NCCN Announces Research Funding for Biomarker-Directed Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, in Collaboration with Fight CRC and Pfizer

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Research Program (ORP) today announced new grants awarded to improve quality initiatives focused on optimizing biomarker-directed therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for August 2, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

Recent developments include a novel biomarker that may predict the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer precursors, insights into the structure and function of a breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene, a new approach to overcoming treatment resistance in ovarian cancer, distinguishing features of young-onset rectal cancer, a biomarker and potential target for metastatic lung cancer, machine learning models to better predict outcomes of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and a promising therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory MCL.

Researchers Design Multiclass Cancer Diagnostic Tool Using AI, MicroRNA

MicroRNAs, or miRNAs, regulate genes and biological processes in the human body, including cancer formation and development. To explore the feasibility of miRNAs as cancer biomarkers, researchers created a multiclass cancer diagnostic model using miRNA expression profiles. The study examined the relationship between the composition of miRNAs and various types of cancers. Findings suggest that miRNAs may be highly unique to specific cancerous tissues and can be strong biomarkers for detection and classification in both research and the clinical field

UCSF Internal Medicine Specialist to be Celebrated for Diabetes Epidemiology Research

Alka M. Kanaya, MD, UC San Francisco primary care physician and researcher, is being recognized with the 2023 Kelly West Award for Outstanding Achievement in Epidemiology from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The award recognizes significant contributions to the field of diabetes epidemiology.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for June 7, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention.

Why Do Some Long Covid Patients Continue to Have Difficulty Exercising?

In a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, a team of researchers from UC San Francisco found that lower than expected exercise capacity was common among people with Long COVID and chronotropic incompetence (inadequate heart rate increase during exercise) was the most common reason. They also found reduced exercise capacity to be correlated with early post-Covid elevations of inflammatory biomarkers. In addition, they found that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be related to reduced heart rate while exercising.

SMU Biosciences professor receives NIH grant for research on epilepsy

An estimated 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making them 16 times more likely to die suddenly compared to the general population. SMU biology researcher Edward Glasscock has received a 5-year, $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for a study that he hopes will lead to the identification of biomarkers to help identify people at risk for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for April 19, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

MD Anderson Research Highlights for March 29, 2023

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention.

Burping bacteria: Identifying Arctic microbes that produce greenhouse gases

As greenhouse gases bubble up across the rapidly thawing Arctic, Sandia National Laboratories researchers are trying to identify other trace gases from soil microbes that could shed some light on what is occurring biologically in melting permafrost in the Arctic.Sandia bioengineer Chuck Smallwood and his team recently spent five days collecting lakebed soil and gas samples.

Smidt Heart Institute Experts to Present Innovative Research Findings at European Society of Cardiology Congress 2022

Experts from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, home to California’s top-ranked cardiology and heart surgery programs, will present an array of innovative research—including late-breaking science—during the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2022, taking place in person and virtually Aug. 26-29.

‘iTEARS’ could help diagnose diseases by isolating biomarkers in tears

In ACS Nano, researchers report a nanomembrane system that harvests and purifies tiny blobs called exosomes from tears, allowing researchers to quickly analyze them for disease biomarkers. Dubbed iTEARS, the platform could enable more efficient and less invasive diagnoses for many diseases.

UTSW-led research identifies new imaging biomarkers that predict antidepressant response

The outcome predictive models were developed in part using data from a large multi-center National Institute of Mental Health-funded study and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The findings provide strong evidence that the current trial-and-error approach used in clinical practice for the selection of the right antidepressant can be replaced with this new precision medicine approach.

Examining Correlation Between Occupational Noise, Heart Disease

Hearing conservation programs and policies aim to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss, but it remains unclear whether stress reactions caused by noise exposure might also lead to other negative health outcomes. In The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, researchers describe how data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey do not support an association between loud noise exposure and changes in biomarkers for cardiovascular disease or outcomes.

Wistar Scientists Discover Blood-based Biomarkers to Predict HIV Remission After Stopping Antiretroviral Therapy

New biomarkers that predict HIV remission after antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption are critical for the development of new therapeutic strategies that can achieve infection control without ART, a condition defined as functional cure. Wistar Scientists have identified metabolic and glycomic signatures in the blood of a rare population of HIV-infected individuals who can naturally sustain viral suppression after ART cessation, known as post-treatment controllers. T

Memory Biomarkers Confirm Aerobic Exercise Helps Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Until now, systemic biomarkers to measure exercise effects on brain function and that link to relevant metabolic responses were lacking. A study shows a memory biomarker, myokine Cathepsin B (CTSB), increased in older adults following a 26-week structured aerobic exercise training. The positive association between CTSB and cognition, and the substantial modulation of lipid metabolites implicated in dementia, support the beneficial effects of exercise training on brain function and brain health in asymptomatic individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s.

Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury, Translational microRNA Biomarkers, and More Featured in January 2021 Toxicological Sciences

in the January 2021 issue, Toxicological Sciences offers an engaging slate of research in toxicology, from endocrine toxicology and biomarkers to genetic and epigenetic toxicology and mixtures toxicology.

Dopamine Surge Reveals How Even for Mice, ‘There’s No Place Like Home’

“There’s no place like home,” has its roots deep in the brain. Using fiber photometry, scientists are the first to show that home evokes a surge of dopamine in mice that mimics the response to a dose of cocaine. The study demonstrates how dopamine rises rapidly in mice moved from a simple recording chamber to their home cage, but less so when they return to a cage not quite like the one they knew.

Ovarian Cancer Screening Study Focuses on Early Detection in Women at Low Risk

Atlantic Health System is enrolling women in a landmark study that uses a simple blood test for the CA-125 protein to screen women who are at low risk for ovarian cancer. The purpose of the clinical trial is to help determine whether this test can catch ovarian cancer early in women who would not normally be screened for it. Atlantic Health System hospitals are the only centers in the New York metro region to participate in the study, and have the third highest enrollment numbers in the nation.

Ingo Mellinghoff Named Chair of MSK’s Department of Neurology

Neuro-oncologist and renowned physician-scientist Ingo Mellinghoff will lead MSK’s distinguished Department of Neurology after previously serving as Acting Co-Chair.

UNH Digs Deep Testing Wastewater for Early Warning Signs of COVID-19

The University of New Hampshire has gone underground to flush out cases of the coronavirus by testing wastewater on campus. The sewage sampling is being used as a secondary surveillance method to the already required twice a week individual nasal test to track and detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Neutrophil granulocyte markers in cerebrospinal fluid differentiate NMOSD and anti-MOG antibody associated disease from MS in acute disease phase

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), anti-MOG-antibody associated disease (MOGAD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) may be difficult to differentiate. Detection of antibodies (Ab) targeting AQP4 and MOG is the diagnostic gold standard for the former two diseases, but has limited…

UChicago bioinformatics team to create data infrastructure for global pediatric cancer initiative

The University of Chicago Pediatric Cancer Data Commons and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are working together to bring precision medicine to children and young adults with acute leukemia.

Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas From Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Tuesday.

Blood Test May Point to Patients at Higher Risk for COVID-19 Deterioration, Death

George Washington University researchers found five biomarkers associated with higher odds of clinical deterioration and death in COVID-19 patients. Published in Future Medicine, these findings will help physicians better predict outcomes for COVID-19 patients in the U.S.

Phosphoprotein biomarkers to guide cancer therapy are identified

Post-translational modification analysis may broadly identify new biomarkers of cancer drivers for a much more precise prediction of patient responses to treatments. A recent study demonstrates this diagnostic alternative for neuroendocrine neoplasms driven by a protein kinase called Cdk5.

Study Shows Promise for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Who Require New Treatment Options

A new type of immunotherapy treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is being tested by Missak Haigentz, Jr., MD, medical director of hematology and oncology for Atlantic Health System. Early results appear promising in this phase 1/2 clinical trial of ADXS-503 being developed by Advaxis, Inc., a new type of cancer therapy which targets “hotspot” mutations that commonly occur in specific cancer types, both by itself and in combination with immunotherapy Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), which is commonly used to treat this type of lung cancer. Dr. Haigentz and colleagues published early results of this study in conjunction with ASCO 2020, the world’s premier scientific meeting for clinical research in oncology.