An international study led by the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital has identified six genetic regions associated with the inflammation of the eye’s iris, also known as anterior uveitis. The research also uncovered a genetic correlation between anterior uveitis and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind anterior uveitis and its connection to common autoimmune diseases.

Each year, approximately 600 Finns are diagnosed with anterior uveitis. This is an intraocular inflammation that can occur at any age but is most common in individuals aged 20–50. Anterior uveitis is known to be associated with several autoimmune diseases, and certain tissue types may also predispose individuals to it. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the disease remain largely unknown, and the root cause often remains unclear.

The aim of the study was to investigate the genetic background of anterior uveitis, a field in which knowledge has been limited. This extensive international collaboration utilized biobank data from Finland, Estonia, and the United Kingdom, enabling comparisons between more than 12,000 patients with anterior uveitis and nearly 1 million controls.

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RNA sequencing has emerged as a powerful tool for detecting various types of cancers and gaining a deeper understanding of tumor biology.

However, many samples used in these analyses are derived from tumor tissues preserved as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks. While FFPE blocks are excellent for histological examination, they pose significant challenges for molecular analysis due to the potential degradation or crosslinking of genetic material.

This application note describes the use of targeted custom RNA panels to overcome these challenges by enabling the robust and sensitive detection of gene expression profiles from FFPE non-small cell lung cancer samples.

Neoadjuvant therapy with hedgehog inhibitors has an overall response rate (ORR) of 71%, but adverse events (AEs) like fatigue, muscle cramps, dysgeusia, and hair loss often lead to discontinuation and low compliance.

OVs represent a class of intratumoral therapeutics that might be a safe and effective neoadjuvant therapy for difficult-to-resect BCCs.

Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an OV, a genetically engineered herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1), approved for treating injectable, unresectable melanoma lesions in the United States and Europe. T-VEC has a dual mode of action and can alter the tumor microenvironment (TME) by activating adaptive and innate immunity.