Lifeboat Foundation

A team of scientists at the City of Hope Hospital – one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States – has recently developed what could potentially be a “holy grail” molecule that can effectively eradicate all solid cancer tumors while leaving healthy cells unaffected.

In preclinical trials, this molecule – called AOH1996 – was found to target and eradicate the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) protein, which usually contributes to the growth and repair of a variety of cancer tumors.

Most of the previous targeted anti-cancer therapies focus on a single pathway, enabling cancers to mutate and eventually become resistant. By contrast, since AOH1996 targets a cancerous variant of PCNA, a protein that in its mutated form is crucial in DNA replication and repair of all types of tumors, its effectiveness is higher and its range of action significantly broader.

Plants possess the unique ability to completely regenerate from a somatic cell, i.e., an ordinary cell that does not typically participate in reproduction. This process involves the de novo (or new) formation of a shoot apical meristem (SAM) that gives rise to lateral organs, which are key for the plant’s reconstruction.

On a cellular scale, the formation of SAM is meticulously controlled by either positive or negative regulators (genes/protein molecules) that may induce or restrict shoot regeneration, respectively. But which molecules are involved? Are there other regulatory layers that are yet to be uncovered?

To seek answers to the above questions, a research group led by Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Japan studied the process in Arabidopsis, a plant commonly used in genetic research.

In this article, the fourth installment of our five-part series on different pathways of aging, we look at the rejuvenation of cells, tissues, and stem cells, a topic that has been gaining increasing popularity thanks to remarkable advancements in the field of epigenetic reprogramming. Recent research suggests that despite the accumulation of molecular damage over time, cells and tissues can indeed undergo rejuvenation. We’ll be exploring key subjects such as Epigenetic reprogramming, PGC1a and GSK3β, Telomerase (TERT), as well as Apoptosis and senescence. Join us on this enlightening journey as we uncover the groundbreaking discoveries that are shaping the future of aging research.

The idea for reprogramming was simple yet beautiful. Children are born young, even though their parents are old, because they have undergone a process of cellular reprogramming that leads to rejuvenation.

Radiation therapy is a key component of care for many types of cancers. But some tumors can be more difficult than others to treat. Cancers in the lungs, for example, move with each breath, while tumors that have metastasized to many places in the body can require repeated radiation sessions.

Earlier this week, Stanford Medicine launched a new method of delivering radiation that uses signals from cancer-targeting molecules called tracers to target tumors in real time. It is the first time the new approach, known as biology-guided radiation therapy or SCINTIX^TM, has been used in a clinic.

Continue reading “Stanford Medicine first to try out novel tumor-targeting radiation therapy machine” »

A paper published in GeroScience has described a gene responsible for a key biomarker of cellular senescence.

However, SA-ß-gal’s actual relationship to senescence processes has not been fully explored. In order to explore its potential as a biomarker, these researchers developed an RNA-binding protein that restricts SA-ß-gal expression both in C.elegans worms and in human cell cultures, and their experiments provided some insights into how this compound works.

Artificial Intelligence has transformed how we live, work, and interact with technology. From voice assistants and chatbots to recommendation algorithms and self-driving cars, AI has suddenly become an integral part of our daily lives, just a few months after the release of ChatGPT, which kickstarted this revolution.

However, with the increasing prevalence of AI, a new phenomenon called “AI fatigue” has emerged. This fatigue stems from the overwhelming presence of AI in various aspects of our lives, raising concerns about privacy, autonomy, and even the displacement of human workers.

AI fatigue refers to the weariness, frustration, or anxiety experienced by individuals due to the overreliance on AI technologies. While AI offers numerous benefits, such as increased efficiency, improved decision-making, and enhanced user experiences, it also presents certain drawbacks. Excessive dependence on AI can lead to a loss of human agency, diminishing trust in technology, and a feeling of disconnection from the decision-making process.

Michael Levin is a Distinguished Professor in the Biology department at Tufts University. He holds the Vannevar Bush endowed Chair and serves as director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts and the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology. To explore the algorithms by which the biological world implemented complex adaptive behavior, he got dual B.S. degrees, in CS and in Biology and then received a PhD from Harvard University. He did post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where he began to uncover a new bioelectric language by which cells coordinate their activity during embryogenesis. The Levin Lab works at the intersection of developmental biology, artificial life, bioengineering, synthetic morphology, and cognitive science.

✅EPISODE LINKS:
👉Round 1: https://youtu.be/v6gp-ORTBlU
👉Mike’s Website: https://drmichaellevin.org/
👉New Website: https://thoughtforms.life.
👉Mike’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin.
👉Mike’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drmichaellevin.
👉Mike’s Publications: https://tinyurl.com/yc388vvk.
👉The Well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a3xg4M9Oa8 & https://youtu.be/XHMyKOpiYjk.
👉Aeon Essays: https://aeon.co/users/michael-levin.

Continue reading “What is The Field of Diverse Intelligence? Hacking the Spectrum of Mind & Matter | Michael Levin” »

Plenary Talk by Michael Levin on “Non-neural, developmental bioelectricity as a precursor for cognition: Evolution, synthetic organisms, and biomedicine” at the Virtual Miniature Brain Machinery Retreat, September 16, 2021. Introduction by William Baker.

Michael Levin.
Director of the Allen Discovery Center.
Tufts University.

Continue reading “Michael Levin: ‘Non-neural, developmental bioelectricity as a precursor for cognition’” »

Welcome to another exciting episode of our podcast series, where we dive deep into the world of science and innovation! In today’s episode, we have the privilege of interviewing Prof. Michael Levin, a renowned researcher in the fields of bioelectricity, regenerative biology, and biophysics.

Prof. Levin is the director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University and has been making groundbreaking discoveries that are revolutionizing the field of regenerative medicine. His research focuses on understanding the electrical communication within and between cells, and how this communication can be harnessed for tissue repair and regeneration.

Continue reading “-Electricity of Life💡: Wonders of Bioelectricity and Regenerative Biology Prof Michael Levin” »