Life sciences
Thousands of patients with multiple sclerosis are to benefit from a new 10-minute injection on the NHS that can help slow the progression of disability while cutting their treatment time in hospital by over 90 per cent. Around 9,000 patients in England currently receiving the drug ocrelizumab via an infusion can now be offered a [...]
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of pandemic preparation. Now, a new study has identified 70 virus lineages that could provide clues as to which virus might become ‘Disease X’ - an unidentified pathogen that could cause the next global pandemic. RNA viruses cause diseases such as the common cold, Covid-19 and measles, and have [...]
Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) prior to the retrieval of eggs during IVF can reduce the odds of achieving a live birth by almost 40 per cent, a new study has found. The study analysed PM10 exposure in the two weeks leading up to egg collection, finding that the odds of a live birth [...]
A new way to map the spread and evolution of pathogens, and their responses to vaccines and antibiotics, will provide key insights to help predict and prevent future outbreaks. The approach combines a pathogen’s genomic data with human travel patterns, taken from anonymised mobile phone data. Researchers led by a team from the Wellcome Sanger [...]
New clinical guidelines enabling a better understanding of childhood bone cancer will revolutionise treatment for these young patients across Europe, according to a leading researcher from the University of East Anglia. The new guidance, which will be implemented across every hospital and research institute in Europe that works with patients with bone cancer, are ultimately [...]
Researchers believe they have taken a step forward in harnessing a promising Ovarian cancer treatment option that, to date, has been limited by its toxicity and emerging drug resistance. Ovarian cancer, often diagnosed at an advanced stage, presents significant treatment challenges because patients tend to develop resistance to conventional therapies quickly. Despite aggressive treatment, recurrence [...]
A new study has identified AI as a potentially powerful tool in cancer diagnosis - harnessing machine and deep learning to track early changes in the body. Cancer remains one of the most challenging human diseases, with over 19 million cases and 10 million deaths annually. The evolutionary nature of cancer makes it difficult to [...]
The world-famous Roman Baths are home to a diverse range of microorganisms which could be critical in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance, a new study suggests. The research, published in the journal The Microbe, is the first to provide a detailed examination of the bacterial and archaeal communities found within the waters of the popular [...]
A glowing marker dye that sticks to prostate cancer cells could help surgeons to remove them in real-time, new research has revealed. Cancer Research UK-funded scientists used a fluorescent dye attached to a special marker molecule to give medics a “second pair of eyes” during surgery for prostate cancer. Twenty-three men with prostate cancer [...]
Thousands of patients with sickle cell disorder are to be offered a new “life-changing” treatment on the NHS from today following the approval and roll-out of a new drug that could significantly improve their quality of life. Up to 4,000 people with sickle cell disease in England could benefit from the drug Voxelotor if recommended [...]
