Category: Medicine

Using artificial intelligence to diagnose autism in the womb After measuring certain characteristics of unborn babies and following them through the first years of life, researchers input this data into an algorithm that could be used to predict autism diagnosis in other unborn babies.

Posted on June 3, 2021June 3, 2021 by Rachel Holland 707 views

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disorders diagnosed today. It affects an estimated 75 million people worldwide, and the number of cases has been gradually increasing since studies began in the 1960s. The symptoms generally include communication deficits, sensory processing…

Why do some breast cancer cells survive treatment? Researchers found that breast cancer cells survive after chemotherapy and resist future chemotherapy treatments by communicating with one another and releasing molecules called microRNA.

Posted on May 31, 2021May 25, 2021 by Carly Grohs 233 views

For tumor cells that survive treatment, one of their tricks is using microRNA molecules to communicate with one another and stay alive.

New research finds negative effects of chemotherapy on kids Researchers unveil the psychosocial developmental delays and deficits childhood cancer survivors experience as effects of chemotherapy using a combination of MRI images and behavioral tests.

Posted on May 27, 2021May 25, 2021 by Hannah Forrest 402 views

Behavior scales and MRI scans are used to connect possible psychosocial effects on pediatric cancer patients post chemotherapy.

Seizures may exacerbate brain tumor growth Scientists find a new biochemical connection between brain tumors and the epileptic seizures that occur along with brain cancer. These pathways could be used as targets for new treatments.

Posted on May 25, 2021May 26, 2021 by Joshua Abston 395 views

German research team discovers a new connection between brain tumors and epileptic seizures!

What if we could cut out cancer genes? Using CRISPR/Cas9 to cut fusion oncogenes, which are genes that when mutated can cause cancer, was completely specific for killing just cancer cells.

Posted on May 20, 2021May 20, 2021 by Marion Olsen 515 views

Even though scientists have been finding new ways to fight cancer, cancer still kills over 9 million people every year worldwide. Genetic mutations are one major cause of cancer that scientists are trying to target therapeutically. Fusion oncogenes are genetic mutations that are especially attractive for cancer therapy…

Poor sleep found to predict depression symptoms in pre-teens The occurrence of depression increases drastically in adolescence, especially among girls. New research has found that sleep disturbances (trouble falling/staying asleep or sleeping too much) predicted future depression symptoms in pre-teens.

Posted on May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 by CarolineVranaDiaz 357 views

Can poor sleep predict depression symptoms up to a year later in pre-teens? New research supports this hypothesis.

Can parts of our immune system lead to a cure for cancer? New genetically engineered natural killer T-cells called "chimeric antigen receptor T-cells" may lead to a cost-effective, less toxic cancer treatment.

Posted on May 6, 2021May 6, 2021 by Mary D'Angelo 1k views

What if your own immune system cells could be genetically engineered to treat your cancer? The future is now!

How tumor cells control their environment to survive Tumor cell diversity and the cells’ ability to reprogram their environment are important in predicting survival rates in patients with liver cancer. Scientists now have a way to measure and understand tumor cell diversity on a cell by cell basis.

Posted on May 3, 2021May 3, 2021 by Lea Peterson 489 views

Why are some cancers harder to fight than others? By analyzing the cells of one of the most difficult cancers to treat, liver cancer, scientists may begin to have answers.

Telling people they’re getting a placebo does not stop it from working After being given a placebo and viewing negative images, people felt less distress, even though they knew their treatment had no active ingredients.

Posted on February 9, 2021April 2, 2021 by EricaCurles 114 views

Does giving a placebo require lying to a patient? This study concludes...no! Placebos still work even when the patient knows, at least for emotional distress.

Horseshoe crabs are critical to the biotech industry A new technique in aquaculture has demonstrated a promising ability to improve survival rates, health, and performance of horseshoe crabs harvested for the biomedical industry.

Posted on January 24, 2021April 2, 2021 by Cathryn Sephus 390 views

Did you know that the modern US biomedical industry is built around the baby blue blood of horseshoe crabs? Come find out what scientists are doing to help protect the lives that are saving ours. #horseshoecrabs #conservation #marinebiology #aquaculture