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Category: biotech/medical – Page 78

Optical device distinguishes blood flow signals from the brain and scalp

Measuring blood flow in the brain is critical for responding to a range of neurological problems, including stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and vascular dementia. But existing techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, are expensive and therefore not widely available.

Researchers from the USC Neurorestoration Center and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have built a simple, noninvasive alternative. The device takes a technique currently used in animal studies known as speckle contrast (SCOS) and adapts it for potential clinical use in humans. It works by capturing images of scattered with an affordable, high-resolution camera.

“It’s really that simple. Tiny blood cells pass through a laser beam, and the way the light scatters allows us to measure and volume in the brain,” said Charles Liu, MD, Ph.D., professor of clinical neurological surgery, urology and surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, director of the USC Neurorestoration Center and co-senior author of the new research.

Decoding the T cell burst: Signature genes predict T cell expansion in cancer immunotherapy

The ability of immune cells—particularly CD8+ T cells—to launch a rapid burst of proliferation inside tumors is key to the success of modern day cancer immunotherapies. However, the factors and mechanisms that drive this burst in proliferation remain poorly understood, making it difficult to predict which patients will benefit from treatment. A deeper understanding of this T cell burst could also guide the development of new therapies that enhance T cell proliferation and improve treatment outcomes.

To tackle this challenge, an international team of researchers led by Associate Professor Satoshi Ueha and Professor Kouji Matsushima from the Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan, developed a novel approach to monitor CD8⁺ T cell activity over time. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communications on October 20, 2025, sheds new light on how T cells expand in the tumor—and how their expansion can be predicted, and ultimately, therapeutically reactivated.

“The development of immunotherapies has been hindered by our inability to comprehensively monitor their effects on —particularly cancer-fighting T cells—over time,” explains Dr. Ueha. “Building on our previous work, we developed a method to track these cells longitudinally in the tumor, allowing us to gain deeper insights into the burst of that drives effective anti-tumor responses.”

Macrophages can fuel liver cancer spread by supplying acetate to tumor cells

Chinese researchers have revealed a mechanism that triggers metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—the most common type of primary liver cancer—through the production of acetate by tumor-associated macrophages.

Acetate is important to cancer metastasis because it promotes the synthesis of acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), which is a pivotal metabolic intermediate in the catabolism of glucose, lipids, and , as well as the biosynthesis of lipids and the TCA cycle. Acetyl-CoA also functions as a signaling molecule due to its role in lysine acetylation. Increased acetyl-CoA production is characteristic of metastatic cancers.

Researchers have known that acetate levels in the blood are significantly lower than in cancer tissues, suggesting the presence of acetate-producing cells within the cancer microenvironment. However, the exact source of acetate in the cancer microenvironment was previously unclear.

What the Next Pandemic Will Look Like (And Where It Will Start)

Doctors say another pandemic could arrive sooner than most people think. In this new video, you’ll find out why the risk is rising, the simple signs that tell experts a real outbreak has begun, and when that official Day One would likely be called.

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Gene deficiency that causes obesity also protects from heart disease, finds new study

Deficiency of the gene melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is linked with obesity among adults. A recent study has found that the same deficiency also leads to surprising outcomes such as reduced risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, and triglycerides. These results contradict the well-established correlation between obesity and cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers scanned the of 7,719 children from the Genetics of Obesity Study (GOOS) cohort. They identified 316 probands—first person in a family to draw medical attention to a —and 144 adult family members with obesity due to loss-of-function (LoF) MC4R mutations.

Even after adjusting for weight, these individuals showed better blood pressure profiles and when compared to 336,728 controls from the UK Biobank.

Deciphering Breast Cancer: Spatial and Molecular Insights into Tumor Evolution

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, join us for a live webinar to uncover the complexity of tumor biology and the surprising resilience of normal tissue. This event will feature two expert-led presentations: one demonstrating how protein multiplexing and quantitative imaging uncover the hidden heterogeneity of breast tumors, and another examining how natural tissue remodeling can both suppress and influence oncogenic transformation. A live discussion and Q&A session will follow, giving you the opportunity to engage directly with leading researchers and gain valuable insights to improve cancer diagnosis, guide therapy decisions, and inform prevention strategies. All sessions will be available on demand, allowing flexible access for continued learning and engagement.

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Revolutionary Prosthetic Eye Chip Restores Sight in Medical First

A tiny chip implanted into the eyes of people suffering vision loss from irreversible age-related macular degeneration has restored central sight in a dazzling first.

It’s called the PRIMA system, tested across 17 European hospitals, and it restored central vision in 26 of 32 patients who used it for 12 months – many of whom could even read again. The result, developed by a large international team of doctors and scientists over many years, represents a massive breakthrough in treatments for vision loss.

“It’s the first time that any attempt at vision restoration has achieved such results in a large number of patients,” says ophthamologist José-Alain Sahel of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, co-senior author on a paper describing the results.

AI nutrition study finds ‘five everyday’ may keep the doctor away

In a new study using AI and machine learning, EPFL researchers have found that it’s not only what we eat, but how consistently we eat it that plays a crucial role in gut health.

The gut microbiota is the community of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes, that lives in our digestive systems—some of these microbes are helpful and others can be harmful.

Many previous studies have shown that what we eat has an impact on our gut microbiota. Healthy diets rich in fruit, vegetables, fiber and nuts are strongly associated with increased microbial diversity and better stomach health.

Stem Cells Age Ten Times Faster in Space, New Study Finds

Traveling to space presents significant challenges to human health, with research detailing a variety of detrimental effects on the body that may mirror accelerated aging. These include a loss of bone density, swelling of brain and eye nerves, and changes in gene expression. NASA’s groundbreaking study featuring identical twin astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly provided vital insights into these concerns by observing Scott’s physical condition after spending 340 days in space, while Mark remained on Earth. Findings from this 2019 “twins study,” published in the journal Science, revealed that Scott experienced DNA damage, cognitive decline, and persistent telomere shortening—an indication of aging—even six months post-mission.

Recent research has now uncovered an alarming revelation about stem cells during spaceflight, indicating that they exhibit signs of aging at a staggering rate—up to ten times faster than their counterparts on Earth. Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at the University of California, San Diego, and a lead author of the new study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, articulated the significance of this finding. Stem cells, which are crucial for the development and repair of various tissues, losing their youthful capacity could lead to grave health issues, such as chronic diseases, neurodegeneration, and cancer.

This study arrives at a pivotal moment, as both government agencies and private companies are gearing up for long-duration missions to the moon and beyond. With the surge in interest in spaceflight, understanding the associated health risks has never been more urgent. Insights from this accelerated cellular aging could not only inform safer space travel but also enhance our understanding of biological processes on Earth.

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