groundbreaking study, scientists have discovered a way to manipulate the very fabric of life by using light to reshape DNA strands. This innovative approach provides new insights into the material properties of chromosomes, unlocking potential advancements in understanding gene expression and developing treatments for genetic diseases.

Chromatin, the material that makes up chromosomes, is a complex structure where long strands of DNA are wrapped tightly around proteins. Despite its compact nature, chromatin must unfurl in certain regions to allow cells to access and replicate genetic information.

Some areas remain rigid and coiled, silencing genes, while others are flexible and accessible, facilitating gene expression. This duality has led scientists to question whether chromatin behaves like a solid, a liquid, or a hybrid of both.

Smart Liquid Crystal Lenses Filter Out Seizure-Inducing Light for Epilepsy Patients

Revolutionary glasses have been engineered to shield individuals from seizure-inducing light, offering a potential new layer of safety for epilepsy patients during daily tasks and entertainment.

People with photosensitive epilepsy may soon benefit from an innovative pair of glasses designed to block light wavelengths known to trigger seizures.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow and the University of Birmingham have developed a prototype liquid crystal lens that could help reduce the risk of seizures. Their findings, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, highlight the potential of this technology to improve the lives of those with photosensitive epilepsy.

MIT Scientists Harness Light To Wirelessly Monitor Cellular Electrical Signals

Integrated into a high-resolution wireless biosensing device, the antennas could enable researchers to decode complex electrical signals generated by cells.

Monitoring electrical signals in biological systems allows scientists to study how cells communicate, providing valuable insights that can improve the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as arrhythmia and Alzheimer’s disease.

But devices that record electrical signals in cell cultures and other liquid environments often use wires to connect each electrode on the device to its respective amplifier. Because only so many wires can be connected to the device, this restricts the number of recording sites, limiting the information that can be collected from cells.