July 31, 2017

Researchers unlock regenerative potential of cells in the mouse retina

Cells within an injured mouse eye can be coaxed into regenerating neurons and those new neurons appear to integrate themselves into the eye’s circuitry, new research shows. The findings potentially open the door to new treatments for eye trauma and retinal disease. The study appears in the July 26 issue […]
July 28, 2017

Immune system may mount an attack in Parkinson’s disease

A new study suggests that T cells, which help the body’s immune system recognize friend from foe, may play an important role in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The study, published in the journal Nature, was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes […]
July 28, 2017

UCI stem cell therapy attacks cancer by targeting unique tissue stiffness

A stem cell-based method created by University of California, Irvine scientists can selectively target and kill cancerous tissue while preventing some of the toxic side effects of chemotherapy by treating the disease in a more localized way. Weian Zhao, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and colleagues have programmed human bone […]
July 28, 2017

Scientists regenerate retinal cells in mice

Scientists have successfully regenerated cells in the retina of adult mice at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Their results raise the hope that someday it may be possible to repair retinas damaged by trauma, glaucoma and other eye diseases. Their efforts are part of the UW […]
July 27, 2017

Risk for bipolar disorder associated with faster ageing

The study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, also shows that bipolar patients treated with lithium – the main medication for the illness – have longer telomeres (a sign of slower biological ageing) compared to bipolar disorder patients not treated with lithium. This suggests that the drug may mask the ageing effects associated with bipolar […]
July 26, 2017

Lutein may counter cognitive aging, study finds

Spinach and kale are favorites of those looking to stay physically fit, but they also could keep consumers cognitively fit, according to a new study from University of Illinois researchers. The study, which included 60 adults aged 25 to 45, found that middle-aged participants with higher levels of lutein – […]
July 24, 2017

Meditation And Yoga Change Molecular Reactions In DNA Which Cause Stress

Science reveals that meditation and yoga change molecular reactions in DNA that cause stress. According to a study by Coventry University and Radboud University Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, relaxation response, breath regulation, mindfulness and other mind-body interventions (MBIs) produce various psychological benefits on health moreover these different techniques steer molecular […]
July 21, 2017

A healthy lifestyle increases life expectancy by up to seven years

People who do not smoke, are not obese, and consume alcohol moderately can expect to live seven years longer than the general population, and to spend most of these extra years in good health, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. A new study published in Health Affairs shows that people who […]
July 20, 2017

Engineered liver tissue expands after transplant

Many diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, can lead to liver failure. More than 17,000 Americans suffering from these diseases are now waiting for liver transplants, but significantly fewer livers are available. To help address that shortage, researchers at MIT, Rockefeller University, and Boston University have developed a new way to […]
July 18, 2017

Tracking the mechanisms of artery formation

Arteriogenesis is a critical event – not only during development but also in adult life. Cardiovascular life-threatening events, triggered by disease, could be overcome by alternatives to existing therapies, for example by inducing the formation of new arteries. However, the mechanisms of artery formation are not well understood. A team […]
July 17, 2017

Advance furthers stem cells for use in drug discovery, cell therapy

Since highly versatile human stem cells were discovered at the University of Wisconsin–Madison nearly 20 years ago, their path to the market and clinic has been slowed by a range of complications. Both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are valued for their ability to form any cell […]
July 13, 2017

Innovative skin replacement starts final clinical trial

A University of Wisconsin–Madison spinoff that makes an innovative material designed to speed healing of serious burns has begun a large clinical trial for the “regenerative skin tissue” it has been developing since 2000. Stratatech, now a Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals company, aims to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that the material, […]
July 13, 2017

Fighting Cancer: Natural and Synthetic Progestin Therapies in Post-Menopausal Women Help Breast Cancer Grow and Spread

Hormone replacement therapies, or medications containing female hormones that substitute those no longer produced by the body, often are prescribed to reduce the effects of menopausal symptoms in women. Research has indicated that women who take hormone replacement therapies have a higher incidence of breast cancer. Now, researchers at the […]
July 11, 2017

Stem cell advance brings bioengineered arteries closer to reality

Stem cell biologists have tried unsuccessfully for years to produce cells that will give rise to functional arteries and give physicians new options to combat cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of death. But new techniques developed at the Morgridge Institute for Research and the University of Wisconsin–Madison have produced, […]
July 1, 2017

Smart children live longer – how did scientists figure this one out?

There is an old saying that being smart is bad for you. Smarter people are usually less social and more often suffer from depression and anxiety. However, there are many advantages of being more intelligent. Scientists from The University of Edinburgh have conducted a research, which showed that children with […]
June 28, 2017

3D bone-like tissues made from pluripotent stem cells

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a cell culture method that generates three-dimensional bone-like tissues from mouse pluripotent stem cells—cells which can differentiate into various tissue types and have infinite growth potential—using only small molecules, in given conditions, as inducers. The current result serves as a step toward […]
June 28, 2017

Dementia patients may die sooner if family caregivers are mentally stressed

Patients with dementia may actually die sooner if their family caregivers are mentally stressed, according to a new UC Berkeley study. From 2007 until 2016, UC Berkeley researchers tracked the mortality of 176 patients with neurodegenerative diseases that are corrosive to brain function. They also measured the mental health of […]
June 26, 2017

Plan tests ancient Chinese tradition to help elders with balance

As calming music plays in the background, 11 older women listen as physical therapist Diane Brose enters a warm-up for a discipline known as Tai Chi Fundamentals: “Feel your feet. Feel the four corners of your feet. Your knees are soft, your tailbone is heavy. Don’t worry about yesterday, tomorrow […]
June 23, 2017

Grape-based compounds kill colon cancer stem cells in mice

Compounds from grapes may kill colon cancer stem cells both in a petri dish and in mice, according to a team of researchers. The compounds — resveratrol —which are found in grape skins and seeds, could also eventually lead to treatments to help prevent colon cancer, said Jairam K.P. Vanamala, […]
June 21, 2017

How growing human organs in a lab could be a boon to research

It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie — human organs, grown in a lab. But it’s real. In fact, it’s been going on for years, and you can learn all about them at a lecture put on by the UO’s Developmental Biology Program on Sunday, June 25. As […]
June 16, 2017

Long-term aspirin use linked to bleeding risk in over 75s

While short-term aspirin use after a stroke or heart attack has clear benefits, the authors say that patients over 75 who take aspirin on a daily basis should be prescribed a proton-pump inhibitor (heartburn drugs) to reduce the risk of bleeding. Roughly 40-60% of adults aged 75 or older in […]
June 16, 2017

Cardiac Stem Cells from Heart Disease Patients May Be Harmful

Patients with severe and end-stage heart failure have few treatment options available to them apart from transplants and “miraculous” stem cell therapy. But a new Tel Aviv University study finds that stem cell therapy may, in fact, harm heart disease patients. The research, led by Prof. Jonathan Leor of TAU's […]
June 8, 2017

Human Heart Tissue Grown from Stem Cells Improves Drug Testing

Researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) of A*STAR have engineered a three-dimensional heart tissue from human stem cells to test the safety and efficacy of new drugs on the heart. “Cardiotoxicity, which can lead to heart failure and even death, is a major cause of drug withdrawal […]
June 8, 2017

Stem Cells May Be the Key to Staying Strong in Old Age

University of Rochester Medical Center researchers have discovered that loss of muscle stem cells is the main driving force behind muscle decline in old age in mice. Their finding challenges the current prevailing theory that age-related muscle decline is primarily caused by loss of motor neurons. Study authors hope to […]
June 8, 2017

Sowing Stem Cells: Lab-Grown Organoids Hold Promise for Patient Treatments

Ophir Klein is growing teeth, which is just slightly less odd than what Jeffrey Bush is growing – tissues that make up the face. Jason Pomerantz is growing muscle; Sarah Knox is growing salivary glands; and Edward Hsiao is printing 3-D bone using a machine that looks about as complex as […]