Published in July 14th, 2010
This is super-interesting and the researchers say they could be testing it in humans within a year. From the press release: “Researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center created a large, well armed battalion of tumor-seeking immune system cells and watched, in real time using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), as the special forces traveled throughout [...]
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Published in May 17th, 2010
I’m always a bit skeptical of such feel good articles when this is just an announcement about a test, but according to the UK’s Daily Mail, “The treatment, which will be tested on British patients over the next few months, can reverse and even cure malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If [...]
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Published in May 17th, 2010
According to the UK Times: “Scientists have discovered the “Methuselah” genes whose lucky carriers have a much improved chance of living to 100 even if they indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle. The genes appear to protect people against the effects of smoking and bad diet and can also delay the onset of age-related illnesses such [...]
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Published in March 1st, 2010
From CNET News: “This month, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Bremen, Germany, are unveiling a new type of screw that not only biodegrades within two years but actually encourages bone growth into the implant itself so as not to leave gaping holes where the screws used [...]
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Published in February 23rd, 2010
Scientists have been experimenting with “printing” various types of human tissue for years now, often using their own tricked-out devices. The Economist has a great article on a company that is now making printers specifically for this purpose. In addition, over at the Singularity Hub, there is a nice discussion of some of the players [...]
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Published in January 29th, 2010
This is an excellent video of Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest Regenerative Medicine center. Regrowing organs is a therapy that has already been done in test cases and isn’t too far away from becoming mainstream.
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Published in January 27th, 2010
The Personalized Medicine World Conference in Silicon Valley last week showcased huge opportunities for new advances in medicine and personalized health. What remained unclear was who will take the lead, what techniques or products will win, and whether the medical establishment will go along or stand in the way. Folks in Silicon Valley are used [...]
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Published in December 15th, 2009
From the Scientist: “Newly created synthetic particles that mimic red blood cells may one day carry drug molecules and/or oxygen through bloodstreams, according to researchers writing in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). ” “University of California, Santa Barbara, chemical engineer Samir Mitragotri led the team of scientists [...]
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Published in December 5th, 2009
Using nanotech to target cancer cells is an idea that’s been in the works for a while. A team “led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has just successfully combined an antibody with single-walled nanotubes to create a precision search-and-destroy weapon that targets aggressive forms of breast cancer.” Get the rest of [...]
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Published in October 22nd, 2009
This is a fabulous demonstration of how stem cells were used to grow cheek bones for a boy born without them due to a genetic condition. As with many stem cell procedures, the stem cells were injected into a scaffold (in this case donated dead bone) and the cells brought the bone back to life. [...]
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Published in October 13th, 2009
“I could make a mouse that has your liver. That’s incredibly valuable,” said stem cell researcher Stephen A. Duncan (at the Medical College of Wisconsin). That’s an impressive claim, and it’s based on newly released data from his lab that shows the ability to turn human skin cells into liver cells. Read the full story [...]
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Published in October 8th, 2009
Researchers led by Irina Conboy at UC Berkeley have completed some very interesting research on human muscle. Essentially, they found that it is possible to regenerate old human muscle by activating an enzyme called mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). MAPK regulates the activity of an adult stem cell receptor called Notch, which triggers growth when activated. [...]
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Published in September 10th, 2009
14 genomes were sequenced for about $4000. That’s down from the $250,000 that it used to cost. Pretty cool. From the Mercury news: “Complete Genomics, a Mountain View startup, announced Tuesday that it had deciphered 14 full human genomes for customers that include pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and leading medical research institutes, a significant step for [...]
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Published in August 19th, 2009
From Scientific American. “Telomeres consist of up to 3,300 repeats of the DNA sequence TTAGGG. They protect chromosome ends from being mistaken for broken pieces of DNA that would otherwise be fixed by cellular repair machinery. But every time our cells divide, the telomeres shrink. When they get short enough, our cells no longer divide [...]
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Published in August 7th, 2009
When this hits the market, it is going to be big. “Applying nanosheets with poly-L-lactide (PLLA) to the incisions of mouse stomachs, the team found that these centimeter-long biodegradable nanosheets healed the incisions without scarring or tissue adhesion.”
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Published in August 3rd, 2009
From the Scientist (ht to James Clement): “Scientists have met one of the long-standing challenges of regenerative medicine: For the first time, they have succeeded in coaxing an injured spinal cord to regenerate sensory axons in rats that reinnervate the specific place they would need to reach in order to regain function. However, the paper, [...]
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Published in July 24th, 2009
For those interested in longevity, July was a good news month. Recently published research in the journal Science shows that caloric restriction helps monkeys live longer and healthier, while a parallel study demonstrated the possibility that a drug could mimic this process. Here is my column arguing that, while good news abounds, the downside is [...]
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Published in July 10th, 2009
Here’s the paper everyone has been buzzing about for the last few days (press release). Monkeys who ate a lower calorie, yet nutritious diet, lived longer than those who ate more. These results were expected, and it will be interesting to see how the monkeys fare over the next decade or so. More news stories [...]
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Published in July 9th, 2009
Like Resveratrol, the thinking is that Rapamycin mimics caloric restriction. Here’s the summary from Nature: “On the basis of age at 90% mortality, rapamycin led to an increase of 14% for females and 9% for males….To our knowledge, these are the first results to demonstrate a role for mTOR signalling in the regulation of mammalian [...]
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Published in July 7th, 2009
This is a great video on growing human organs and how such procedures will extend life. Oprah’s Dr. Oz does a good job interviewing the experts at Wake Forest University.
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