News and Opinions

By Grace Huckins - MIT Technology Review - Imagine this: You’ve been feeling unwell, so you call up your doctor’s office to make an appointment. To your surprise, they schedule you in for the next day. At the appointment, you aren’t rushed through describing your...

By Drug Target Review - A USC Stem Cell-led research team have made a big breakthrough in their efforts to build mouse and human synthetic kidneys. In a new paper published in Cell Stem Cell, the scientists describe generating more mature and complex lab-grown...

By Sky News - It is likely to be the first licensed treatment to slow Huntington's, and that "changes everything", says lead investigator Professor Ed Wild. Known as AMT-130, it is delivered via brain surgery, and a single dose is expected to last someone's whole...

By MIT Technology Review - Artificial intelligence can draw cat pictures and write emails. Now the same technology can compose a working genome. A research team in California says it used AI to propose new genetic codes for viruses—and managed to get several of these...

By Bernadette Gillis - Duke university School of Medicine - A new study from Duke University School of Medicine has uncovered a surprising role for what was once considered “junk DNA.” Researchers found that these overlooked parts of our genetic code help stem cells...

By Chandrika Abburi, University of Chicago Medical Center - SciTechDaily - In a recent study, scientists at the University of Chicago found that zeaxanthin, a carotenoid derived from plants and traditionally recognized for supporting eye health, may also enhance...

By Katie Hunt - CNN - Scientists have used human skin cells to create fertilizable eggs capable of producing early embryos, an advance that could expand possibilities for fertility treatment, according to new research. The proof-of-concept study, published Tuesday in...

By NPR - Parkinson's Disease affects around a million people in the United States, and that number is on the rise, in part because our population is getting older. Dr. Claire Henchcliffe is the chair of neurology at the University of California, Irvine. She's one of...

by Wayne Lewis - Keck school of Medicine USC - When someone has a stroke — a leading worldwide cause of death and disability — time is of the essence. Almost nine out of 10 cases are ischemic strokes, caused by restricted blood flow in the brain, and the current...

By Sabrina Serani, Matthew Oser, MD - Targeted Oncology - While there have been notable breakthroughs for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in recent years, there is still a relative dearth of targeted therapies for this aggressive subtype. Researchers...

By Cedars Sinai - In July, Nick Mondek, MD, drove his healthy 9-year-old son Stephen to Cedars-Sinai on an important mission: To donate stem cells that might cure Mondek’s deadly blood cancer. Stephen’s donation would give Mondek a brand-new immune system—and make...

by Drug Target Review - A new experimental stem cell therapy shows promise in repairing brain damage after ischemic strokes – potentially allowing for the development of future treatments that extend the recovery window. Strokes are a leading worldwide cause of death...

By Drug Target Review - CAR T therapies are saving lives, but toxicities such as CRS and ICANS remain a major barrier. What will it take to overcome them? Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is changing lives for patients with hard-to-treat cancers. By...

By Stem Cells Translational Medicine - Background The objective of this study was to assess the long-term effectiveness and safety of implanting mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord tissue (UC-MSC) in patients diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP)....

By Ekaterina Pesheva - Harvard Medical School - New AI tool accurately identifies multiple drivers of disease in cells and predicts therapies that can restore cells to healthy function. In a move that could reshape drug discovery, researchers at Harvard Medical School...

By Wired Magazine - Swedish researchers have developed two types of 3D bioprinting technology to artificially generate skin containing blood vessels. It could be a breakthrough in the quest to regenerate damaged skin. When treating severe burns and trauma, skin...

By Technology Networks - Peking University scientists have developed a groundbreaking cancer therapy that could make life-saving treatment accessible to any patient, anywhere. A team led by Professor Wei Wensheng from Peking University, collaborating with the PLA...

By UC San Diego Today - Findings reveal space-induced genetic, mitochondrial and inflammatory stress in blood-forming stem cells, offering insight into aging and risk of disease during long-duration space travel. Researchers from University of California San Diego...

by Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD - Exploring Drug Discovery and Development = Macrophage-based therapies for liver cirrhosis are entering clinical trials, but key challenges remain before they become a viable treatment. Macrophages — key players of the immune system —...

By By Tiare Dunlap, University of California - SciTechDaily - Antidepressants help immune cells fight cancer. They may improve therapy effectiveness. A commonly prescribed antidepressant may also strengthen the body’s defenses against cancer, according to new research...