“Part of the problem lies precisely in the very effective way in which antibiotics work. Most inhibit essential components of the cellular machinery, efficiently killing susceptible pathogens but also members of our commensal microbiota. This exerts a massive selection pressure, […]
“What’s most surprising is that, before really entering senescence, the cells divide one last time,” says Francis Rodier, corresponding author of the study. “In fact, the cell division caused by telomere dysfunction is so unstable that it ends up creating […]
Researchers found a cohort of healthcare workers who seemed strangely immune to Covid-19 infections despite high levels of exposure. Thinking the immunity came from other recent coronavirus infections, they found evidence of exactly that. “Mali Maini, senior author on the […]
An approachable deep dive into cutting-edge microscopy. I find the state of the art incredibly impressive yet clearly lacking. For example, “The best-kept secret of tomography is that when you look at a mammalian cell, a tomograph is less than […]
This modified version of transcranial magnetic stimulation had a success rate of 78% vs 30%, and takes 5 days vs 6 weeks. | learn more
Scientists used fMRI to detect which parts of the brain were pathways for the placebo and nocebo effects. They found the brainstem active during both. | learn more
This article in Scientific American recounts the history of gene therapy, its promise, and its multiple failures. There is continued hope as researchers find new ways to minimize risks. A quote from one gene therapy company’s chief medical officer: “I […]
This paper was recently published in Nature Aging. “Here we review features of senescent cells and strategies for targeting them, including immunologic approaches, as well as key intracellular signaling pathways. Additionally, we survey current senolytic therapies in human trials.” | learn more
Senolytics are the class of drugs that target senescent cells (so-called “zombie cells”). While the basis for using these drugs to delay, prevent or reverse aging is still limited, there’s certainly a lot of excitement in the field. Also, there’s […]
“A small device implanted in the brain of a patient with severe, treatment-resistant depression was trained to issue electrical pulses to areas of the brain linked to the condition. The effects of the neurostimulation kicked in almost immediately, according to […]