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Natural killer cells may influence lung cancer susceptibility

Why do many heavy smokers evade lung cancer while others who have never lit up die of the disease? The question has vexed scientists for decades.

24 Sep 2012

Partially-matched bone marrow transplants can eliminate sickle cell disease in some patients

In a preliminary clinical trial, investigators at Johns Hopkins have shown that even partially-matched bone marrow transplants can eliminate sickle cell disease in some patients, ridding them of painful and debilitating symptoms, and the need for a lifetime of pain medications and blood transfusions. The researchers say the use of such marrow could potentially help make bone marrow transplants accessible to a majority of sickle cell patients who need them.

21 Sep 2012

Partially-matched bone marrow transplants can eliminate sickle cell disease in some patients

21 Sep 2012

Children with mild to moderate kidney disease have carotid atherosclerosis

A federally funded study led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center has found that children with mild to moderate kidney disease have abnormally thick neck arteries, a condition known as carotid atherosclerosis, usually seen in older adults with a long history of elevated cholesterol and untreated hypertension.

21 Sep 2012

N.Y. Times examines why many kidneys available for transplant are discarded

In each of the past five years, more than 2,600 kidneys were recovered and discarded, according to government data.

21 Sep 2012

Cytochroma commences CTAP101 phase 3 study in secondary hyperparathyroidism

Cytochroma today announced the initiation of a phase 3 study of CTAP101 capsules in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vitamin D insufficiency.

21 Sep 2012

Study: 46% of living kidney transplant donor recipients are minorities

The largest U.S. multicenter study of living kidney transplant donor chains showed that 46 percent of recipients are minorities, a finding that allays previous fears that these groups would be disadvantaged by expansion of the donor pool through this type of exchange process.

20 Sep 2012

Thalidomide effective in treating disabling cough among people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

In the first clinical trial to demonstrate an effective treatment for constant, disabling cough among people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that taking thalidomide significantly reduced the cough and improved quality of life.

18 Sep 2012

Vitamin E may prevent cancer in patients with Cowden Syndrome

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered that vitamin E may prevent cancer in patients with an under-recognized genetic disorder.

18 Sep 2012

Refinements in gene therapy prove beneficial for ‘bubble babies’

Results from a long-term study published in Blood show that adding a low dose of chemotherapy prior to gene therapy can help improve outcomes in children with adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency.

17 Sep 2012

New test to assess viral load of cytomegalovirus

Roche announced today the commercial availability of a new test to assess a patient's viral load of cytomegalovirus (CMV). Physicians use information from the test to help them manage patients who have been diagnosed with CMV disease, specifically patients with an immune system that has been suppressed for solid organ transplantation.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 17 Sep 2012

Fifth Military Vision Research Symposium to take place from Sept. 18-20

Eye injuries in war have changed - and increased in number - as weapons, tactics, technology and strategies have evolved. Today's soldiers face threats from explosive devices that cause extensive damage areas not protected by body armor. Military experts and ophthalmologists from the Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear will convene in Boston, Mass., on Sept. 18 to address these issues at the Fifth Military Vision Research Symposium.

15 Sep 2012

UMDNJ, Proteonomix to conduct UMK-121 Phase 1 trial in end-stage liver disease

Proteonomix, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics based upon the use of human cells and their derivatives, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Piscataway, N.J.-based University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) to conducted a Phase 1 clinical trial with its proprietary, patent-pending mobilization technology UMK-121 in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).

15 Sep 2012

Study examines link between SES and access to lung transplantation in adult CF patients

Adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients of low socioeconomic status (SES) have a greater chance of not being accepted for lung transplant after undergoing initial evaluation, according to a new study.

14 Sep 2012

Smoking history 'no bar to successful lung donation'

Although lung transplantation from donors with a positive smoking history is associated with worse outcomes than with lungs from non-smoking donors, survival is still better than remaining on the waiting list, say UK researchers.

13 Sep 2012

University of Maryland study findings advance navel nephrectomy as standard of care

In the largest study of its kind, living donors who had a kidney removed through a single port in the navel report higher satisfaction in several key categories, compared to donors who underwent traditional multiple-port laparoscopic removal.

13 Sep 2012

Ethnicity, race affect likelihood of finding suitable unrelated stem cell donors for cancer patients

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues have published a study describing the greater difficulty in finding matched, unrelated donors for non-Caucasian patients who are candidates for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

12 Sep 2012

New model reveals how immune system functions under conditions of neutropenia

Cancer chemotherapy can be a life-saver, but it is fraught with severe side effects, among them an increased risk of infection. Until now, the major criterion for assessing this risk has been the blood cell count: if the number of white blood cells falls below a critical threshold, the risk of infection is thought to be high.

12 Sep 2012

Scripps scientists discover new antibody-discovery technique

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found a new technique that should greatly speed the discovery of medically and scientifically useful antibodies, immune system proteins that detect and destroy invaders such as bacteria and viruses. New methods to discover antibodies are important because antibodies make up the fastest growing sector of human therapeutics; it is estimated that by 2014 the top-three selling drugs worldwide will be antibodies.

12 Sep 2012

Two National University of Singapore scientists win Lasker Awards for medical research

Two scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) - Professor Michael Sheetz, Director of the Mechanobiology Institute of Singapore; and Professor Roy Calne, Visiting Professor with the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Department of Surgery - have been conferred the prestigious Lasker Awards for making great advances in medical research.

11 Sep 2012