A new process for inserting synthetic gene circuits into host cells, developed by a team of bioengineers at Arizona State University, has broad implications for improving the effectiveness of a range of disease therapies. Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary research field that uses engineering principles to create biological components that don’t exist in the natural […]
Progressive vision loss, and eventually blindness, are the hallmarks of juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) or CLN3-Batten disease. New research shows how the mutation associated with the disease could potentially lead to degeneration of light sensing photoreceptor cells in the retina, and subsequent vision loss. “The prominence and early onset of retinal degeneration in JNCL […]
Could wearing two masks be better than one? The emergence of new and more infectious COVID-19 variants has led health experts to consider “double masking” as a potential way to better protect yourself and those around you. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating whether donning a medical mask underneath a typical […]
Patients in battle with deadly asbestos lung cancer are living longer, healthier lives thanks to breakthrough immune-boosting drug Trial shows drug nivolumab can keep disease at bay for months or even years Extra time can be priceless as seven per cent of sufferers live over five years Most of those with mesothelioma are given chemotherapy which stops […]
When a new mutation within the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) emerges that a particular antibody can no longer neutralyze, it is often called an escape variant. With the rapid identification of these new variants within the infected population, and also in lab-generated versions of the spike protein, an exhaustive escape variant matrix […]
We all need people, particularly when we’re going through a rough patch in our lives. And, whether it’s a friend, family member or romantic partner, very often turning to those closest to us can have a positive effect on our mental state. Having conversations about our mental health allows us to see that there are […]
Becoming a parent often brings great joy, but not always. Parenthood also entails challenges, stress and, for some people, it can trigger depression. A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that male postnatal depression is more common in men who are insecure in their relationship with their partner. Depression affects around 10-12 per […]
McMaster University researchers have established in lab settings that a novel combination of two forms of immunotherapy can be highly effective for treating lung cancer, which causes more deaths than any other form of cancer. The new treatment, yet to be tested on patients, uses one form of therapy to kill a significant number of […]
Two large studies give a much sharper picture of which inherited mutations raise the risk of breast cancer for women without a family history of the disease, and how common these flawed genes are in the general population. Doctors say the results published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine can help women make […]
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a new genetic disorder characterized by developmental delays and malformations of the brain, heart and facial features. Named linkage-specific-deubiquitylation-deficiency-induced embryonic defects syndrome (LINKED), it is caused by a mutated version of the OTUD5 gene, which interferes with key molecular steps in embryo development. The findings indicate […]
