Gene Editing Could Help Tackle Cancer And Inherited Diseases

Gene editing techniques developed in the last five years could help in the battle against cancer and inherited diseases, a University of Exeter scientist says.

"There is always a risk with this kind of technology and fears about designer babies and we have started having discussions about that so we can understand the consequences and long-term risks," said Dr Westra, of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall. "I think in the coming decades gene editing will become super important, and I think we will see it being used to cure some inherited diseases, to cure cancers, to restore sight to people by transplanting genes. I think it will definitely have massive importance."

On Tuesday, two highly influential academic bodies in the US shook up the scientific world with a report that, for the first time, acknowledged the medical potential of editing inherited genes. The National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine ruled that gene editing of the human "germline"—eggs, sperm and embryos—should not be seen as a red line in medical research.

Read more: Gene Editing Could Help Tackle Cancer And Inherited Diseases

Source: medicalxpress

Research Antibody Reproducibility

It’s All About Validation

The reproducibility of scientific studies has become a major issue, leading to a lack of trust in scientific results from the academic and pharmaceutical research communities. While issues around reproducibility have been discussed for years, calls for action have been infrequent and half-hearted. Beginning in about 2012, a number of articles, letters, and editorials started appearing in Nature, Science and other publications, with some going so far as to call this a “reproducibility crisis.”

Read more: Research Antibody Reproducibility

The lack of consistent research on antibody validation has contributed to the scientific reproducibility
crisis.

Source: genengnews

This Type Of Vitamin E Could Predict Your Risk For Alzheimer's—And You're Probably Not Getting Enough Of It

Vitamin E is essential for normal neurological function, according to a 2013 Journal of Internal Medicine study, which found that low levels of some types of the vitamin could help predict your risk for Alzheimer's disease. Looking to take back control of your health? 

Some types? That's right: There are different types of vitamin E. In fact, there are 8 varieties or "isoforms" of E, and research suggests your brain needs all of them for optimal health and function.

Read more: This Type Of Vitamin E Could Predict Your Risk For Alzheimer's—And You're Probably Not Getting Enough Of It

Source: msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition

Watch Slides Video: 9 Ways To Control Your Risk Of Alzheimer's

Osteoarthritis can be Caused by Senescent Cells

Researchers have uncovered evidence that cellular senescence - whereby cells stop dividing - is a cause of osteoarthritis, and they suggest targeting these cells could offer a promising way to prevent or treat the condition.

Study co-author Dr. James Kirkland, director of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and colleagues publish their findings in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, is a condition in which cartilage - the tissue that protects the end of each bone in a joint - wears away, causing the underlying bones to rub together. This can cause pain, swelling, and poor joint movement.

As the condition worsens, the bones may lose shape. Additionally, growths called bone spurs may arise, and bits of bone and cartilage can break off and float around the space in the joint. This can trigger an inflammatory response that exacerbates pain, as well as cartilage and bone damage.

Read more: Osteoarthritis can be Caused by Senescent Cells

Researchers say that targeting senescent cells may have the potential to prevent or treat osteoarthritis.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Funny Picture 19: My Response to: "How is Your Research Going on?"

Source: giphy

See more funny pics!

Literature Review: Targeting Mutant Kinases

Small-Molecule Kinase Inhibitors Have Typically Been Designed To Inhibit Wild-Type Kinases Rather Than the Mutant Forms

Kinases have been the target of extensive research to identify drugs to treat a variety of diseases in which the wild-type kinase or a mutant kinase plays a crucial role. Kinase mutations frequently lead to an activated state where the kinase is always active and no longer tightly regulated. Considering resistance mutations are also important for kinase inhibitors. A frequent escape route is a mutation to the gatekeeper amino acid that blocks inhibitor binding. A variety of large screening panels have been developed that range from binding assays to enzyme assays, each with their unique pros and cons.

Read more: Literature Review: Targeting Mutant Kinases

A variety of large screening panels have been developed that range from binding assays

to enzyme assays, each with their unique pros and cons. [nicolas_/Getty]

Source: genengnews

Pregnancy Rates Higher for Women Who Have Had Tonsils, Appendix Removed

New study has uncovered a surprising association, finding that the surgical removal of the appendix or tonsils in younger age may increase a woman's chance of pregnancy.

Study co-author Sami Shimi, clinical senior lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee, United Kingdom, and colleagues say their findings - published in Fertility and Sterility - should ease concerns that such procedures may reduce a woman's fertility.

The surgical removal of the tonsils, known as a tonsillectomy, is normally carried out as a result of frequent infection or inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis) or sleep-disordered breathing.

Surgical removal of the appendix, called an appendectomy, is normally the first-line treatment when the organ becomes infected or swollen - a condition known as appendicitis.

Read more: Pregnancy Rates Higher for Women Who Have Had Tonsils, Appendix Removed

Women who underwent a tonsillectomy or appendectomy when younger
were found to have higher pregnancy rates in a new study.

Source: medicalnewstoday

If You Want to Study in the United States

Book 2: Graduate and Professional Study and Research

Graduate and Professional Study and Research — how to research and apply to U.S. master’s, doctoral degree, and postdoctoral programs, plus information on certification and licensing procedures for professionals who wish to further their education or practice in the United States.

It is one of a series of four introductory booklets published by the U.S. Department of State to provide objective and practical advice to prospective international students and scholars on studying in the United States.

Read more/download: If You Want to Study in the United States

Source: educationusa

Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Childhood — Current Knowledge and Open Issues

Subclinical hypothyroidism is defined as serum levels of TSH above the upper limit of the reference range, in the presence of normal concentrations of total T4 or free T4. This biochemical profile might be an indication of mild hypothyroidism, with a potential increased risk of metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular disease recorded among adults. Whether subclinical hypothyroidism results in adverse health outcomes among children is a matter of debate and so management of this condition remains challenging. Mild forms of untreated subclinical hypothyroidism do not seem to be associated with impairments in growth, bone health or neurocognitive outcome. However, ongoing scientific investigations have highlighted the presence of subtle proatherogenic abnormalities among children with modest elevations in their TSH levels. Although current findings are insufficient to recommend levothyroxine treatment for all children with mild asymptomatic forms of subclinical hypothyroidism, they highlight the potential need for assessment of cardiovascular risk among children with this condition. Increased understanding of the early metabolic risk factors associated with subclinical hypothyroidism in childhood will help to improve the management of affected individuals.

Key points

• Subclinical hypothyroidism among children is often a benign and remitting condition, for which risk of progression to overt hypothyroidism depends on the underlying cause (for example, autoimmune disease)
• The optimum management of children with subclinical hypothyroidism depends on the aetiology and degree of TSH elevation and should be individually tailored
• The benefits of levothyroxine therapy are clear for the severe forms of subclinical hypothyroidism; however, uncertainty about this approach still exists for the mild forms of the condition
• In the absence of therapeutic intervention, clinical evaluation and thyroid function tests should be regularly performed to ensure early identification of children who might benefit from treatment
• Growth and neurocognitive outcomes do not seem to be affected in mild subclinical hypothyroidism; however, subtle proatherogenic abnormalities have been detected among children with modest elevations of TSH concentration
• Cardiovascular risk assessment among children and adolescents with subclinical hypothyroidism could help to prevent cardiovascular disease in adulthood

Read more: Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Childhood — Current Knowledge and Open Issues

Source: NatureReviewsEndocrinology

FDA Approves First Liquid Biopsy Test for Lung Cancer Patients

On June 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a liquid biopsy test, a companion diagnostic test called cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2. The test uses plasma samples to identify patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) eligible for treatment with the EGFR-targeted therapeutic erlotinib (Tarceva).

The test detects specific alterations in the gene epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) substitution mutations. These mutations are present in about 10 to 20 percent of NSCLCs, the most common type of lung cancer.

This is the first liquid biopsy test approved for use by the FDA.

Read more: FDA Approves First Liquid Biopsy Test for Lung Cancer Patients

Source: aacr

Biomedical Laboratory Automation

Improve safety and efficiency in various types of clinical laboratories with Thermo Scientific™ TCAutomation™ Laboratory Automation Solutions. This expandable and scalable, fully-featured laboratory automation solution allows labor-intensive tasks in pre- and post-analytical phases of sample management to be automated in different combinations. Depending on the floor plan and efiiciency requirements, the TCAutomation™ systems can be expanded step-by-step.

TCAutomation™ systems throughput can range from 250 up to 1000 tubes per hour. Because solutions are modular, they are easy to expand. Automating can be started from a certain function and built up towards total laboratory automation. Samples are transported in the system within dual-lane conveyors in a multitube carrier which accommodates several tube sizes. The carrier includes an embedded microchip, based on RFID technology, making sample identification fast and reliable, and enabling excellent real-time sample tracking possibilities.

Read more: Biomedical Laboratory Automation

Download: Thermo Scientific TCAutomation Laboratory Automation Solution

Source: ThermoFisherScientific

Can scientists really have work/life balance?

To be a top performer you need to be happy – something academics tend to forget.

Scientists spend a lot of time trouble-shooting. Every day we work on our protocols, and if something doesn’t work, we try again and again, until we fix it. We keep track of all the factors and accurately measure all variables, to find the perfect combination of parameters that work.

If there is one thing we can claim after getting a PhD, we’re definitely great at problem-solving. Can we also trouble-shoot our way out of the everlasting dilemma on how to find work/life balance?

Read more: Can scientists really have work/life balance?

Elisa Lazzari

Source: NatureJobs

The superbug that doctors have been dreading just reached the U.S.

For the first time, researchers have found a person in the United States carrying bacteria resistant to antibiotics of last resort, an alarming development that the top U.S. public health official says could mean “the end of the road” for antibiotics.

The antibiotic-resistant strain was found last month in the urine of a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman. Defense Department researchers determined that she carried a strain of E. coli resistant to the antibiotic colistin, according to a study published Thursday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology. The authors wrote that the discovery “heralds the emergence of a truly pan-drug resistant bacteria.”

Read more: The PhD journey: A guide to applying, starting and succeeding

Source: washingtonpost

The PhD journey: A guide to applying, starting and succeeding

To postgraduates, a PhD may seem like an ideal opportunity to improve research skills prior to future work. However, the application process is a competitive and often challenging experience. This article seeks to de-mystify some of the common questions surrounding PhD applications and provide some hints and tips for potential applicants.

1. Is a PhD for you?

An increasing number of postgraduates are applying for PhD study to develop their academic and professional skills. However, before you begin to consider searching for positions, you must be fully aware of what studying for a PhD actually entails. A PhD is the highest degree a person can achieve. It will involve around three years’ full-time (up to six years’ part-time) work, culminating in a thesis of somewhere around 80,000 words. It is research-intensive, with you developing and leading projects and writing papers in your chosen field of study. Although you will have the support of two or more specialist supervisors, a PhD is by-and-large independent work.

Read more: The PhD journey: A guide to applying, starting and succeeding

Source: academia

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Neurotensin, A Hormone Found In The Digestive Tract, May Play Role In Obesity By Aiding In Fat Absorption From Food

A hormone predominantly found in our guts may help us absorb fat from our diets and could contribute to the development of obesity under certain circumstances, according to a new study published Wednesday in Nature.

The researchers, primarily hailing from the University of Kentucky, conducted a series of experiments on lab mice, fruit flies, and humans that examined how the hormone, called neurotensin (NT), functions in the gut. Mice deficient in NT proved less able to absorb fat from food and they appeared to be protected from conditions like obesity, fatty liver, and insulin resistance that are associated with a high-fat diet. On the other hand, fruit flies engineered to produce NT accumulated more fat in their bodies than normal.

Aside from seeing a similar fat absorption effect in human gut cells, the researchers also analyzed data from an earlier, long-running population study of middle-aged adults and found that obese and insulin-resistant individuals were more likely to have high levels of a precursor hormone, Pro-NT, in their blood. Those who weren’t obese but had the highest levels of Pro-NT were more than twice as likely to eventually develop obesity than people with the lowest levels of Pro-NT.

Read more: Neurotensin, A Hormone Found In The Digestive Tract, May Play Role In Obesity By Aiding In Fat Absorption From Food

New research suggests that a hormone found in our gut may help us break down fats, like the kind in
butter, above, and possibly contribute to obesity

Source: Pixabay, Public Domain

Tools for Lung Cancer Research

Recent advances in lung cancer research suggest a personalized approach to diagnostics and therapeutics to reduce mortality

Due to its high rate of mortality, lung cancer is a prominent area of research for scientists. Lung cancer is a complex disease with many subtypes resulting from factors such as family history, lifestyle and occupation-with each subtype requiring different treatment regimens. Thus, developing therapeutics for this disease requires vast research efforts.

The specific subtypes of the cancer must be paired to successful treatments, which can then be matched to individual patients. The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) has responded to this initiative for personalized medicine by creating new drug screening and diagnostic test development tools, such as tumor cell panels based on genetic alteration, primary cells, gene-edited isogenic cell lines and cell line derivatives.

"Over the years, we have expanded our portfolio into the most diverse and unique collection of cancer cells to include thousands of human and animal cancer cell lines representing the diversity of the disease," said Fang Tian, PhD, lead scientist at ATCC. "Our growing collection of lung cancer cell lines is now just shy of 100 lines.

Read more: Tools for Lung Cancer Research

Source: laboratory-manager.advanceweb

Human Embryo Implantation Model in Lab Dish

Scientists based at The Rockefeller University have created an experimental system that models the implantation of a human embryo. The new system, an adaptation of one used to recapitulate the implantation of a mouse embryo, provides an attachment substrate, surrounds the blastocyst with just the right chemical environment, and provides scaffolding that accommodates the morphological movements that are particular to human embryos. For example, a human blastocyst undergoing implantation assumes a disk-like shape, whereas the mouse blastocyst is oblong.

The in vitro system has been used to show molecular and cellular processes in human development that occur up to day 14 after fertilization. The system, which has experimentally replicated implantation outside of the uterus for the first time, promises to expand scientists’ ability to answer basic questions about our own development, as well as to understand early pregnancy loss.

Details of the work appeared May 4 in the journal Nature, in an article entitled, “Self-Organization of theIn Vitro Attached Human Embryo.” The article paid particular attention to postimplantation development of the human embryo, a process that remains mysterious.

Read more: Human Embryo Implantation Model in Lab Dish

Source: genengnews

Vitamin D Could Repair Nerve Damage in Multiple Sclerosis

A protein activated by vitamin D could be involved in repairing damage to myelin in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study, published today in the Journal of Cell Biology, offers significant evidence that vitamin D could be a possible treatment for MS in the future.

Researchers, from the MS Society Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, identified that the ‘vitamin D receptor’ protein pairs with an existing protein, called the RXR gamma receptor, already known to be involved in the repair of myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres.

By adding vitamin D to brain stem cells where the proteins were present, they found the production rate of oligodendrocytes (myelin making cells) increased by 80%. When they blocked the vitamin D receptor to stop it from working, the RXR gamma protein alone was unable to stimulate the production of oligodendrocytes.

Read more: Vitamin D Could Repair Nerve Damage in Multiple Sclerosis

Neuron with oligodendrocyte and myelin sheath (edited)

Source: scitechconnect/Andrew c

Neurodegenerative disease damage reversed in fruit flies

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's symptoms have been reversed in fruit flies following treatment with a drug-like chemical, says research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The discovery, which centers around the protection of brain cells, could be a turning point in the fight against neurodegenerative disease, say the authors.

Neurodegenerative diseases occur when groups of nerve cells in the brain die, making it difficult for a person to move and to think.

According to Claire Bale, of Parkinson's UK, the symptoms of Parkinson's tend not to appear until 70 percent of nerve cells in the brain have already been lost.

Unfortunately, current treatments are only able to tackle the symptoms of the condition - they cannot slow or stop the degeneration of these cells.

Read more: Neurodegenerative disease damage reversed in fruit flies

Scientists are making progressing in techniques to protect nerve cells.

Source: medicalnewstoday

New gene testing method can identify mutations, prioritize variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes

A research team led by an award-winning genomicist at Western University has developed a new method for identifying mutations and prioritizing variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes, which will not only reduce the number of possible variants for doctors to investigate, but also increase the number of patients that are properly diagnosed.

These potentially game-changing technologies, developed by Peter Rogan, PhD, students and his collaborators from Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, reveal gene variants that were missed by conventional genetic testing.

Their method, described in BMC Medical Genomics, was first applied to 102 individuals at risk or with a diagnosis of inherited breast cancer. The team also studied 287 women with no known mutations for an article published in Human Mutation.

Rogan, Canada Research Chair in Genome Bioinformatics, says that 16 to 20 per cent of women in southwestern Ontario, who have their BRCA genes tested for breast and/or ovarian cancer risk, carry disease-causing gene variants that are well-understood by clinicians and genetic counselors. If a patient tests positive for an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and have never had breast cancer, there is a much higher-than-average risk of developing the deadly disease.

Read more: New gene testing method can identify mutations, prioritize variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes

Source: azonano