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Findings may lay foundation for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

This story starts in 1955, upon the death of Albert Einstein, when the pathologist charged with performing the famous scientist's autopsy stole his brain.

3 Feb 2015

International researchers discover gene that causes familial scoliosis

The discovery of the first gene causing familial scoliosis was announced by an international France-Canada research team today. "Mystery surrounds the cause of scoliosis, which is a three dimensional deformation of the vertebral column. Many researchers have been attempting to uncover the origins of this disease, particularly from a genetic point of view," explained leading co-author Dr Florina Moldovan of the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte Justine research hospital.

3 Feb 2015

Musical training in younger years can protect the brain in later life

Scientists have found some of the strongest evidence yet that musical training in younger years can prevent the decay in speech listening skills in later life.

3 Feb 2015

New study examines the methylome of triple-negative breast cancer

The new study, published in Nature Communications, compares the breast cancer DNA 'methylome' with that of healthy individuals. The methylome provides a new picture of the genome and shows how it is epigenetically 'decorated' with methyl groups, a process known as DNA 'methylation'.

3 Feb 2015

National Centre for Healthcare Photonics to be located in North East of England

One of the most interesting and fastest developing areas in healthcare is the use of light to diagnose and treat medical conditions and illnesses, collectively known as Healthcare Photonics. It includes a range of new phototherapies as well as bio-medical imaging and in vitro diagnostics. The area offers huge potential for the UK and the global healthcare sector. Applications are wide ranging from wound, skin and cancer care to niche applications in neurology and ophthalmology.

2 Feb 2015

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia invited to Obama's announcement of Precision Medicine Initiative

At the invitation of the White House, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) sent two special guests to President Barack Obama's announcement today of the Precision Medicine Initiative: Dr. Steven M. Altschuler, CHOP's chief executive officer, and 9-year-old patient Emily Whitehead, now cancer-free thanks to a personalized treatment called T cell therapy, developed at CHOP.

2 Feb 2015

Scientists identify gene mutations that provide better insight into hepatitis-liver cancer link

Using whole genomic sequencing, scientists from RIKEN in Japan have for the first time demonstrated the profound effect that chronic hepatitis infection and inflammation can have on the genetic mutations found in tumors of the liver, potentially paving the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which these chronic infections can lead to cancer.

2 Feb 2015

Two new fluorescent dyes may help localize, resect brain tumors

Two new fluorescent dyes attracted to cancer cells may help neurosurgeons more accurately localize and completely resect brain tumors, suggests a study in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

2 Feb 2015

New research on dopamine-containing neurons could pave way for treating neurological disorders

Scientists studying hatchling fish have made a new advance in studying a chemical in the brain that impacts on movement.

2 Feb 2015

Geneticists discover that present-day human life colonized Eurasia 70,000 years ago

While it is widely accepted that the origins of modern humans date back some 200,000 years to Africa, there has been furious debate as to which model of early Homo sapiens migration most plausibly led to the population of the planet -- and the eventual extinction of Neanderthals.

2 Feb 2015

Mathematical models of cancer behavior offer new insights on tumor growth

Hassan Fathallah-Shaykh, M.D., Ph.D., believes that math can transform medicine, and he has the numbers to prove it.

2 Feb 2015

Scientists identify how 'mini-brain' in spinal cord helps keep our body balanced

Walking across an icy parking lot in winter--and remaining upright--takes intense concentration. But a new discovery suggests that much of the balancing act that our bodies perform when faced with such a task happens unconsciously, thanks to a cluster of neurons in our spinal cord that function as a "mini-brain" to integrate sensory information and make the necessary adjustments to our muscles so that we don't slip and fall.

2 Feb 2015

Study provides common model of cellular ageing

Researchers at the BBSRC-supported Babraham Institute have mapped the physical structure of the nuclear landscape in unprecedented detail to understand changes in genomic interactions occurring in cell senescence and ageing. Their findings have allowed them to reconcile the contradictory observations of two current models of ageing: cellular senescence of connective tissue cells called fibroblasts and cellular models of an accelerated ageing syndrome.

2 Feb 2015

Men and women find their social signals misinterpreted by opposite sex

Imagine the following scenario: a woman and a man are having a conversation. She is interested in the conversation, and is friendly, smiling and warm. He interprets her behavior as sexual interest.

2 Feb 2015

Research shows olfactory proxy detection is a phenomenon in both insects and humans

Antioxidants are natural food ingredients that protect cells from harmful influences. Their main task is to neutralize so-called "free radicals" which are produced in the process of oxidation and which are responsible for cell degeneration.

2 Feb 2015

New technology preserves quality of donor tissue, allows natural joint repair option to patients

Currently, doctors have to throw away more than 80 percent of donated tissue used for joint replacements because the tissue does not survive long enough to be transplanted. Now, following a recent study, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have developed a new technology that more than doubles the life of the tissue.

2 Feb 2015

Researchers gain new insight on immune cells that harbor latent HIV virus

Drugs for HIV have become adept at suppressing infection, but they still can't eliminate it. That's because the medication in these pills doesn't touch the virus' hidden reserves, which lie dormant within infected white blood cells. Unlock the secrets of this pool of latent virus, scientists believe, and it may become possible to cure - not just control - HIV.

2 Feb 2015

Study identifies genetic basis of drug toxicity in leukemia patients of East Asian ancestry

January 26, 2015) About 10 percent of young leukemia patients of East Asian ancestry inherit a gene variation that is associated with reduced tolerance of a drug that is indispensable for curing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer.

2 Feb 2015

ODIN project examines food-based solutions to prevent vitamin D deficiency

ODIN is a 4 year collaborative project with partners from all over Europe and one from the USA. The coordinator of the project is UCC and other Irish partners include the Daithi O'Murchu Marine Research Station, UCD, Crème Software Ltd (Dublin) and Monaghan Mushrooms.

2 Feb 2015

Scientists create largest ever catalogue of biological chimeras

Scientists from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre's Structural Computational Biology Group, led by Alfonso Valencia, are making the largest ever catalogue of biological chimeras available to the public domain.

2 Feb 2015

Medical Science News

Findings may lay foundation for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

International researchers discover gene that causes familial scoliosis

Musical training in younger years can protect the brain in later life

New study examines the methylome of triple-negative breast cancer

National Centre for Healthcare Photonics to be located in North East of England

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia invited to Obama's announcement of Precision Medicine Initiative

Scientists identify gene mutations that provide better insight into hepatitis-liver cancer link

Two new fluorescent dyes may help localize, resect brain tumors

New research on dopamine-containing neurons could pave way for treating neurological disorders

Geneticists discover that present-day human life colonized Eurasia 70,000 years ago

Mathematical models of cancer behavior offer new insights on tumor growth

Scientists identify how 'mini-brain' in spinal cord helps keep our body balanced

Study provides common model of cellular ageing

Men and women find their social signals misinterpreted by opposite sex

Research shows olfactory proxy detection is a phenomenon in both insects and humans

New technology preserves quality of donor tissue, allows natural joint repair option to patients

Researchers gain new insight on immune cells that harbor latent HIV virus

Study identifies genetic basis of drug toxicity in leukemia patients of East Asian ancestry

ODIN project examines food-based solutions to prevent vitamin D deficiency

Scientists create largest ever catalogue of biological chimeras

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

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