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ERC project aims to identify new treatments for prostate cancer

The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded a Consolidator Grant to ICREA researcher Xavier Salvatella, head of the Molecular Biophysics Lab at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona).

13 Mar 2015

Study: New gene therapy safe, effective for patients with hemophilia B

A multi-year, ongoing study suggests that a new kind of gene therapy for hemophilia B could be safe and effective for human patients. Published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the research showed that a reprogrammed retrovirus could successfully transfer new factor IX (clotting) genes into animals with hemophilia B to dramatically decrease spontaneous bleeding.

12 Mar 2015

Penn researcher named a recipient of 2015 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize

University of Pennsylvania cancer and HIV expert Carl June, MD, has been named one of two recipients of the 2015 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize for his outstanding work in cancer immunotherapy. Since 1952, the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize has been awarded to scientists who have made great advancements in the fields in which Paul Ehrlich worked, in particular immunology, cancer research, microbiology, and chemotherapy.

12 Mar 2015

Parental depression can put toddlers at risk of developing troubling behaviors

A father's depression during the first years of parenting - as well as a mother's - can put their toddler at risk of developing troubling behaviors such as hitting, lying, anxiety and sadness during a critical time of development, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

12 Mar 2015

Slow-growing tumors have treatment-resistant stem cells, shows study

Scientists are eager to make use of stem cells' extraordinary power to transform into nearly any kind of cell, but that ability also is cause for concern in cancer treatment.

12 Mar 2015

Today’s “World Kidney Day” promotes kidney health for all

Recent surveys have shown that the general public’s understanding about what our kidneys do and what the risk factors for kidney disease are, is astoundingly poor. In the UK, five leading kidney charities are joining forces in the campaign “Kidney Charities Together,” which calls for urgent action to be taken to raise awareness of kidney disease.

12 Mar 2015

CannTrust, Canabo to partner on medical marijuana research project

CannTrust, Canada's only pharmacist-controlled licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis today announced a collaboration with Canabo Medical Corporation to partner on a research project on marijuana for medical purposes.

12 Mar 2015

Cannabis abuse affects long-term memory, finds new Northwestern Medicine study

Teens who were heavy marijuana users - smoking it daily for about three years -- had an abnormally shaped hippocampus and performed poorly on long-term memory tasks, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

12 Mar 2015

Race and gender may influence use of drugs, drinking and smoking among teens

Cigarette use among white teenagers is substantially higher than among black and Hispanic teenagers, especially at 18 years old, according to Penn State researchers. Alcohol and marijuana use are also higher in white teenagers, and the numbers continue to increase until age 20. Throughout their 20s, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to pick up a cigarette-smoking habit, while the numbers start to decrease for whites.

12 Mar 2015

McGill researchers identify key mechanism by which environmental factors influence traits

Until now scientists have believed that the variations in traits such as our height, skin colour, tendency to gain weight or not, intelligence, tendency to develop certain diseases, etc., all of them traits that exist along a continuum, were a result of both genetic and environmental factors. But they didn't know how exactly these things worked together.

12 Mar 2015

Researchers developing new mercury-free material to treat tooth decay

Tooth decay is a serious health problem and it is often necessary to repair cavities. Today they often use a composite filling material made of acrylate compounds, as it resembles the colour of the teeth and is reasonably strong so it can handle the rigors of the powerful chewing movements.

12 Mar 2015

Study finds that reformulated OxyContin forces some drug abusers to switch to heroin

A reformulation of OxyContin that makes it harder to abuse has curtailed the drug's illicit use. But some 25 percent of drug abusers entering rehab said they still abused the prescription painkiller despite package labeling that emphasizes its abuse-deterrent properties, new research indicates.

12 Mar 2015

New study explores patient outcomes one year after TAVR procedure

In an analysis of outcomes of about 12,000 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement, death rate after one year was nearly one in four; of those alive at 12 months, almost half had not been rehospitalized and approximately 25 percent had only one hospitalization, according to a study in the March 10 issue of JAMA.

12 Mar 2015

Rehospitalizations after severe sepsis may be potentially preventable

In an analysis of about 2,600 hospitalizations for severe sepsis, readmissions within 90 days were common, and approximately 40 percent occurred for diagnoses that could potentially be prevented or treated early to avoid hospitalization, according to a study in the March 10 issue of JAMA.

12 Mar 2015

TSRI chemists develop innovative method for building new drug molecules

Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute have developed a broadly useful technique for building new drug molecules and other chemical products.

12 Mar 2015

Fracture prevention project could help save millions

Bone fractures affect millions of people across the UK with 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 suffering from them . The cost of fragility fractures place a substantial economic burden on the health and social care system with the costs of fragility fractures in the region of £2.3bn .

12 Mar 2015

Study finding suggests importance of individually-tailored treatment for depression

The most commonly used treatment for the over 14 million Americans who suffer from Major Depressive Disorder is anti-depressant medication. While such medications bring relief to many, current research suggests that one size may not fit all when it comes to treating depression.

12 Mar 2015

More research needed to explore toxicity of cellulose nanocrystals, says Virginia Tech scientist

Are cellulose nanocrystals harmful to human health? The answer might depend on the route of exposure, according to a review of the literature by a Virginia Tech scientist, but there have been few studies and many questions remain.

12 Mar 2015

New method could help understand functions of gut microbiome

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University in the United States have developed a way to study the functions of hard-to-grow bacteria that contribute to the composition of the gut microbiome. The new method is published in the journal Molecular Systems Biology.

12 Mar 2015

European scientists identify gene linked with certain types of early-onset epilepsy

Certain types of early-onset epilepsy are caused by previously unknown mutations of a potassium channel gene, KCNA2. The mutations disrupt the electrical balance in the brain in two ways. In some patients, the flow of potassium is greatly reduced; while in others, it is raised enormously. Both states can lead to hard-to-treat epileptic seizures. Mental and motor development can come to a stop, or even to regress.

12 Mar 2015