A path-breaking research by an Indian-American scientist suggests that a simple blood test may determine whether gene mutations associated with pancreatic cancer exist without the need of locating tumour tissue. The research takes into account tiny particles called ‘exosomes’ that are shed by cancer cells into the blood and contain the entire genetic blueprint of […]
A 20-year-old Iraqi woman, suffering from a rare medical condition characterised by an underdeveloped breast, got a new right breast after undergoing surgery at a hospital here, a doctor said Tuesday. The woman named Iman was suffering from “Poland Syndrome”, in which her right breast was missing. Her breast was tubular shaped, ptotic and completely […]
It is now possible to use gene therapy in the brain to not only treat binge drinking but other substance abuse, neurological diseases and mental illnesses. Researchers at the University at Buffalo have found a way to change alcohol drinking behaviour in rodents, using the emerging technique of optogenetics – using light to stimulate neurons. […]
If a single gene is not functioning properly, insulin is not released into the bloodstream to regulate blood sugar levels – leading to type 2 diabetes, claims a scientist of Indian origin. A research team led by Bellur S. Prabhakar, professor and head of microbiology and immunology at University of Illinois at Chicago College of […]
German scientists have developed a prototype of artificial bone marrow, which can simplify the treatment of leukemia in a few years, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) announced Friday. Scientists from KIT, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart and the University of Tubingen have artificially recreated basic properties of the natural bone marrow in […]
China and Japan, for the first time, are spending big on biomedical research and development, while the spending by the US has come down. Triggered almost entirely by reduced investment from industry, the R&D spending in the US dropped from $131 billion to $119 billion when adjusted for inflation from 2007-12, while China increased spending […]
More women are now undergoing early tests that reveal pre-cancerous breast tissue. Early diagnosis can save lives but in reality, few of those lesions go on to become tumours – and doctors have no good way of predicting which ones will. As a result, many women have to undergo surgery who might never develop the […]
Women who do binge drinking face a risk of birth defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) that leads to growth retardation, head and face abnormalities and neurological problems. Till date, it was believed that FAS also caused heart problems in just over half of those with this condition but remained largely a mystery how. […]
Is your toddler suffering from bad cold again? It could be respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A new high-end imaging technology studying the structure of the RSV virion and its activity in living cells could help researchers unlock the secrets of the virus – how it enters cells, replicates, how many genomes it inserts into its […]
Fructose, naturally found in fruit, vegetables and honey, is the sugar often blamed for the obesity epidemic and doctors the world over warn against having an excess of it. A new research has shown that fructose does not itself has any impact on an emerging marker for the risk of cardiovascular disease known as post-prandial […]