Liver News and Research

RSS

Researchers question exclusion of people with prior cancer history from clinical trials

A quarter of newly diagnosed cancer patients 65 or older are survivors who had a prior cancer – often preventing them from participating in clinical trials, researchers from UT Southwestern's Simmons Cancer Center have found.

22 Nov 2017

Metabolic factors in conjunction with alcohol consumption increase risk of severe liver disease

A new study provides insights into the interaction between alcohol consumption and metabolic factors in predicting severe liver disease in the general population.

22 Nov 2017

Research findings offer prime drug targets to treat rare liver cancer that strikes young people

After years of rigorous research, a team of scientists has identified the genetic engine that drives a rare form of liver cancer. The findings offer prime targets for drugs to treat the usually lethal disease, fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC), which mainly strikes adolescents and young adults.

22 Nov 2017

Liver disease in children with Alagille Syndrome caused by malformations of bile ducts

Serious liver and heart problems can affect children with Alagille Syndrome early in life. While there is as yet no cure, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that the liver disease part of the syndrome is caused by specific malformations of the bile ducts.

21 Nov 2017

Pioneering research project aims to develop better diagnostic tests for NAFLD

A pioneering European research project aims to lead to new diagnostic tests to assess patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and identify those most at risk for developing severe inflammation and liver scarring.

21 Nov 2017

Study: Alectinib 600 mg more effective than standard therapy in Asian ALK positive NSCLC patients

A subanalysis of the phase III ALEX study has shown that alectinib 600 mg twice daily is more effective than standard of care crizotinib in Asian patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), researchers report at the ESMO Asia 2017 Congress.

20 Nov 2017

Gene editing within a living person for the first time

Genetic editing has been performed in the laboratory until now. Living cells within Petri-dishes have been put under the microscope while gene editing tools such as CRISPR were used to cut, nick and replace parts of the DNA or genome that is defective with bits of DNA that is correct in its sequence. Now doctors in California have attempted to edit cells within a living person.

19 Nov 2017

Researchers find way to switch tumor cells between 2D and 3D morphology

Paving the way for testing experimental drugs in more realistic environments, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have discovered how to make tiny colonies of cells grow in useful new ways inside petri dishes.

17 Nov 2017

Leaf-eating ability of beetle largely due to bacteria inside the insect

A leaf-eating beetle has evolved a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that allows the insect to break down pectin -- part of a plant's cell wall that is indigestible to most animals.

17 Nov 2017

FDA approves first adjuvant treatment to reduce risk of kidney cancer recurrence

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Sutent (sunitinib malate) for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients who are at a high risk of kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) returning after a kidney has been removed (nephrectomy).

17 Nov 2017

New discovery about immune system could pave way for better allergy treatment

Scientists have made a fundamental discovery about how our body's immune system clears harmful infections.

16 Nov 2017

New research shows how a gene can fuel obesity in mice

Obesity is often attributed to a simple equation: People are eating too much and exercising too little. But evidence is growing that at least some of the weight gain that plagues modern humans is predetermined.

16 Nov 2017

Genetic diversity of tumor tissues can be barrier to precision medicine in gastric and esophageal cancers

A new study focused on describing genetic variations within a primary tumor, differences between the primary and a metastatic branch of that tumor, and additional diversity found in tumor DNA in the blood stream could help physicians make better treatment choices for patients with gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

15 Nov 2017

FDA approves drug to treat pediatric, adult patients with rare Sly syndrome

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Mepsevii (vestronidase alfa-vjbk) to treat pediatric and adult patients with an inherited metabolic condition called mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII), also known as Sly syndrome. MPS VII is an extremely rare, progressive condition that affects most tissues and organs.

15 Nov 2017

Study identifies molecular pathway critical to development of fibrosis

A study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and University Health Network in Toronto has identified a molecular pathway that appears to be critical to the development of fibrosis - scarring and excessive tissue deposition that result from abnormal healing responses and can compromise the function of vital organs.

15 Nov 2017

MGH researchers develop potential alternative to gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital researchers has developed a potential alternative to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) for magnetic resonance imaging.

15 Nov 2017

Live births more likely to occur in women with sufficient vitamin D, research finds

Researchers are calling for a randomized clinical trial to investigate the potential role of vitamin D supplementation in improving live birth rates following assisted reproduction treatment.

15 Nov 2017

Tulane professor wins Department of Defense grant for research into arteriovenous malformations

Tulane University's Stryder Meadows, a cell and molecular biology professor, received a $1.7 million grant from the Department of Defense to study how arteriovenous malformations (AVM), which are defects in arteries, veins and capillaries, form Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), a genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 5,000 people.

14 Nov 2017

Nanoparticles carrying CRISPR gene editing tools for genetic modifications

Researchers from MIT have now developed nanoparticles that could carry CRISPR genetic editing systems deep within the cells and perform their functions on the DNA. The paper was published in the November issue of Nature Biotechnology.

14 Nov 2017

Synthetic double-stranded RNA may have potential for use as vaccine to prevent liver cancer

Primary liver cancer is now the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its incidences and mortality are increasing rapidly in the United Stated. In late stages of the malignancy, there are no effective treatments or drugs.

14 Nov 2017

Liver News and Research

Researchers question exclusion of people with prior cancer history from clinical trials

Metabolic factors in conjunction with alcohol consumption increase risk of severe liver disease

Research findings offer prime drug targets to treat rare liver cancer that strikes young people

Liver disease in children with Alagille Syndrome caused by malformations of bile ducts

Pioneering research project aims to develop better diagnostic tests for NAFLD

Study: Alectinib 600 mg more effective than standard therapy in Asian ALK positive NSCLC patients

Gene editing within a living person for the first time

Researchers find way to switch tumor cells between 2D and 3D morphology

Leaf-eating ability of beetle largely due to bacteria inside the insect

FDA approves first adjuvant treatment to reduce risk of kidney cancer recurrence

New discovery about immune system could pave way for better allergy treatment

New research shows how a gene can fuel obesity in mice

Genetic diversity of tumor tissues can be barrier to precision medicine in gastric and esophageal cancers

FDA approves drug to treat pediatric, adult patients with rare Sly syndrome

Study identifies molecular pathway critical to development of fibrosis

MGH researchers develop potential alternative to gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents

Live births more likely to occur in women with sufficient vitamin D, research finds

Tulane professor wins Department of Defense grant for research into arteriovenous malformations

Nanoparticles carrying CRISPR gene editing tools for genetic modifications

Synthetic double-stranded RNA may have potential for use as vaccine to prevent liver cancer

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News