The Science Advisory Board

Hormone secreted by fat cells restrains growth of liver tumors in mice, offers therapeutic targets

University of Michigan researchers have identified in a mouse study a hormone -- neuregulin 4 -- tha...

Synthesis breakthrough opens door to development of natural product as cancer therapy

Princeton University scientists have halved the numbe...

Discovery of widespread DNA damage in stem cell lines spurs call for pre-use sequencing

More than 70% of stem cell lines derived from huma...

Repurposed drug shows promise in animal studies as potential therapy for ALS

A drug used to treat enlarged prostates and high bloo...

Nanoparticles protect mice from blood vessel rupture, offers potential therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysms in humans

Administration of small interfering RNA nanoparticle...

Bioprocessing

NIH awards grants to launch experimental science rigor initiative
August 4, 2022 -- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded five new grants to launch an initiative designed to support education in the principles of rigorous scientific research. Read More

Thermo Fisher, Structura Biotechnology unveil particle analysis software
August 3, 2022 -- Thermo Fisher Scientific and Structura Biotechnology are partnering together on a new, single particle analysis software. The software will be a version of Structura's CryoSparc Live and will integrate with Thermo Fisher's Smart EPU software and cryo-transmission electron microscope technology. Read More

Cancer & Disease Research

Nanometric photodiodes can activate individual nerve cells
August 15, 2022 -- Italian researchers activated individual nerve cells with a light impulse and this targeted, noninvasive approach could be used for studies into the nervous system as well as to develop new therapies. Read More

Protein key to diagnosing, treating some cancers
August 11, 2022 -- The pathway of a certain protein could lead to early diagnosis and targeted treatment of several cancers and brain disorders, according to Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland researchers. Read More

Cell & Gene Therapy

Timothy Hunt to take helm of ARM as new CEO
August 11, 2022 -- The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) has announced that Timothy Hunt will succeed Janet Lambert as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Washington, DC-based advocacy organization, which represents the cell and gene therapy industry. Read More

New technique could enable production of generic CAR T cells at scale
August 4, 2022 -- A Boston Children’s Hospital lab has developed a new method that could make chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy more widely available using induced pluripotent stem cells to develop mature immune cells. Read More

Cell Biology

Now metastasis can be observed with an assay
August 15, 2022 -- University College Dublin researchers have provided a new mechanism for observing cell migration with a high-throughput spheroid-based migration assay. The assay uses a tissue-mimicking, fibrillar collagen type I extracellular matrix. Read More

Monocytes, not neutrophils, are key to skin wound repair
August 15, 2022 -- New research reveals monocytes alone are capable of facilitating faster healing of skin wounds, which runs counter to previous beliefs that neutrophils and monocytes both performed that function. Read More

Drug Discovery & Development

Video from AACC: AACC president on Theranos, VALID Act
August 1, 2022 -- Dr. Stephen Master, president of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, provided his thoughts about the main highlights of the 2022 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo held this week in Chicago. Read More

New drug heals nervous system damage from stroke
August 1, 2022 -- A new drug can repair nervous system damage caused by a stroke, at least in animal studies. In a preclinical study, researchers from the University of Cincinnati and Case Western Reserve University have found that one drug resulted in significant improvement in motor function, sensory function, spatial learning, and memory. Read More

Genomics

‘Jumping gene’ affects immune system response, helps mice survive virus infections
August 11, 2022 -- Australian researchers have learned a particular transposable element, a “jumping gene,” has a profound effect on the immune response to virus infection, at least in mice. Read More

Spatial transcriptomics enables genetic mapping of tumors, revealing how cancers grow
August 10, 2022 -- Using spatial transcriptomics, researchers have created a cross-sectional map of a whole prostate, including areas of healthy and cancerous cells, providing genetic mapping of tumors that reveals how cancers grow. Read More

Immunology

Bio-Rad extends range of StarBright Violet, UltraViolet dyes for multiplex flow cytometry
August 12, 2022 -- Bio-Rad Laboratories has extended its range of StarBright dyes to provide greater flexibility in multicolor flow cytometry panels for immunology research. Read More

New antibody neutralizes all known SARS-CoV-2 variants: study
August 12, 2022 -- An antibody developed at Boston Children’s Hospital neutralizes all known SARS-CoV-2 variants, including omicron subvariants, which may inform the design of future COVID-19 vaccines. Read More

Proteomics

Seer debuts new proteomic-mapping software
August 3, 2022 -- Seer has launched a new Proteogenomics Workflow that integrates deep proteomics with genomics and is powered by the Proteograph Analysis Suite 2.0. Read More

Video from AACC: Enzo BioChem CEO on COVID-19 test landscape
August 1, 2022 -- Enzo BioChem develops diagnostic tests and provides testing in centers throughout New York and its surrounding areas. CEO Hamid Erfanian spoke to us at AACC 2022 about the changes he sees in the in vitro diagnostics landscape as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Read More