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Researchers analyze individual cells to build an atlas of the human heart

Scientists have created a cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart, to understand how this vital organ functions, and to shed light on what goes wrong in cardiovascular disease.

25 Sep 2020

Research finds air pollution particles in the placentas of women

Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London.

24 Sep 2020

Researchers identify a driver of drug resistance in some cancers

Patients with BRCA1/2 mutations are at higher risk for breast, ovarian and prostate cancers that can be aggressive when they develop - and, in many cases, resistant to lifesaving drugs.

24 Sep 2020

Combination treatment improves outcomes in advanced kidney cancer patients

An immunotherapy agent combined with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug significantly improved progression-free survival and reduced the risk of death compared to a single agent treatment in advanced kidney cancer patients, according to first results of a phase 3 clinical trial. The pivotal study could lead to a new treatment option for patients with metastatic kidney cancer.

24 Sep 2020

New Dual CAR T cell immunotherapy can help fight against HIV infection

A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine, led by researchers James Riley, PhD, a professor of Microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Todd Allen, PhD, a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Group Leader at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, describes a new Dual CAR T cell immunotherapy that can help fight HIV infection

24 Sep 2020

Irisin hormone could have therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) suggests that irisin, a hormone secreted from muscles in response to exercise, could have a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients.

23 Sep 2020

Gene therapy overcomes cardiac effects in mouse model of Freidreich’s ataxia

Gene therapy was successfully used to overcome the cardiac effects of Freidreich’s ataxia (FA) in a mouse model of the disease, as reported in the peer-reviewed journal Human Gene Therapy. Click here to read the full-text article free online through October 18, 2020.

21 Sep 2020

Study shows how components of body's immune system find intruding cells

Research led by Dr. Wonmuk Hwang has led to a better understanding of how components of the body's immune system find intruding or damaged cells, which could lead to novel approaches to viral and cancer treatments.

17 Sep 2020

Study shows how neural circuits are refined in response to sensory cues

According to a study published in the Neuron journal in September 2020, immune cells play a surprising role in fine-tuning the neural circuits of the brain.

16 Sep 2020

Researchers develop highly scalable and accurate antibody test for COVID-19

An antibody test for the virus that causes COVID-19, developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with Houston Methodist and other institutions, is more accurate and can handle a much larger number of donor samples at lower overall cost than standard antibody tests currently in use.

14 Sep 2020

New study can help develop effective COVID-19 vaccine

According to a new study, a detailed analysis of antibody responses in patients affected by COVID-19 could help develop an effective vaccine.

14 Sep 2020

Antibody profile differentiates non-celiac gluten sensitivity from celiac disease

A new study of the antibodies produced by people with gluten sensitivity may lead to a better way to detect the condition and treat it.

1 Sep 2020

New method shows promise for treating diabetes and obesity

Obesity, the leading cause of type 2 diabetes and chronic illnesses, will collectively kill more people around the world in 2020 than COVID-19 coronavirus.

1 Sep 2020

Study shows chameleon-like protein can alter human brain

Neurons contain a chameleon-like protein that can alter its mind and, during the process, modifies the human brain.

26 Aug 2020

Researchers discover antibodies that may provide effective immunity against SARS-CoV-2

A new study by researchers at MassBiologics of UMass Medical School published in Nature Communications suggests that COVID specific IgA monoclonal antibodies may provide effective immunity in the respiratory system against the novel coronavirus - a potentially critical feature of an effective vaccine.

25 Aug 2020

New bioluminescent reporter tracks DNA double stranded break repair in cells

A new bioluminescent reporter that tracks DNA double stranded break (DSB) repair in cells has been developed by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Academia Sinica in Taiwan.

24 Aug 2020

Master regulator genes of asthma identified

Researchers identify master regulator genes of asthma, provide new path forward in the study of asthma and the development of novel therapies.

21 Aug 2020

Genetic background influences cancer risk in individuals with single-gene variants

Life can change dramatically when someone learns they are genetically predisposed to a disease, such as a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, where a mutated gene can lead to elevated cholesterol and increased risk for a premature heart attack.

21 Aug 2020

Least favorite vegetables could prevent advanced blood vessel disease

New research has shown some of our least favourite vegetables could be the most beneficial when it comes to preventing advanced blood vessel disease.

21 Aug 2020

Cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients may prevent the development of long-term immunity

Shiv Pillai, MD, Ph.D., investigator in the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard and professor at Harvard Medical School (HMS), recently published a paper in Cell showing that that high levels of some cytokines seen in COVID-19 patients, as part of a cytokine storm, may prevent the development of long-term immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

20 Aug 2020