Source NIH The normal human gut microbiome is a flourishing community of microorganisms, some of which can affect the human immune system. In a new paper published this week in Cell, researchers found that oral antibiotics, which can kill gut microorganisms, can alter the human immune response to seasonal influenza vaccination. The work was led by
“Untested, deceptive treatments” can endanger consumers, Internet giant says. Responding to ubiquitous online marketing by stem cell clinics selling unapproved treatments for everything from achy joints to Alzheimer’s, Google announced Friday it will no longer accept ads for “unproven or experimental medical techniques,” including most stem cell therapy, cellular therapy and gene therapy. The Internet
A team led by Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science, received the multi-million dollar grant from the National Institute on Aging. The five-year grant will fund a national multi-site Phase 2 clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of allopregnanalone, or allo, as a treatment for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s who
The FDA has released final guidance for its Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) program, incorporating changes wrought by the 21st Century Cures Act and the FDA Reauthorization Act, both passed in 2017. The agency said it developed the guidance to clarify current HDE program review practices — including the criteria it considers to determine if a
The University of Pittsburgh is teaming up with the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory (ISSNL) to study how the low-gravity environment of space can improve treatments for kidney disease, traumatic brain injury and juvenile diabetes. Pitt’s McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine will collaborate with the ISSNL Industrial Biomedicine Program on research that will look
Gene therapies constitute a new concept of transformative therapies, administered once in a lifetime. The value assessment of these innovative therapies constitutes a challenge for health technology assessment (HTA) bodies. The HTA reports for all seven gene therapies that have to date been granted a market authorization in the European Union (EU) and/or the United
Taxing sugary snacks like cookies and cakes may have a substantially larger impact in fighting obesity than levies on sweetened drinks, suggests a new study. Using economic modeling, UK researchers found that increasing sugary snack prices by 20% had an effect on annual calorie intake, body mass index (BMI), and obesity prevalence much greater than that of a
Scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern have uncloaked the molecular mechanisms underlying heart regeneration in the only mammals currently known to regrow a significant portion of their hearts after injury: neonatal mice. These newborns have long held the secret to regenerating approximately 15 percent of their ventricular tissue, a capability that occurs within a fleeting window of about
Source September 5th, 2019 by Dr. Francis Collins Tumor cells thrive by exploiting the willingness of normal cells in their neighborhood to act as accomplices. One of their sneakier stunts involves tricking the body into helping them form new blood vessels. This growth-enabling process of sprouting new blood vessels, called tumor angiogenesis, remains a vital area of
In ‘3D Printing of Bioceramic Scaffolds—Barriers to the Clinical Translation: From Promise to Reality and Future Perspectives,’ authors Kang Lin, Rakib Sheikh, Sara Romanazzo, and Iman Roohani explore 3D printing bioceramics and ‘hurdles’ for the clinical setting, along with current limitations and required parameters. Bone regeneration is a very common motivator behind the fabrication of
