Lifeboat Foundation

It wasn’t all that long ago that the first human genome was sequenced – a massive, globally orchestrated scientific undertaking that took years and some US$3 billion to achieve.

Since then, rapid advancements in genetic technology and techniques have seen the cost and time required for genome sequencing drop dramatically, leading to this week’s remarkable announcement: the first whole genome sequencing service for consumers that costs less than $1,000.

At just $999, myGenome, from US-based genetics startup Veritas Genetics, is being billed by its makers as the first practical and affordable way for people to access unparalleled personal data on their individual genetic code. The company claims its personalised service offers an accessible way to keep tabs on your current health, keep you abreast of any potential future issues, and even know what inherited genetics you might pass onto your children.

Continue reading “You can now sequence your entire genome for under $1,000” »

I have spent the last 30 years in various aspects of the biopharmaceutical industry, which for the most part has been a very rewarding experience.

However, during this time period, having been immersed many different components of therapeutic development and commercialization, one thing has always bothered me: a wide array of promising research never makes it off the bench to see the translational light of day, and gets lost in the historical scientific archives.

I always believed that scientific progress happened in a very linear narrative, with each new discovery supporting the next, resulting ultimately in an eventual stairway of scientific enlightenment.

Continue reading “Death Reversal — The Reanima Project — Research Whose Time Has Come” »

The researcher says he is only holding off cloning people for fear of the public reaction.

Further support for SENS strategy. Senolytics improve vascular biomarkers in mice. This is exactly the work my project MMTP is working on, we are looking at conducting robust lifespan studies for Senolytics including the two compounds used here.

The next step will be to test Senolytics with MSC stem cells to see if we can further improve on vascular aging and pathology such as atherosclerosis.

We are launching a fundraiser on lifespan.io in April to get this work done, please support us!

“Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Manitoba”, said Dr. Sri Navaratnam, president and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba. They all are carbohydrate-containing foods with a high glycemic index (GI).

Almost two years ago, the American Lung Association launched LUNG FORCE, an initiative to defeat lung cancer and rally Americans to raise their voices in support of a cure.

Eating a lot of white bread, processed breakfast cereals, cakes and biscuits may increase your risk for lung cancer, warns a new study. Why? However, they recommend individuals to limit food items high in GI such as white bread, corn flakes, bagels and puffed rice. The study results encompass 1,905 cases and 2,413 controls.

Continue reading “High Glycemic Index Associated With Increased Risk of Lung Cancer” »

Very bizarre — cancer cells were modifying their metabolism based on communications they were receiving from cells in the microenvironment near the tumor.

Washington D.C., Mar 8 (ANI): A recent study has revealed that cancer cells get 30–60 percent of their fuel from eating their neighbours’ ‘words’.

Researcher Deepak Nagrath from Rice University said their original hypothesis was that cancer cells were modifying their metabolism based on communications they were receiving from cells in the microenvironment near the tumor, but none of them expected to find that they were converting the signals directly into energy.

Continue reading “Cancer cells get their fuel from neighbours‘ ’words‘” »

Cells normally associated with protecting the brain from infection and injury also play an important role in rewiring the connections between nerve cells. And, constant generation of new pathways and networks among brain cells is critical in learning and keeping the mind sharp.

Possible new method in fighting cancer.

It is still a long ways off, but we just moved one step closer to a true cancer vaccine.

Pretty cool.

Scientists report that amino acids, not sugar, supply most building blocks for cancerous tumor cells. Cancer cells are notorious for their ability to divide uncontrollably and generate hordes of new tumor cells. Most of the fuel consumed by these rapidly proliferating cells is glucose, a type of sugar.

Scientists had believed that most of the cell mass that makes up new cells, including cancer cells, comes from that glucose. However, MIT biologists have now found, to their surprise, that the largest source for new cell material is amino acids, which cells consume in much smaller quantities.

Continue reading “How cancer cells fuel their growth” »