Biology & Medicine News and Discussions

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Engineers muffle invading pathogens with a 'molecular mask'
https://phys.org/news/2024-04-muffle-in ... -mask.html
by Tracey Regan, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Vaccines remain the gold standard of protection against dangerous pathogens, but take considerable time and vast resources to develop. Rapidly mutating viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can blunt their effectiveness and even render them obsolete.

To address these gaps, a multi-university team led by New Jersey Institute of Technology's Vivek Kumar is developing a hydrogel therapy that acts as a first line of defense against viruses and other biological threats. The peptides that make up this gel prevent viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, from attaching to and entering cells. They do this by binding to a particular receptor on the invading pathogen while also aggregating into a multilayer "molecular mask" that muffles its action.

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Moderna's blog post: https://www.modernatx.com/en-US/media-c ... ith-openai

WSJ article: "At Moderna, OpenAI’s GPTs Are Changing Almost Everything"

Archived WSJ article: https://archive.ph/D1rvH

Moderna is expected to announce a partnership Wednesday with artificial-intelligence heavyweight OpenAI, a deal that aims to automate nearly every business process at the biotechnology company and boost the ChatGPT maker’s reach into the enterprise.

As part of the transaction, some 3,000 Moderna employees will have access to ChatGPT Enterprise, built on OpenAI’s most advanced language model, GPT-4, by the end of this week. Further integration of AI into more of its processes could help Moderna outpace its plan to roll out 15 new products within the next five years, the Cambridge, Mass., company said.

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Using AI to improve diagnosis of rare genetic disorders
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04- ... rders.html
by Baylor College of Medicine

Diagnosing rare Mendelian disorders is a labor-intensive task, even for experienced geneticists. Investigators at Baylor College of Medicine are trying to make the process more efficient using artificial intelligence. The team developed a machine learning system called AI-MARRVEL (AIM) to help prioritize potentially causative variants for Mendelian disorders. The study is published in NEJM AI.

Researchers from the Baylor Genetics clinical diagnostic laboratory noted that AIM's module can contribute to predictions independent of clinical knowledge of the gene of interest, helping to advance the discovery of novel disease mechanisms.

"The diagnostic rate for rare genetic disorders is only about 30%, and on average, it is six years from the time of symptom onset to diagnosis. There is an urgent need for new approaches to enhance the speed and accuracy of diagnosis," said co-corresponding author Dr. Pengfei Liu, associate professor of molecular and human genetics and associate clinical director at Baylor Genetics.

AIM is trained using a public database of known variants and genetic analysis called Model organism Aggregated Resources for Rare Variant ExpLoration (MARRVEL) previously developed by the Baylor team. The MARRVEL database includes more than 3.5 million variants from thousands of diagnosed cases. Researchers provide AIM with patients' exome sequence data and symptoms, and AIM provides a ranking of the most likely gene candidates causing the rare disease.

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People suffering from macular degeneration, along with other diseases that impair sight, may soon benefit from gene therapy

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business ... re-vision/
https://archive.is/EcY4o

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Scientists report that new gene therapy slows down amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease progression

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-04- ... teral.html

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Bacterial enzyme strips away blood types to create universal donor blood
By Paul McClure
April 29, 2024

Using enzymes produced by a bacteria that almost everyone has in their gut, researchers have removed the antigens from red blood cells that determine blood type, putting us within reach of producing universal donor blood.

There’s a global shortage of blood supplies needed for life-saving transfusions due to factors that include an aging population with a higher demand for it and a lack of volunteer donors. However, even if there was an ample blood supply, it’s not as simple as just giving blood when it’s needed.

Each blood group (A, B, or AB) or type is identified by the presence of A and B antigens attached to sugar (oligosaccharide) chains on the surface of red blood cells. Blood cells in group O carry no antigens. When a blood transfusion is given, the donor and recipient's blood groups need to match. Otherwise, the immune system will attack and destroy the donated blood cells, causing a potentially fatal reaction.

https://newatlas.com/medical/gut-bacter ... nor-blood/

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New study supports psilocybin's potential as an antidepressant

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05- ... ssant.html

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Global study reveals stark differences between females and males in disease burden causes

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05- ... males.html

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Breath-analyzing sensor dims its glow to show blood oxygen levels
By Ben Coxworth
May 06, 2024
https://newatlas.com/medical/blood-oxyg ... or-breath/

A new sensor could soon allow hospital patients' blood oxygen levels to be checked via their breath. The technology is claimed to be more reliable and less painful than existing traditional methods.

Blood delivers life-sustaining oxygen to the organs and tissues throughout our body.

Therefore, if there isn't enough oxygen in that blood, serious damage may occur to the brain, heart or other areas – potentially resulting in the death of the patient. It's also possible for blood oxygen levels to be too high, causing damage to the lungs.

With such risks in mind, doctors typically monitor critical patients' blood oxygen levels via devices known as pulse oximeters. These clamp onto the end of one finger, where they use light to determine how much oxygen is currently in the bloodstream.

Because pulse oximeters aren't 100% reliable, doctors will sometimes also draw and analyze blood samples. While this technique is a more accurate indicator of blood oxygen levels, it may also be painful and distressing to the patient. It also doesn't provide real-time or continuous readings.

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In this episode, recorded during Abundance360 2024, Peter Diamandis and Dean Kamen discuss future of organ manufacturing, Moonshots, and more:

• 15:40 | Creating Organs for Life-Saving Results (in the coming years)
• 25:10 | Custom-Made Organs Now Possible (needs regulatory approval and production facilities)
• 43:43 | The Race to Technical Competence



Dean Kamen is a prolific American inventor, entrepreneur, and advocate for science and technology education. He gained widespread recognition for his invention of the Segway PT, an electric, self-balancing human transporter, and has also made significant contributions to medical technologies, including the first wearable insulin pump for diabetics. Kamen founded DEKA Research & Development Corporation to focus on the development of revolutionary healthcare technologies. He is also the founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use, and enjoy science and technology. His work extends beyond inventions to actively inspiring young people through robotics competitions and educational programs, aimed at building future leaders in engineering and technology.

Learn about DEKA: https://www.dekaresearch.com/

Learn about FIRST: https://www.firstinspires.org/

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Study highlights pathoblockers as a future alternative to antibiotics

https://phys.org/news/2024-05-highlight ... otics.html

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Breaking Bonds to Form Bonds: Rethinking the Chemistry of Cation
May 16, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A team of chemists from the University of Vienna, led by Nuno Maulide, has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of chemical synthesis, developing a novel method for manipulating carbon-hydrogen bonds. This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into the molecular interactions of positively charged carbon atoms. By selectively targeting a specific C–H bond, they open doors to synthetic pathways that were previously closed – with potential applications in medicine. The study was recently published in the prestigious journal Science.

Living organisms, including humans, owe their complexity primarily to molecules consisting mainly of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. These building blocks form the basis of countless substances essential for daily life, including medications. When chemists embark on synthesizing a new drug, they manipulate molecules through a series of chemical reactions to create compounds with unique properties and structures.

This process involves breaking and forming bonds between atoms. Some bonds, such as those between carbon and hydrogen (C–H bonds), are particularly strong and require considerable energy to break, while others can be more easily modified. Whereas an organic compound typically contains dozens of C–H bonds, chemists traditionally had to resort to manipulating other, weaker bonds. Such bonds are far less common and often need to be introduced in additional synthetic steps, making such approaches costly – thus, more efficient and sustainable synthetic methods are sought after.

C–H Activation as a New Approach

The concept of C–H activation is a revolutionary approach enabling the direct manipulation of strong C–H bonds. This breakthrough not only enhances the efficiency of synthetic processes but can also often reduce their environmental impact and provide more sustainable paths for drug discovery.
A key challenge is the precise manipulation of a specific C–H bond within a molecule containing many different C–H bonds. This obstacle, known as the "selectivity problem," often hinders the broader application of established C–H activation reactions (Figure 1).

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1044772

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https://x.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/17 ... 7314221155

NEW: Cancer-causing microplastics are found in 100% of men's testicles in new study — Daily Mail

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More on that here:

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-05- ... issue.html

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New non-toxic analgesic provides hope to nerve pain sufferers
By Paul McClure
May 20, 2024

A new oral analgesic without the health risks associated with existing pain relievers has been proven safe. According to the drug’s developers, it could revolutionize pain management, especially for those with hard-to-treat conditions like nerve pain.

It’s estimated that 27.5% of people globally are affected by pain. While they might be effective, existing analgesics each have their issues. Acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol, Panadol) can be toxic to the liver, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, and others) can damage kidneys and cause stomach ulcers. Meanwhile, opioids are notoriously addictive and responsible for a high number of deaths caused by overdose.

Then, there are conditions for which treatment with traditional analgesics can be ineffective. Nerve pain, or neuropathy, is one example; chronic pain is another. Determined to uncover a new analgesic with the potential to treat these hard-to-treat conditions and avoid the health risks associated with classic analgesics, researchers at South Rampart Pharma developed SRP-001. The drug has been tested in a Phase 1 clinical trial, yielding very promising results.

https://newatlas.com/medical/new-analgesic-human-trial/

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Virginia Tech Researcher Creates New Acoustic Tool to Move Tiny Bioparticles
by Alex Parrish

May 13, 2024

Introduction:

(Virginia Tech) Medical procedures capable of moving cells inside the body without making incisions have unique benefits. From faster recovery times to less trauma impacting the body, the list of reasons to do surgery without scalpels is growing with the technology used to perform noninvasive treatments.

A new method that might be available in the future is coming to life through research conducted by Zhenhua Tian’s team. The assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering is using tube-shaped acoustic energy to capture tiny biological materials such as cells and bacteria, moving the captive particles without touching them. The work has earned him a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award, reserved for early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education while building a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership.

Tian’s team will use the $649,000 in funding from the award to further develop its work using acoustic energy to create invisible beams capable of trapping, translating, and rotating objects.

Read more here: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/04/e ... ard.html

Background Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Undergoing surgery is seldom a pleasant experience, and it can sometimes be highly invasive. Surgical procedures have evolved steadily over the centuries, growing with the knowledge of anatomy and biology.

Innovative methods have also been bolstered with new tools, and a growth in the use of robotics since the 1980s has moved health care forward significantly. Assistant Professor Zhenhua Tian has pressed forward another step in the march of progress using robotics and noninvasive acoustics, and his team’s work has been published in Science Advances.

Robot-assisted surgery

Surgery using robots has been invasive since its invention because cutting is involved and often other instruments are inserted into the incision. However, because robotic-assisted tools can be smaller, the cuts also tend to be smaller than traditional surgeries, making robotics a preferred choice. This form of surgery has proven its benefits and has grown in use over time, with advantages to patients including

• Less discomfort and bleeding
• Less time in the hospital
• Faster recovery periods

In fact, according to the American College of Surgeons, 1.8 percent of surgeries included a robot in 2012. By 2018, that percentage had risen to 15.1 percent and continues to rise through advancements in robotics. Some of the most common procedures involving robotics include appendectomies, hysterectomies, and gastric bypasses.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1045436

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Study reveals promising technology for sepsis treatment using functional magnetic nanoclusters
https://phys.org/news/2024-05-reveals-t ... ional.html
by JooHyeon Heo, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

A research team has introduced a novel technology capable of removing inflammation-triggering agents in extracorporeal blood. The team, led by Professors Joo Hun Kang and Jinmyoung Joo in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Jae Hyuk Lee from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, anticipates that this innovation will open avenues for sepsis treatment by demonstrating excellent therapeutic effects under conditions similar to those of actual patients.