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New study shows that estrogen receptors vanish in cervical cancer tumors

Scientists have prior evidence that the hormone estrogen is a major driver in the growth of cervical cancer, but a new study examining genetic profiles of 128 clinical cases reached a surprising conclusion: Estrogen receptors all but vanish in cervical cancer tumors.

10 Jun 2015

MIPT researchers develop ultrasensitive nanomechanical sensor to identify tumor markers

Two young researchers working at the MIPT Laboratory of Nanooptics and Plasmonics, Dmitry Fedyanin and Yury Stebunov, have developed an ultracompact highly sensitive nanomechanical sensor for analyzing the chemical composition of substances and detecting biological objects, such as viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others.

10 Jun 2015

Cell fusion triggers multiple genetic changes that convert normal cells to cancer cells

Although there is no one established universal cause of cancer, genetic changes are central to its development. The accumulation of spontaneous genetic changes, or mutations, that occur when cells divide can be hastened by exposure to carcinogens such as cigarette smoke (lung cancer) and infectious agents such as the papillomavirus (cervical cancer).

9 Jun 2015

AWMSG recommends Daklinza (daclatasvir) for treatment of adult patients with chronic HCV infection

The All Wales Medicines Strategy Group has recommended Daklinza (daclatasvir) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The recommendation is specifically for patients with advanced liver disease, for whom treatment options can be limited.

5 Jun 2015

Research findings could help guide development of potential treatments for HCV

Warring armies use a variety of tactics as they struggle to gain the upper hand. Among their tricks is to attack with a decoy force that occupies the defenders while an unseen force launches a separate attack that the defenders fail to notice.

28 May 2015

New genomics laboratory in Liberia enables scientists to monitor genetic changes in Ebola virus

Army scientists working to support the Ebola virus outbreak response in West Africa have established the first genomic surveillance capability in Liberia, enabling them to monitor genetic changes in the virus within one week of sample collection. An article describing their work was recently published ahead of print in the online edition of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

15 May 2015

Chemical drug safely controls side effects associated with haploidentical stem cell transplantation

Researchers in the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist and Texas Children's Hospital have found that a single dose of an otherwise harmless drug can safely control the severe and often lethal side effects associated with haploidentical stem cell transplantation.

15 May 2015

TSRI researchers find interferon beta protein as prime suspect in persistent viral infections

Interferon proteins are normally considered virus-fighters, but scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found evidence that one of them, interferon beta (IFNβ), has an immune-suppressing effect that can help some viruses establish persistent infections.

14 May 2015

Liberia conducts first polio, measles immunizations since Ebola outbreak.

A week-long campaign to vaccinate more than 600,000 children against polio and measles kicks off today in Liberia...

8 May 2015

Texas Biomed scientists awarded NIH grant to develop potential HPV-based HIV vaccine

Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have begun work on a nearly $3.4 million study funded by the National Institutes of Health over the next four years to create an attenuated, or weakened, virus that is a hybrid of the papilloma virus and the human immunodeficiency virus, with the potential to jumpstart a body's immune response to develop antibodies against both viruses.

30 Apr 2015

NanoViricides' anti-viral drug candidates show promise in lethal animal model of dermal herpes infection

NanoViricides, Inc., a nanomedicine company developing anti-viral drugs, discusses the significance of the strong effectiveness demonstrated by its anti-viral drug candidates in a lethal animal model of dermal herpes infection.

27 Apr 2015

New research shows that serious life events in childhood can increase type 1 diabetes risk

New research from Sweden published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) shows that serious life events (SLEs) in childhood, such as death or illness in the family, divorce/separation, a new child or adult in the family, and conflicts in the family, can triple the risk of subsequently developing type 1 diabetes (T1D).

23 Apr 2015

International science team pave way for fast and accurate diagnosis of the influenza virus

Statistics indicate that, on average, adults over the age of 30 only contract the influenza virus twice in a decade – but far more frequently (self) misdiagnose a cold virus (commonly rhinovirus or coronavirus) as being the flu...

16 Apr 2015

Researchers identify phenomenon that explains effects of oxidative stress on immune cells

You're up in the mountains, the snow is blindingly white, and the sun is blazing down from the sky: ideal skiing conditions - but any skiers carrying the herpes virus might also have to reckon with the onset of cold sores after their day out.

10 Apr 2015

New review highlights future research initiatives to eradicate polio

April 12th 2015 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of Jonas Salk's landmark polio vaccine trial results, which confirmed that the first vaccine against polio was safe and effective. A new review, which was published online ahead of print in Future Microbiology, provides a comprehensive overview of current polio vaccines, and highlights new and future research initiatives, such as new vaccine formulations, that could help ensure that polio is eradicated and eradication is maintained.

6 Apr 2015

World-first human clinical trials for Hendra virus to begin this month

An antibody manufactured at The University of Queensland will be used in world-first human Hendra virus clinical trials starting this month.

1 Apr 2015

Study finds link between neurodegenerative disorders and inflammation

Researchers from McMaster University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York have discovered that a protein associated with neurodegenerative diseases like ALS also plays an important role in the body's natural antiviral response.

30 Mar 2015

Rigontec raises €4.8 million in second closing of Series A financing round

Rigontec GmbH, a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing RNA-based immunotherapeutics for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases, today announces it has raised €4.8 million in a second closing of its Series A financing round from Forbion Capital Partners, a Dutch life-sciences venture capital firm, and Sunstone Capital, a Copenhagen based venture capital investor.

24 Mar 2015

New technology developed to determine resistance to rabies virus

Researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research have developed a new technology to determine sensitivity or resistance to rabies virus.

20 Mar 2015

Study describes the dual role of microRNA during hepatitis C infection

In the battle between a cell and a virus, either side may resort to subterfuge. Molecular messages, which control the cellular machinery both sides need, are vulnerable to interception or forgery.

13 Mar 2015