Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: biotech/medical – Page 9

SARS-CoV-2 can cause buildup of Alzheimer’s-related peptides in retina

A new Yale study has found a promising target for treating the brain fog that can follow COVID-19 and offers new insight into a hypothesis about the origin of Alzheimer’s disease.

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the presence of plaque formed by the buildup of amyloid beta peptides (short chains of amino acids) in and around . Some researchers suspect that amyloid beta, which is structurally similar to , protects the brain against bacteria, viruses, parasites, and . Because the tends to lose its integrity in Alzheimer’s disease patients, the accumulation of amyloid beta might be a signal that pathogens are infiltrating the brain.

In a new study published in Science Advances, Yale researchers investigated whether infection by SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—can trigger Alzheimer’s disease-like amyloid beta buildup, leading to neurological impairments like .

DeepMind’s AlphaGenome Uses AI to Decipher Noncoding DNA for Research, Personalized Medicine

This AI system can analyze up to one million DNA letters at once, predicting how tiny changes in noncoding regions trigger everything from cancer to rare genetic disorders—and potentially revolutionizing personalized medicine

“We Engineered the Perfect Space Food”: US Scientists Unveil Super-Dwarf Plant Designed to Keep Astronauts Alive and Thriving on Years-Long Missions to Mars

IN A NUTSHELL 🌾 The Moon-Rice project is developing “super-dwarf” rice to support long-duration space missions and extreme Earth environments. 🛰️ Led by the Italian Space Agency, the project involves collaboration between three Italian universities specializing in rice genetics, crop physiology, and space crop production. 🔬 The research focuses on using CRISPR-Cas technology to create

Personalized Cancer Vaccine Proves Promising in a Phase 1 Trial at Mount Sinai

New York, NY (March 17, 2025) Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, led by Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, Ward-Coleman Chair in Cancer Research and Director of the Vaccine and Cell Therapy Laboratory, have tested a promising new type of personalized multi-peptide neoantigen cancer vaccine, called PGV001, in a small group of patients. This early study (phase 1 trial) is an important step in finding better ways to help people fight cancer. The vaccine uses multiple peptides (amino acid sequences) to help the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer cells and stop the disease from coming back. The findings are available in the latest issue of Cancer Discovery , a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Over the last decade, immune-based therapies have transformed cancer treatment, including CAR T cells, bi-specific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). These approaches have significantly improved outcomes, but some patients do not respond or eventually develop resistance. Personalized cancer vaccines, like PGV001, aim to overcome these challenges by training the immune system to recognize unique cancer mutations, called neoantigens, and mount a stronger, targeted response.

PGV001 can be made to fit each patient’s unique cancer. Scientists use advanced tools to find neoantigens—tiny changes in cancer cells—that are not found in healthy cells. The vaccine then teaches the immune system to target these changes, making treatment more personal and precise. Unlike tumor-associated antigens, neoantigens are not subject to central tolerance, meaning they can trigger a robust immune attack against cancer cells.

Scientists map pathogens that plagued humans for 37,000 years

Researchers have uncovered the types of bacteria, viruses and parasites that plagued ancient humans across Europe and Asia as far back as 37,000 years ago.

An international team, including researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Lund University, Sweden, Curtin University, Australia, has created an archaeogenetic-based map of human pathogens across both time and geography.

“Infectious diseases have had devastating effects on human populations throughout history, but important questions about their origins and past dynamics remain,” the authors write.

Regrowing hearing cells: New gene functions discovered in zebrafish offer clues for future hearing loss treatments

While humans can regularly replace certain cells, like those in our blood and gut, we cannot naturally regrow most other parts of the body. For example, when the tiny sensory hair cells in our inner ears are damaged, the result is often permanent hearing loss, deafness, or balance problems. In contrast, animals like fish, frogs, and chicks regenerate sensory hair cells effortlessly.