Preclinical News and Research

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Identification of common genes in COVID-19 and COPD

Based on protein-protein interactions, the paper shows the presence of ten genes that overlap between the two illnesses, also shared by several other deadly and debilitating diseases.

2 Nov 2021

Pathway preferential estrogens may be a safer alternative to hormone replacement therapy, study shows

Postmenopausal women have increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease due to loss of estrogen from metabolic changes. A high-fat diet further exacerbates the disease, which can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure.

29 Oct 2021

UAB researchers show how to identify non-responding tumors and improve immunotherapy response

Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors can work well to treat cancer, but only a minority of patients respond to therapy.

28 Oct 2021

UQ-developed oral vaccine marks a leap forward in the battle against hookworm infections

There's been a significant breakthrough in the development of a vaccine to prevent hookworm infection – a parasite which causes serious disease in tens of millions of people globally.

26 Oct 2021

Can targeting autophagy become a new approach to COVID-19 treatment?

In a recent review, the author discusses autophagy as a contributing mechanism of selected drugs that are currently being evaluated to treat COVID‐19.

25 Oct 2021

Blood pressure drug increases SARS-CoV-2 receptors in transmission and pathogenesis associated tissues

A new study aimed to determine whether ACE2 targeting drugs change the tissue levels of ACE2 in healthy mice.

25 Oct 2021

SARS-CoV-2 cocktail with three antibodies potent in preclinical testing

Amidst growing concerns on the use and potential benefits of convalescent plasma therapy, a research group in the United States has identified three human antibodies (Abs) that, when combined, demonstrate both robust viral suppressive properties against all tested severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Variants of Concern (VoC) in vitro and profound antiviral efficacy in vivo.

22 Oct 2021

First-in-human study of DBS for post-stroke rehabilitation shows encouraging results

Targeting the dentate nucleus with deep brain stimulation (DBS) was safe and feasible for promoting post-stroke rehabilitation in a first-in-human study at Cleveland Clinic.

21 Oct 2021

Playing elite rugby may affect cognitive function in older age, study shows

Retired male elite rugby union players aged 50+ who suffered three or more rugby-related concussions during their career have no worse average cognitive function than those who had experienced no, one or two concussions, according to a new study in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.

21 Oct 2021

UQ start-up secures $1.3 million seed investment to develop new treatment for liver disease

A University of Queensland start-up company, developing a potential new treatment for obesity-related liver disease, has secured a seed investment of $1.3 million from IP Group, a UK-based intellectual property business.

19 Oct 2021

The biochemical mechanisms of remdesivir-mediated RNA synthesis inhibition

A new preprint suggests a fruitful approach to develop such drugs based on biochemical and molecular modeling studies of the drug remdesivir.

19 Oct 2021

Blood pressure regulation in males and females is different, scientists say

Another difference between females and males appears to be a key mechanism in how they become hypertensive, scientists say, and consequently which antihypertensives should be most effective for them.

18 Oct 2021

Novel combination therapy identified for the brain metastases of breast cancer

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified and preclinically validated combination treatments for the brain metastases of breast cancer, a common and typically lethal manifestation of the malignancy.

18 Oct 2021

Experts review progress in using photobiomodulation therapy to treat diverse brain disorders

Photobiomodulation (PBM) offers exciting opportunities for improving the life of patients with a diverse range of brain disorders.

14 Oct 2021

EQIPD consortium develops quality system to facilitate adherence to evidence-based research practices

The European Quality in Preclinical Data (EQIPD) consortium has announced the official finalisation of the EQIPD Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project.

12 Oct 2021

Novel therapy approach could stop tumor growth

The immune system protects the body from cancer. To protect healthy body cells from its own immune system, they have developed a protective shield: the protein CD47 is a so called "don't eat me" signal, which tells the immune cells to stand back.

12 Oct 2021

Exosomal and non-exosomal miRNAs may serve as biomarkers for HCV-related cirrhosis, liver cancer

Oncotarget published "Exosomal and non-exosomal miRNA expression levels in patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and liver cancer" which reported that patients with HCV-related cirrhosis are at risk for liver cancer development.

11 Oct 2021

Novel peptide-drug conjugate enhances the efficacy of immunotherapy in preclinical cancer models

A peptide-drug conjugate that targets the acidic environment of cancer cells enhanced the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical cancer models, according to results presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held October 7-10, 2021.

7 Oct 2021

Scientists identify a new method to treat triple-negative breast cancer

A team of clinicians and scientists from the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) has identified a novel method to treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). They discovered that cancer cells switch between different cell states and are able to change from being less aggressive ('epithelial') to being more aggressive ('mesenchymal'), and vice versa.

7 Oct 2021

UTHSC receives $3.2 million to upgrade the Regional Biocontainment Laboratory

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has been awarded $3.2 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to upgrade the equipment and infrastructure in the UTHSC Regional Biocontainment Laboratory (RBL) on the Memphis campus to enhance the university's research of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

6 Oct 2021