Health and Medicine
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Dr Paul Edwards | Rethinking Cancer: Could Much of Tumour Behaviour Be the Body’s Normal Healing Response?
Much cancer research investigates why tumours behave the way they do. Many researchers believe that tumours manipulate their environment to grow and spread, using sophisticated strategies to hijack the body’s own systems. However, new ideas are challenging this view, suggesting that the behaviour of tumours might be closer to the body’s natural responses to damage. In his recent paper, Dr Paul Edwards at Cambridge University offers an eye-opening perspective on this.
Dr. Wendi Quinn O’Neill | Repurposing an Anti-lipid Drug to Tackle HPV-Positive Head and Neck Cancer
HPV-positive head and neck cancer is driven by HPV – a virus that is well known to cause cervical cancer. HPV-positive head and neck cancer is typically treated with surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy. However, treatment outcomes are far from ideal, and there is a clear need for new therapies. This cancer features a viral protein called E6 as a lynchpin of its survival and growth. Previous research has shown that using genetic tools to block this protein can prevent tumor growth. E6, and the signaling pathways associated with it, may therefore represent a tantalizing therapeutic target for HPV-driven cancers.
Revolutionizing Medicine Production with Continuous Flow Chemistry
Modern drugs depend on safe, efficient, and sustainable chemical manufacturing processes. However, traditional batch synthesis methods often involve hazardous intermediates and complex steps, are vulnerable to global supply chain disruption and pose risks to workers and the environment. To address this, Dr. Patrick O’Neill of Pfizer, Ireland, and Professor Jie Wu from the National University of Singapore, alongside their teams, have pioneered a revolutionary method to synthesize 1,2,3-triazole, a key compound used to manufacture the vital antibiotic tazobactam.
Professor Martin Garcia | Electric Fields Could Stop COVID-19 in Its Tracks
Imagine a world where we can neutralise airborne viruses by simply using invisible electric fields. Research led by Professor Martin Garcia has uncovered a surprising weakness in SARS-CoV-2 – the virus responsible for COVID-19. His team’s work reveals that the spike protein, critical for allowing the virus to infect human cells, can be disrupted with electric fields. This discovery is paving the way for new technologies that combat airborne diseases.
Dr. Luis Teodoro da Luz | Bridging the Communication Gap in Trauma Care, one Handover at a Time
During high-pressure patient handovers between emergency services and trauma teams, communication errors can lead to critical information falling through the cracks, potentially endangering patients. To enable streamlined information sharing in high-stakes medical settings, Australian researchers devised the IMIST-AMBO tool, which is short for Identification, Mechanism of injury, Injuries, Signs/Symptoms, Treatment and Response, Allergies, Medications, Background, and Other. If its value in improving communication during handovers can be confirmed, then this approach could pave the way for enhanced patient care.
Dr. Philippe Vangrieken | New Insights into Preeclampsia: Advancing from Vascular Health Challenges to Early Diagnosis
Preeclampsia is a serious condition that affects up to 8% of pregnancies, leading to high blood pressure and organ damage. It poses significant risks for both mother and baby, yet its underlying causes have been poorly understood, making early diagnosis and effective treatment challenging. Recent research led by Dr. Philippe Vangrieken, a European Registered Toxicologist at Maastricht University Medical Center, has identified a key biochemical factor involved in preeclampsia: methylglyoxal (MGO).
EARLYDRAIN: Improving Outcomes for Patients with Brain Hemorrhage from an Intra-cranial Aneurysm
A subarachnoid hemorrhage involves bleeding into the space between the brain and its surrounding membrane. A common cause is the rupture of an aneurysm – a weak spot in a blood vessel of the brain. Almost all patients present with the worst headache of their life, and those who are severely affected may lose consciousness. A subarachnoid hemorrhage is a life-threatening emergency, with a significant proportion of patients dying or suffering life-long sequelae.
Redefining Cannabis Potency with CannaMetrix
Cannabis products have surged in popularity, for both medicinal and recreational use. Despite the wide range of products on the market, measuring the true potency of these formulations remains a challenge. Potency is typically assessed based on the ratios of certain cannabinoids, especially THC, which produces a high, and CBD, which has therapeutic properties without psycho-active effects. Researchers at CannaMetrix, led by Harold Smith and Charles Owen Wolffsmith, are reshaping this understanding.
Balancing Ethics and Innovation in Biobanking
Biobanking, which describes the collection, storage and sharing of human biological samples and data, has become essential to medical research. Biobanks are central to various types of scientific work, including cancer research, vaccine development and genetic studies. As the field of biobanking grows, so do various ethical, legal and political challenges. Anna Holzscheiter and Maria Weickardt Soares at TU Dresden have extensively analysed these complexities, focusing on how international organisations address contentious issues surrounding biobanking.
Taking Charge of Your Health: Free Hepatitis B Screening and Treatment
Chronic hepatitis B affects the liver, and may result in liver damage (called cirrhosis), liver failure, liver cancer, and early death if left untreated. The hepatitis B virus that causes the condition can spread by blood transfusion, sexual contact, and sharing contaminated needles or razors. Most individuals, including those who acquire the virus in childhood, do not notice any specific symptoms, and remain unaware of their hepatitis B infection. However, the virus may remain active, causing slow but progressive damage to the liver. Therefore, many people with hepatitis B only discover their infection when the liver has already suffered severe damage. Testing for the hepatitis B virus easily establishes whether an individual is infected, and can stop liver damage from progressing.
Professor Peter Palese | New COVID-19 Vaccines Aim to Increase Global Access and Protect Against Emerging Variants
As COVID-19 continues to evolve, there is an urgent need for vaccines that are cheaper, easier to produce, and more effective against emerging variants of concern. This is especially important for low-income countries, which face challenges in accessing current vaccines. Peter Palese and his colleagues – Weina Sun, Adolfo García-Sastre and Florian Krammer – at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai are developing innovative new COVID-19 vaccines based on the Newcastle disease virus – or ‘NDV’.
Dr. Brianne Donaldson | Balancing Belief and Medicine: How Jain Values Shape Healthcare Decisions
The intersection of religion and professional practice is increasingly important, especially in the field of medicine, where ethical decisions are a daily reality. Different belief systems offer unique perspectives for approaching moral challenges. One perspective comes from Jainism, an ancient Indian religion and philosophy that emphasizes nonviolence, multiple perspectives, truth, and non-attachment. In recent research, Dr. Brianne Donaldson at the University of California, Irvine provides insights into how Jain medical professionals integrate their beliefs with modern medical practice.
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