Biomarker News and Research

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A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.

Experts present new research to improve care for head and neck cancers at AHNS 2021

As the international community of experts in head-and-neck cancers gathered virtually last week to share new ideas and treatment strategies at the just-ended American Head & Neck Society (AHNS) 10th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center teams are presented new research on both the basic science supporting new treatments as well as opportunities to improve the early and accurate diagnosis of thyroid cancer and other head/neck malignancies.

26 Jul 2021

New radiotracer opens the door for advancement of iron-targeted cancer therapies

A new radiotracer that detects iron in cancer cells has proven effective, opening the door for the advancement of iron-targeted therapies for cancer patients.

23 Jul 2021

Professional rugby participation may be linked with structural changes in the brain

Participation in elite adult rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure.

22 Jul 2021

Clinical trial to test personalized treatment for severe asthma caused by a specific mutation

Under a $10 million grant, a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial led by Boston Children's Hospital will test a personalized treatment for a form of severe asthma to which Black and Latinx children and adults are especially vulnerable.

21 Jul 2021

UH researcher receives $2.7 million grant to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes

University of Houston engineering researcher Wei-Chuan Shih has been awarded $2.7 million from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes.

20 Jul 2021

Researchers identify a new, promising biomarker for bacterial soft tissue infections

Rapid diagnosis is crucial in bacterial soft tissue infections to reduce the risk of severe injury or amputation.

15 Jul 2021

Drug combination found to be safe and effective in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients

A phase II study led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that treatment with atezolizumab and bevacizumab was well-tolerated and resulted in a 40% objective response rate in patients with advanced malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare cancer in the lining of the abdomen.

14 Jul 2021

Blood test could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection

A blood test that quantifies the protein ACE2, the cellular protein which allows entry of the coronavirus into cells, as well as ACE2 fragments, produced as a result of interaction with the virus, could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a study led by Javier Sáez-Valero, from the UMH-CSIC Neurosciences Institute in Alicante, published in FASEB Journal.

13 Jul 2021

New Brigham–Wyss Diagnostic Accelerator could enable fast creation of diagnostic technologies

Today, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Boston's Brigham and Women Hospital (Brigham) announce their newly founded Diagnostic Accelerator (Brigham-Wyss DxA).

9 Jul 2021

Biomarker discovery can open door to screening newborn babies for pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy

The door has finally opened on screening newborn babies for pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE), a severe inherited metabolic disorder. This screening promises to enable better and earlier treatment of the disease.

8 Jul 2021

Research can contribute to earlier diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy

Research conducted at Cruzeiro do Sul University in São Paulo, Brazil, can contribute to earlier diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy, a disorder characterized by damage to peripheral nerves, with symptoms such as pain and paresthesia (pricking, burning and numbness), mainly in the legs and feet.

7 Jul 2021

Exploring links between stress, choline deficiency, preterm births, and mental illness

In two recent articles published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, Sharon Hunter, PhD, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, and M. Camille Hoffman, MD, MSc, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, along with their research group, have uncovered a potential link between choline deficiency in Black pregnant women in the United States and increased risk of developmental and behavioral issues that can evolve into mental illness later in their children's lives.

7 Jul 2021

Study: Gene editing therapy for early-stage Huntington’s disease may have long-lasting benefits

In a new study on mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that using MRI scans to measure blood volume in the brain can serve as a noninvasive way to potentially track the progress of gene editing therapies for early-stage Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that attacks brain cells.

7 Jul 2021

Rare genetic variants have a big impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified rare genetic variants - carried by one in 3,000 people - that have a larger impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes than any previously identified genetic effect.

7 Jul 2021

Shape of extracellular vesicles in body fluids could be a biomarker for identifying cancer types

A recent study by scientists from Japanese universities has shown that the shape of cell-derived nanoparticles, known as "extracellular vesicles" (EVs), in body fluids could be a biomarker for identifying types of cancer.

7 Jul 2021

22 blood plasma lipids found to be associated with lower symptom improvement in schizophrenia

Researchers from Skoltech and the Mental Health Research Center have found 22 lipids in the blood plasma of people with schizophrenia that were associated with lower symptom improvement over time during treatment.

6 Jul 2021

Study provides a reliable early prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 severity

In a retrospective, multi-centre cohort study conducted by researchers from Nanjing University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Jinling Hospital and the Second Hospital of Nanjing, a microRNA-like small RNA encoded by SARS-CoV-2 was identified in the serum of COVID-19 patients, which can be developed as a non-invasive biomarker for stratification of severe patients from mild/moderate ones and for identification of high-risk individuals before clinical manifestation of severe symptoms.

6 Jul 2021

New blood test for improved frontotemporal dementia diagnostics

A new study by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland shows for the first time that blood-based measurement of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) enables distinguishing patients with frontotemporal dementia from those with primary psychiatric disorders or healthy individuals.

6 Jul 2021

Serum testosterone status recovery an accurate predictor of survival in male COVID-19 patients

In a study available on the medRxiv* the preprint server, researchers from Spain showed that testosterone trajectories are very accurate individual predictors of survival in male patients with COVID-19. To better understand the relationship between testosterone levels and disease severity, they studied a group of male and female COVID-19 patients assessing their serum and blood biomarkers in association with outcome of disease.

6 Jul 2021

What are predictive biomarkers of COVID-19 disease severity in pregnant women?

In a paper recently published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, a retrospective cohort study on inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women with COVID-19 reveals key differences that could better allow an accurate COVID-19 prognosis to be attained in pregnant women.

5 Jul 2021

Biomarker News and Research

Further Reading

Experts present new research to improve care for head and neck cancers at AHNS 2021

New radiotracer opens the door for advancement of iron-targeted cancer therapies

Professional rugby participation may be linked with structural changes in the brain

Clinical trial to test personalized treatment for severe asthma caused by a specific mutation

UH researcher receives $2.7 million grant to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes

Researchers identify a new, promising biomarker for bacterial soft tissue infections

Drug combination found to be safe and effective in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma patients

Blood test could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection

New Brigham–Wyss Diagnostic Accelerator could enable fast creation of diagnostic technologies

Biomarker discovery can open door to screening newborn babies for pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy

Research can contribute to earlier diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy

Exploring links between stress, choline deficiency, preterm births, and mental illness

Study: Gene editing therapy for early-stage Huntington’s disease may have long-lasting benefits

Rare genetic variants have a big impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Shape of extracellular vesicles in body fluids could be a biomarker for identifying cancer types

22 blood plasma lipids found to be associated with lower symptom improvement in schizophrenia

Study provides a reliable early prognostic biomarker for COVID-19 severity

New blood test for improved frontotemporal dementia diagnostics

Serum testosterone status recovery an accurate predictor of survival in male COVID-19 patients

What are predictive biomarkers of COVID-19 disease severity in pregnant women?

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