Just before it ceases functioning, the brain may make a last-ditch effort to find unresolved purpose or a reason to stay alive.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 5
Chinese team says carbon dioxide can be turned into sugar
“Artificial conversion of carbon dioxide into food and chemicals offers a promising strategy to address both environmental and population-related challenges while contributing to carbon neutrality,” the team said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Bulletin in May.
Reducing carbon dioxide to less complex molecules has proven successful, though the researchers said that generating long-chain carbohydrates – the most abundant substances in nature – has proven to be a challenge for scientists.
“In vitro biotransformation (ivBT) has emerged as a highly promising platform for sustainable biomanufacturing,” the team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology wrote.
Novel molecular mechanisms inform targeted therapies for chronic kidney disease
A recent study led by Paul DeCaen, Ph.D., associate professor of Pharmacology, has identified novel molecular mechanisms by which genetic mutations in the PKD2 gene cause the most common form of polycystic kidney disease, according to findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
PKD2 encodes an ion channel localized to the primary cilia of cells lining the kidney collecting ducts, a series of tubules and ducts that helps achieve electrolyte and fluid balance in the body. Both inherited and acquired mutations in PKD2 are known to cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), a condition characterized by the growth of fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys that can lead to kidney failure and other serious complications.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one in 1000 individuals will develop ADPKD and more than 95% of patients carry disease-causing genetic variants in PKD1 or PKD2. However, there are no available therapies that target these disease-causing variants.
SARS-CoV-2 can cause buildup of Alzheimer’s-related peptides in retina
A new Yale study has found a promising target for treating the brain fog that can follow COVID-19 and offers new insight into a hypothesis about the origin of Alzheimer’s disease.
One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the presence of plaque formed by the buildup of amyloid beta peptides (short chains of amino acids) in and around brain cells. Some researchers suspect that amyloid beta, which is structurally similar to antimicrobial peptides, protects the brain against bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungal infections. Because the blood-brain barrier tends to lose its integrity in Alzheimer’s disease patients, the accumulation of amyloid beta might be a signal that pathogens are infiltrating the brain.
In a new study published in Science Advances, Yale researchers investigated whether infection by SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—can trigger Alzheimer’s disease-like amyloid beta buildup, leading to neurological impairments like brain fog.
“We Engineered the Perfect Space Food”: US Scientists Unveil Super-Dwarf Plant Designed to Keep Astronauts Alive and Thriving on Years-Long Missions to Mars
IN A NUTSHELL 🌾 The Moon-Rice project is developing “super-dwarf” rice to support long-duration space missions and extreme Earth environments. 🛰️ Led by the Italian Space Agency, the project involves collaboration between three Italian universities specializing in rice genetics, crop physiology, and space crop production. 🔬 The research focuses on using CRISPR-Cas technology to create
Personalized Cancer Vaccine Proves Promising in a Phase 1 Trial at Mount Sinai
New York, NY (March 17, 2025) Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, led by Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, Ward-Coleman Chair in Cancer Research and Director of the Vaccine and Cell Therapy Laboratory, have tested a promising new type of personalized multi-peptide neoantigen cancer vaccine, called PGV001, in a small group of patients. This early study (phase 1 trial) is an important step in finding better ways to help people fight cancer. The vaccine uses multiple peptides (amino acid sequences) to help the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer cells and stop the disease from coming back. The findings are available in the latest issue of Cancer Discovery , a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Over the last decade, immune-based therapies have transformed cancer treatment, including CAR T cells, bi-specific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). These approaches have significantly improved outcomes, but some patients do not respond or eventually develop resistance. Personalized cancer vaccines, like PGV001, aim to overcome these challenges by training the immune system to recognize unique cancer mutations, called neoantigens, and mount a stronger, targeted response.
PGV001 can be made to fit each patient’s unique cancer. Scientists use advanced tools to find neoantigens—tiny changes in cancer cells—that are not found in healthy cells. The vaccine then teaches the immune system to target these changes, making treatment more personal and precise. Unlike tumor-associated antigens, neoantigens are not subject to central tolerance, meaning they can trigger a robust immune attack against cancer cells.
Scientists map pathogens that plagued humans for 37,000 years
Researchers have uncovered the types of bacteria, viruses and parasites that plagued ancient humans across Europe and Asia as far back as 37,000 years ago.
An international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Lund University, Sweden, Curtin University, Australia, has created an archaeogenetic-based map of human pathogens across both time and geography.
“Infectious diseases have had devastating effects on human populations throughout history, but important questions about their origins and past dynamics remain,” the authors write.