In an incredible feat that redefines biological boundaries, scientists have successfully engineered animal cells capable of photosynthesis.
This breakthrough, led by Professor Sachihiro Matsunaga at the University of Tokyo, could transform medical research and aid in advancing lab-grown meat production.
Photosynthesis, traditionally exclusive to plants, algae, and certain bacteria, is a process that uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and sugars – essentially “feeding” the organism.
Health Innovation For Prevention And Precision At Scale — Dr. Päivi Sillanaukee, MD, Ph.D. — Special Envoy, Health & Wellbeing, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Finland.
Dr. Päivi Sillanaukee, MD, Ph.D. is Special Envoy for Health and Wellbeing, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Finland (https://stm.fi/en/rdi-growth-programm…).
Dr. Sillanaukee has over 20 years of experience at highest civil servant administrative positions, both from government, including roles as Director General at Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ambassador for Health and Wellbeing at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, as well as various additional roles in the public sector at the Municipalities and Special Health care district levels.
Actively participating also in Global Health, Dr. Sillanaukee has chaired and facilitated global multisectoral, multi-partner Health Security collaborations, facilitating capacity building at the country level. She served as Vice chair and member of WHO Executive Board, as Executive President for WHO/Europe Regional Committee, Member of Women in Global Health advocating for Gender Equity in Health, a member of Global Pulse Finland’s health sector advisory board, as Member of Board of Directors, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and Member of the Inaugural Board of Digital Health \& AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR).
Dr. Sillanaukee has also served as the co-chair of the Alliance for Health Security Cooperation (AHSC) and a member of the Steering Group of the Global Health Security Agenda.
A new study from researchers at Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine explains not only why some patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (or “wet” AMD) fail to have vision improvement with treatment, but also how an experimental drug could be used with existing wet AMD treatments…
Wilmer Eye Institute researchers have found that ‘wet’ macular degeneration patients who don’t respond well to treatment have an increased protein in their eyes and that an experimental drug can help improve vision gains. ›
Years ago, scientists discovered that bacteria can colonize tumors [2]. Some bacteria are drawn to the tumor microenvironment due to factors such as necrotic tissue, hypoxia, and nutrient availability. For example, Clostridium species prefer anaerobic conditions and have been explored in tumor-targeting therapies. Salmonella and E. coli strains have also shown an affinity for tumors [3].
A study presents battery-free, polymer-based wearable devices that wrap around neurons, allowing for real-time monitoring and modulation of cellular activity. This innovation aims to restore neuronal function in conditions like multiple sclerosis.
Researchers have designed a high-speed 3D bioprinter to accurately print human tissues.
Interestingly, this advanced bioprinter is capable of fabricating a diverse array of tissues, including both soft brain tissue and harder materials such as cartilage and bone.
This development comes from biomedical engineers from the University of Melbourne.
MIT researchers have developed a battery-free, subcellular-sized device made of polymer designed to measure and modulate a neuron’s electrical and metabolic activity. When the device is activated by light, it can gently wrap around the neuron cell’s axons and dendrites without damaging the cells.
Scientists want to inject thousands of these tiny wireless devices into a patient’s central nervous system and then actuate them noninvasively using light. The light would penetrate the tissue and allow precise control of the devices, and thereby restore function in cases of neuronal degradation like multiple sclerosis (MS).
The MIT researchers developed these thin-film devices from a azobenzene, a soft polymer that readily reacts to light. Thin sheets of azobenzene roll into a cylinder when exposed to light, which enables them to wrap around cells. Researchers can control the direction and diameter of the rolling by changing the intensity and polarization of the light, producing a microtube with a diameter smaller than one micrometer.
RegenxBio, a publicly-traded biotech firm, released data this week from a Phase 2 clinical trial designed to test its leading genetic therapy product in patients with bilateral wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is characterized by abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina, and is a leading cause of loss of vision in elderly populations globally.
ABBV-RGX-314, developed in collaboration with AbbVie, offers the potential of a one-time treatment for wet AMD and other retinal conditions, including diabetic retinopathy. This is in contrast to existing treatments which rely on repeated intraocular injections of drugs that inhibit a protein known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a protein responsible for the formation of new retinal blood vessels.
The ABBV-RGX-314 therapy is based on a an AAV8 viral vector as a delivery system. The AAV8 platform has been genetically engineered to encode an antibody that can inhibit VEGF for the long-term.
