Biomarker News and Research

RSS

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.

Discovery reveals new type of brain cell sensitive to distance and direction of objects

The existence of GPS-like brain cells, which can store maps of the places we've been, like our kitchen or holiday destination, was already widely known, but this discovery shows there is also a type of brain cell sensitive to the distance and direction of objects that can store their locations on these maps.

21 Dec 2020

Research reveals development stages of plaques in Alzheimer's disease

One cannot simply look inside someone else’s head. This makes it difficult to understand what is happening in the brains of people with dementia. A new method offers insights.

21 Dec 2020

Study identifies biomarker gene signature that indicates potential liver toxicity

When agrochemical and pharmaceutical companies develop new products, they must test extensively for potential toxicity before obtaining regulatory approval. This testing usually involves lengthy and expensive animal studies.

18 Dec 2020

Pioneering new eye test may predict wet AMD three years before symptoms develop

A pioneering new eye test, developed by scientists at UCL in collaboration with the Western Eye Hospital, London, may predict wet AMD, a leading cause of severe sight loss, three years before symptoms develop.

18 Dec 2020

Antifungal drug improves key biomarkers in the noses of patients with cystic fibrosis

A drug widely used to treat fungal infections improved key biomarkers in lung tissue cultures as well as in the noses of patients with cystic fibrosis, a clinical study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Iowa found.

17 Dec 2020

A protein may be responsible for triggering lung scarring in scleroderma patients

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease associated with inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, that affects organs including the skin, heart, kidney and lungs.

17 Dec 2020

Brain protein indicates a link between circadian rhythm dysfunction and Alzheimer's Disease

Fractured sleep, daytime sleepiness and other signs of disturbance in one's circadian rhythm are common complaints of people with Alzheimer's disease, and the problems only get worse as the disease progresses.

17 Dec 2020

Clemson grad student focuses on studying how genes interact in a normal brain

You must first understand how something works normally before you can figure out why it's broken.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers identify new biomarkers associated with incident heart failure

Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital have discovered several new biomarkers that are associated with incident heart failure.

16 Dec 2020

Autoimmune condition biomarkers promote SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, study finds

Researchers have reported that the autoimmune PTPN2 risk variant rs1893217 promotes the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2, and thus promotes cellular entry, which is mediated by SARS-CoV-2 spike S protein.

16 Dec 2020

Digital dipstick is more accurate to test urinary tract infections at home

Soon you will be able to perform a bacterial culture at home to test for urinary tract infection (UTI), with clinical-level results.

15 Dec 2020

New AI tool could make breast cancer treatment less expensive and more readily available

Imagine being a doctor and having a precocious resident permanently by your side, giving you brilliant insight into disease and helping you to identify the best treatment path for your patients.

11 Dec 2020

68Ga-pentixafor PET imaging is an effective diagnostic tool for CNS B-cell lymphoma

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 68Ga-pentixafor is an effective diagnostic tool for central nervous system (CNS) B-cell lymphoma, according to a proof-of-concept study published in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

10 Dec 2020

Recommended biomarker screening is highly underutilized, shows study

About five percent of patients experience heart muscle injury around the time of their surgery for a noncardiac condition, yet guideline recommendations to identify patients at risk using biomarkers are not being followed.

10 Dec 2020

Study shows how blood biomarkers and income can predict future disability

Blood tests for ‘biomarkers’ such as cholesterol and inflammation could predict whether you will be disabled in five years – according to research from the University of East Anglia.

10 Dec 2020

Neutrophils may play a key role in COVID-19-related thrombosis

A team of researchers in Italy have published a study suggesting that rather than platelets, neutrophils could be playing the lead role in thrombotic complications associated with COVID-19.

9 Dec 2020

Study reveals new biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease causing a rapid loss of motor function, which usually results in a serious condition with early death within a few years.

9 Dec 2020

FASLG gene may drive cytokine-linked adverse COVID-19 outcomes with age

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in December 2020 reveals the role played by certain genetic factors in this group, in particular the FASLG gene belonging to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family.

8 Dec 2020

High-performing multi-immunoassay for early diagnosis and prognosis of COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in December 2020 indicates the ability of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers and time of induction to differentiate between severe and mild COVID-19 and could lead to the development of a prognostic biomarker for use early in the course of the illness.

8 Dec 2020

Researchers find elevated biomarker for blood vessel damage in children with SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have found elevated levels of a biomarker related to blood vessel damage in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, even if the children had minimal or no symptoms of COVID-19.

8 Dec 2020