A team of researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has developed light-activated derivatives of the anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine to treat neuropathic pain. Light can be harnessed to target drugs to specific body areas using photopharmacology. This technique modifies the drug’s chemical structure by incorporating a light-sensitive molecular switch, like azobenzene. As [...]
Scientists are developing a process inspired by nature that efficiently recovers europium from old fluorescent lamps. The approach could lead to the long-awaited recycling of rare earth metals. A small molecule that naturally serves as a binding site for metals in enzymes also proves useful for separating certain rare earth metals from each other. [...]
A new study suggests a framework for “Child Safe AI” in response to recent incidents showing that many children perceive chatbots as quasi-human and reliable. A study has indicated that AI chatbots often exhibit an “empathy gap,” potentially causing distress or harm to young users. This highlights the pressing need for the development of [...]
Up to 3% of people with diabetes have an allergic reaction to insulin. A team at Forschungszentrum Jülich has now studied a method that could be used to deliver the active substance into the body in a masked form—in the form of tiny nanoparticles. The insulin is only released in the target organ when [...]
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed nanorobots that kill cancer cells in mice. The robot's weapon is hidden in a nanostructure and is exposed only in the tumor microenvironment, sparing healthy cells. The study is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. The research group at Karolinska Institutet has previously developed structures that can organize so-called [...]
Dr Richard Lobb and Quan Zhou from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology said the diagnostic device could help patients begin treatment and get ahead of the disease before it spreads. "Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Australia, claiming the lives of almost 9000 people each year,” Dr Lobb said. “Despite its prevalence, [...]
A University of Pennsylvania study suggests that real-world data, rather than case reports, should be used to assess medication-related liver toxicity more accurately, potentially leading to better patient monitoring and safety. A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania indicates that the existing method for evaluating medication-related liver damage does not accurately [...]
Researchers have pinpointed specific variants in a gene that significantly raise the likelihood of developing various cancer types. This discovery has the potential to enhance early detection and facilitate personalized treatments for diverse populations. Scientists have identified over 5,000 genetic variants that help certain cancers thrive, as well as a potential therapeutic target that [...]
An innovative study of a breast cancer vaccine is officially underway, as University of Pittsburgh Medical Center announced on June 20 that the first participant had received her full course of the vaccine. "Today, more than 30 years of research has brought us to the first of its kind clinical trial vaccine that could significantly change [...]
By eavesdropping on the brains of living people, scientists have created the highest-resolution map yet of the neurons that encode the meanings of various words1. The results hint that, across individuals, the brain uses the same standard categories to classify words — helping us to turn sound into sense. The study is based on words [...]
