StemCell Therapy

When we look at a painting, its colors and images enter our eyes as waves of light. Thanks to a layer of tissue at the back of our eyes known as the retina, the vibrant yellows and subtle blues of van Goghs Starry Night are translated into electrical signals for our brains to interpret.

This remarkable part of our eye is actually an extension of our brain tissue. And just like our brain, the retina needs a lot of oxygen to function properly.

A study published by an international collaboration of researchers recently revealed just how important a steady supply of oxygen was to the evolution of a thicker retina, and therefore better vision.

425 million years ago, the researchers found, your ancestor was a fish with mediocre eyesight. And its sight couldnt improve until it evolved new ways for oxygen to reach the retina.

We showed that in the ancestor of most vertebrates, the retina was likely thin and had a relatively poor oxygen supply to it, says H. William Detrich, a professor of marine and environmental sciences at Northeastern. As species evolved, when the retina increased in thickness, it was always accompanied by one of several mechanisms that improve retinal oxygen delivery.

H. William Detrich is a professor of marine and environmental sciences in the College of Science at Northeastern. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

The researchers collected information about retinal thicknesses and oxygen delivery mechanisms in 87 vertebrate species around the world and examined the evolutionary links between them. They found that several unique ways had evolved to bring oxygen to the retina, and any vertebrate with good vision exhibited at least one of them.

Around 280 million years ago, when todays continents were still squished together in a giant land mass we now call Pangea, the first of these changes showed up in fish.

Hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that binds with oxygen, mutated in a way that made it extremely sensitive to acid. When the blood became even slightly acidic, the mutated hemoglobin would release a large portion of the oxygen it was holding.

In the layer of the eye right behind the retina, called the choroid, a web of capillaries evolved. This network, known as the rete mirabile (latin for miracle network, Detrich says), maintained a slightly acidic environment. When blood passed through it, oxygen was forced out of the hemoglobin to diffuse into the retina at high concentrations.

These changes were accompanied by the evolution of thicker retinas and larger eyes in fish. The influx of oxygen allowed fish eyes to sustain more cells to help them resolve finer details in an image and see better in low light.

While the choroid rete mirabile is still prevalent in fish today, it never evolved in vertebrates on land. These animals instead evolved networks of capillaries within the retina itself, or immediately in front of it, providing oxygen more directly to retinal cells. But this solution was a tradeoff, Detrich says, because the blood vessels could potentially interfere with vision by scattering incoming light.

The researchers found that these mechanisms evolved and vanished from evolutionary history multiple times. Some animals, like the Mexican blind cave fish, adapted to environments where eyesight wasnt that important, and lost some of the mutations that would bring oxygen to the eye. Ancient mammals evolved more capillaries in and around their retinas when they began being active in the daylight and relying more heavily on vision, about 100 million years ago.

Antarctic icefishes, which Detrich has been studying for decades, were a special case. They lost their red blood cells and hemoglobin in an evolutionary accident, and had to adapt.

The absence of hemoglobin in the icefishes means that they cannot provide oxygen to the retina using the choroid rete mirabile, Detrich says. If those fish were to maintain a decent retinal sickness, another mechanism of oxygen supply had to evolve.

Detrich was on an expedition in Antarctica when he received an email from Christian Damsgaard, the studys lead author. Damsgaard wanted to include icefish and several other Antarctic fish species in the study, but didnt have any high-quality specimens.

I wrote back and said, Well, I happened to be in Antarctica at the moment. And we can rectify that problem, Detrich says.

Detrich and his team collected fresh specimens and blood samples from five species of fish: two icefish species, and three Antarctic species that never lost their red blood.

The researchers found that the icefish species had retinas that were just as thick as those of the other Antarctic species, despite losing their oxygen-carrying hemoglobin. To keep supplying oxygen to their eyes, the icefish had evolved extensive networks of capillaries in front of their retinas.

It was a particularly informative aspect, Detrich says.

The odd evolutionary twist of the icefish helps to fill out a larger picture linking a steady supply of oxygen to better vision. Combined with analyses of other vertebrates around the world, it gives us a better fundamental understanding of how our eyes, and the eyes of every other vertebrate, came to be.

This really advances our state of knowledge about eye evolution, Detrich says. Our study is the most comprehensive attempt to synthesize our understanding of the vertebrate eye.

For media inquiries, please contact Shannon Nargi at s.nargi@northeastern.edu or 617-373-5718.

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The secret to better eyesight? Just add oxygen (and millions of years of evolution). - News@Northeastern

Getting your eyes tested usually takes time and money. But with the EyeQue VisionCheck, you can check your vision at home. This gadget even lets you order new glasses via your smartphone. This CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree is now only $51 (Orig. $69) at 9to5Toys Specials with promo code: MERRYSAVE15.

Getting your eyes tested by a health professional is important. But between those full checkups, you might want to keep track of your eyesight. EyeQue VisionCheck helps you do just that.

The device works in combination with your phone screen. You simply look through the eyepiece and follow the test instructions; VisionCheck does the rest. In seconds, you get an accurate reading of your vision. The app can also measure your pupillary distance with a selfie.

After three tests, you should have enough data to order new eyeglasses. The app offers a huge range of stylish frames at very reasonable prices. The EyeQue app even lets you upload your prescription, so you get the right lenses every time.

Normally priced at $69, the EyeQue VisionCheck is now 26% off MSRP at $51 with promo code MERRYSAVE15 at checkout.

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Pune: Facing difficulties in learning the sport, inadequate coaches and taunts from sighted players all these obstacles hardly matter for Megha Chakraborty and Somendra who dream to become grandmasters one day.

Chakraborty from West Bengal and Delhi boy Somendra have represented India in Asian Para Games, 2018,Jakarta, Indonesia and Asian Blind Championship, 2018 in Udupi, Karnataka respectively.

The duo is currently in city to participate in the National School Chess Championship for the Blind ongoing at Mumbai Maratha Fruitwala Dharamshala, Alandi.

Seventeen-year-old Chakraborty can only see from her left eye since her birth. She was introduced to the sport in Class 3.

I used to observe my seniors play chess at my blind hostel in Kolkata. I asked them about the game and learnt the basics, said Chakraborty.

Challenge from sighted players

Whenever I used to play chess, sighted players used to taunt me and say that I cannot beat them or become a successful player because of my sight limitations. My reply used to be that I will beat them all if given a chance.

I started practicing hard and now I play in both categories. I can compete against sighted players, said Chakraborty, who partnering with Mrunalini Pande won the silver medal in womens team Rapid VI B2/B3 and bronze in womens team Standard VI B2/B3 in 2018, Asian Para Games, 2018, Jakarta.

No fear of blindness

Chakraborty knows that she might loss her vision completely in a few years, but the thought does not make her weak.

We have raised her in such a way that now we discuss more about becoming a best player in chess instead of worrying about losing eyesight. The doctor has told us clearly that sight in left eye is getting weaker every day, but that is not is our hand. Our only aim is to give best in chess, said Bandana, mother of Megha Chakraborty.

Life is about playing chess and kabaddi for Somendra

Somendra became partially blind at the age of five in his hometown Kaisargang in Uttar Pradesh.

I was suffering from chickenpox, and then lost my eyesight (right eye). I was shifted to Delhi in a blind school, said Somendra, who is playing chess since 2014 by observing his hostel mates. It was totally a new sport for Somendra who used to play kabaddi.

I gave chess a try and soon I started enjoying it. Rules were a bit tough, but soon I started to defeat good players. I took part in National Blind Championship, where in 2016 I won silver and in 2018, managed to bag gold, said Somendra, who is also a raider when it comes to kabaddi.

Advantage for sighted players

Somendra plays against sighted and partially blind players. He finds games against sighted players tough as the latter have more advantage.

They (sighted player) can plan their moves in a much better way than us. Especially when time is less they can make fast moves which irritates me sometimes, but I try to give my best, Somendra said.

Next aim

Playing regular chess and becoming a successful player is Somendras next focus. The Class 11 student has chalked a plan to achieve the goal.

Megha Chakraborty, 1232 FIDE rank

We have many successful blind players in the country. All they need is more support from government and coaches to win more medals.

Somendra, 1423 FIDE rank

Playing more international tournaments is my aim now as it will help me to improve my game. I will also focus on listening chess audio books to learn new tricks about the game.

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Defying vision limitations to become grandmasters - Hindustan Times

For the past decade, low-income adults on the Medi-Cal program have been covered for visual exams and other eye services, but not eyeglasses themselves. Theyve had to pay for those out of pocket, along with other excluded benefits such as podiatry, some hearing services and incontinence treatments.

But starting in 2020, these benefits are back on the list.

The federal government considers some services optional for Medicaid patients. So they were the first to go when California needed to shrink the Medi-Cal budget in 2009, said Jedd Hampton, director of policy at senior advocacy group LeadingAge California.

Across the board these services, though theyre seen as optional benefits, they provide a whole wraparound element for the overall wellness of that individual, he said, noting that seniors were hit especially hard by the benefit cuts.

The latest state budget allocates $17.4 million to cover eyeglasses, podiatry, audiology and other benefits starting Jan. 1.

This is the next step in an ongoing process of restoring previously cut Medi-Cal benefits. The state has restored dental coverage in recent years, and acupuncture has also returned as a covered service.

But the lack of vision services has remained a problem. Roughly 2 million Medi-Cal enrollees between ages 21 and 64 need glasses, according to the California Optometric Association. Children and people living in nursing homes are currently covered for glasses.

Those that had the ability to get glasses were able to perform their work functions better, they were able to drive more effectively, and read better,which is really unfair, unfortunately, said David Ardaya, chairman of the associations health care delivery systems committee. He added that people are more likely to seek routine eye exams if they know eyeglasses will be covered.

The need for eyeglasses is likely to continue as more Californians develop diabetes, which can cause eye disease. Patients with diabetes are also more likely to need toe or foot amputations, which require soon-to-be-covered podiatric care.

The Department of Health Care Services says it plans to notify all Medi-Cal providers and beneficiaries about the newly covered services.

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Eyeglasses, Speech Therapy And Other Services Returning To Medi-Cal Benefit List - Capital Public Radio News

Ryan Searle battles blurred vision as well as his opponent (Picture: Getty Images)

Ryan Searle is back for a second crack at the PDC World Darts Championship this year and will be battling his poor eyesight as well as his first round opponent.

The 32-year-old suffers from astigmatism which causes blurred vision, to the extent that he often cannot see where his darts land.

The world number 52 often has to check with the referee what he has hit with his arrows and will sometimes just be guessing if he has nailed the intended target or not.

Despite this, Searle had a superb debut at Alexandra Palace last year, reaching the last 16 after beating Mensur Suljovic, Willie OConnor and Stephen Burton.

The win over seventh seed Suljovic was a huge shock 12 months ago, and he explained his condition to Dan Dawson after the victory.

Even when I was at school I couldnt see the blackboard.Its something Ive always played with, I do really struggle, Searle told Dawson.

But considering that, I dont play too bad.

Dawson explained further on Twitter: Astigmatism in his dominant eye. Everythings blurry. Goes a lot on the feel of whether darts are in.

Some miss the target by a distance and he has to check with the ref where theyve landed.

Astigmatism means your eye is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football, so light is focused at more than one place in the eye.

This can cause:

blurred visionheadacheseye strain (you may notice this after concentrating for a long time on a computer, for example)

Courtesy of NHS.uk

Searle is back in first round action in the 2020 World Championship against 26-year-old Australian Robbie King, who is making his debut at the Alexandra Palace.

The Aussie won the DPA Oceanic Masters title to reach the big one, but has only been seen once before on TV as he averaged just 77 in a first round loss to Rob Cross at the Melbourne Darts Masters.

MORE: Devastated Michael Smith reacts to shock PDC World Darts Championship exit to Luke Woodhouse

MORE: Raymond van Barneveld reacts to nightmare loss in final PDC World Darts Championship match

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Ryan Searle back at the PDC World Darts Championship despite struggling to see the board - Metro.co.uk

UK based MR Solutions presented a simultaneous 7T PET/MRI preclinical imaging system optimized for nanoparticle imaging to the first joint annual congress of the French Nanomedicine Society (SFNano), and the French national Competency Cluster in Nanoscience CNano which was held in Dijon in early December.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have demonstrated great potential in diagnostic medicine particularly as contrast agents using MRI scanners. Iron oxide, gold, and gadolinium NPs have been used in preclinical and clinical studies as contrast enhancing agents.

The participants at the SFNano CNano 2019 joint meeting work in the scientific areas of nanomedicine, nanotechnology and nanoscience. MR Solutions presented the technology in a talk to the scientific community and displayed the PET/MRI system at the accompanying exhibition.

MR Solutions 7T PET/MR preclinical imaging system uses dry magnet, or liquid-helium free technology facilitating a compact system for multi-modality imaging. Researchers are able to combine high resolution MRI data with the high sensitivity of PET data for anatomical and quantitative studies.

Fabrice Chaumard, MR Solutions sales and marketing director commented: We were delighted that there was so much interest from the scientific community in our preclinical PET/MRI systems for nanoparticle imaging. This system provides much better imaging data and at a fraction of the cost of two separate systems.

The PET capability is provided by solid state detectors which are incorporated in the bore of the MRI scanner. The scanner combines the exquisite structural and functional characterisation of tissue provided by MRI with the extreme sensitivity of PET imaging for metabolism and tracking of uniquely labelled cell types or cell receptors. This is particularly useful in oncology, cardiology, and neurology research.

MR Solutions is the worlds leading independent developer and manufacturer of preclinical multi-modality MRI technology and remains the only company to deliver a commercial cryogen-free 3T to 9.4T range of compact MRI scanners. In recognition of the companys innovation and business acumen the company has received three Queens Awards for Enterprise for innovation in 2016 and 2019 and for international trade in 2017.

MR Solutions has over 30 years experience and in excess of 2000 installations across the world. This includes sales of their MRI spectrometers. Its scanners are renowned for their excellence in terms of superior soft tissue contrast and molecular imaging ability.

http://www.mrsolutions.com .

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MR Solutions participates in the first nanomedicine joint annual meeting in Dijon - BioSpace

Elephants have many more cells than humans. However, they dont get cancer.

Eagles can see eight times the magnification of our own eyes. They also perceive ultraviolet light.

Bacteria defend themselves against viral attacks by cutting their own DNA.

Human beings can learn a lot from other living things as small as microbes, as large as elephants and whales.

And what better way to learn about what we can learn than by reading Michael Hehenbergers new book. The longtime Westport resident has just published Our Animal Connection.

In 339 pages, it explores the many ways we can learn about different species adaptations to extreme conditions, their evolution of special capabilities, and the ways they defend against predators and diseases. By studying the vast variety of life forms on earth particularly the top performers Hehenberger hopes that humans can learn and benefit.

Its a dense book, but the author knows his stuff. Hes spent a lifetime studying scientific questions, then coming up with solutions, and hes done it on both molecular and cosmic scales.

Born in Austria, Hehenberger earned a Ph.D. in quantum chemistry at the esteemed Uppsala University in Sweden. He worked for IBM in Europe, specializing in computational chemistry and biology, structural engineering, campus networks and high-performance computing. He moved in 1993 to their research center in San Jose, Calif.

Throughout his IBM career, Hehenberger led collaborations with academic and industrial life sciences organizations. The partnerships were based on joint desires to extend the frontiers of molecular biology, information-based medicine, bio-pharmaceutical research, unstructured data analytics, genomics and nanomedicine.

Three years later, he came east. IBM has facilities in Armonk, Yorktown Heights, White Plains and Somers, N.Y.. But, like many of the companys employees, he found Fairfield County taxes and housing better than Westchesters. He joined the large IBM contingent living in Westport.

His wife met a Wilton Road neighbor, Arlene Skutch, and took painting classes with her. Hehenberger traveled often, and was less involved in the town.

But when he retired in 2013, he joined the Ys Men. Like many retirees in that organization, he kept working. He formed the HM NanoMed Partnership, which organizes conferences and pursues nonomedical and genomic research topics.

And Hehenberger decided to write a book.

Nanomedicine: Science, Business, and Impact was published two years later. Hehenberger describes nanotechnologys intersection with life sciences and healthcare with depth and breadth.

His audience was politicians and businesspeople, including pharmaceutical and biotech executives. The book good excellent feedback. But his publisher priced it high nearly $100 so sales were limited.

Hehenbergers daughter, who has worked with Johnson & Johnson, McKinsey and Harvard, has diabetes. Insulin was first extracted from pigs and cattle. Hehenberger donated a kidney to his daughter, but knows that additional help in fighting the disease could come from animals.

He planned his next book the one about what we can learn from animals as a collaborative effort with a colleague, Zhi Xia, and his daughter. But she got busy, starting a company for patients with chronic diseases, and raising a child, so only he and Zhi worked together.

Zhi is co-founder of BGI, one of the worlds foremost genome sequencing companies. He has published dozens of academic papers and 14 books. They are professional colleagues and share a love for mountains too. Together, theyve traveled to Tibet and the Mount Everest base camp.

The message of their new book, which just started shipping, is simple, Hehenberger says: We need to respect animals, and all living organisms. We can learn a lot from them.

While the human brain is impressive, he notes enabling us to invent microscopes to study tiny organisms and telescopes to search the universe our visual perception cant compare to birds of prey, or even certain insects.

Although we are proud of our ability to run, jump, swim and climb mountains, our best Olympic performances lag behind potential animal competitors.

Our resistance to diseases and the way we recover from injuries are other areas where human performance is not always iimpressive.

The audience for Our Animal Connection is, the author says, anyone interested in animals, science, evolution and our planet.

Unfortunately, it too is priced high: $75.95 for hardcover and $79.95 for Kindle. Hehenberger worries it wont reach as many readers as hed like (hes working on discounts: email mhehen@gmail.com. Hes also hoping for a paperback edition).

As for his passion for mountains, Hehenberger is in the process of comparing the DNA of legendary climbers, like Tibetans, with those of people who live at lower altitudes. The way that mountain dwellers have evolved to deal with hypoxia may have relevance for COPD and cancer.

Who knows? It may also be the subject of his next book.

Dan Woog is a Westport writer, and his Woog's World appears each Friday. He can be reached at dwoog@optonline.net. His personal blog is danwoog06880.com.

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Woogs World: Lots to learn from Westporters new book - Westport News

Nanomedicine Market

Global Nanomedicine Market Professional Survey Report 2019 share manufacturing companies, product type, technological progress, geographical regions, and applications 2019-2024. The Nanomedicine report looks thoroughly at company strategies, and marketing, expenditure, company planning, and sales. The outlook of this sector has been examined in conjunction with the many challenges and growth opportunities. The Nanomedicine analysis exhibits a strategic report and providing market intelligence that is accurate, trusted and vital for its merchants or to implicitly any organization.

Major Players in Nanomedicine market are:Company 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5Company 6Company 7Company 8Company 9Company 10

Most important types of Nanomedicine products covered in this report are:Type 1Type 2Type 3Type 4Type 5

Most widely used downstream fields of Nanomedicine market covered in this report are:Application 1Application 2Application 3Application 4Application 5

Overview of the Report:The report begins with a market overview and moves on to cover the growth prospects of the Nanomedicine markets. Global Nanomedicine industry 2019 is a comprehensive, professional report delivering market research data that is relevant for new market entrants or established players. Key strategies of the companies operating in the markets and their impact analysis have been included in the report. Furthermore, a business overview, revenue share, and SWOT analysis of theleading players in the Nanomedicine market are available in the report.

Nanomedicine Market: Regional Analysis Includes:

Target Audience of Nanomedicine Market 2019 Forecast to 2024 Market:

The content of the study subjects, includes a total of 15 chapters:

(*If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.)

Contact Us:Web:www.qurateresearch.comE-mail:[emailprotected]Ph: US +13393375221, IN +919881074592

This post was originally published on Market Research Sheets

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Nanomedicine Market Global Industry to Record Significant Growth in the Near Future 2019-2024 - Market Research Sheets

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Immix Biopharma, Inc., announced today the first closing of a convertible note financing to support the clinical testing of its lead compound Imx-110 in advanced solid tumors. Mesa Verde managing director, Carey Ng, PhD, MBA, also joined the Board.

Immix CEO, Ilya Rachman, MD, PhD, MBA, shared, "We are thrilled to bring on Mesa Verde and Carey as we continue to build our team with executives and board members with successful experience in guiding early-stage clinical companies through similar phases of rapid growth."

With this additional funding, Immix will begin enrolling patients at US-based sites in its study testing Imx-110 in a Phase 1b/2a trial in advanced solid tumors. Immix received IRB approval to begin dosing patients at Synergy Hematology Oncology with offices in Los Angeles and Encino, CA. Dr. Levon Qasabian, MD will be the principal investigator, who stated that, "We are excited to explore the potential of this promising drug and offer it to patients with advanced tumors and limited treatment options."

Interim readouts from the Phase 1b/2a trial in Australia are 100% clinical benefit rate (akin to disease control rate) for all patients who completed the 5th cohort and at least 2 cycles as scheduled - with the longest duration of response being 8-months of stable disease. No treatment-related serious adverse events have been observed to-date and dose escalation is continuing. For information about participating in this study, please visit clinicaltrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03382340

Immix is also opening a call for investigator initiated studies where the company will provide its lead compound Imx-110 at no charge.

About Imx-110Imx-110 is a first-in-class combination therapy designed to inhibit cancer resistance and evolvability while inducing apoptosis. Imx-110 contains NF-kB/Stat3/pan-kinase inhibitor curcumin combined with a small amount of doxorubicin encased in a nano-sized delivery system for optimal tumor penetration. The nanoparticle is tunable in that it can be bound to various targeting moieties, allowing it to deliver even more payload to tumors or other cell populations of interest, if needed. Imx-110 showed preclinical efficacy in glioblastoma, multiple myeloma, triple-negative breast, colorectal, ovarian, and pancreatic tumor models with the mechanism of action being a 5x increase in cancer cell apoptosis compared to doxorubicin alone, and a wholesale shift in the tumor microenvironment post administration.

About the CompanyImmix Biopharma, Inc. is a privately-held, biopharmaceutical firm focused on developing safe and effective therapies for cancer patients. The company was founded by Vladimir Torchilin, Ph.D., D.Sc., Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine at Northeastern University; physician-scientist and clinical researcher Ilya Rachman, MD, PhD, MBA; and Sean D. Senn, JD, MSc., MBA, a senior biotechnology patent attorney. Immix's founding investor is a family office focused on harnessing scientific advances in order to engineer transformative and effective cancer treatments. For more information visit http://www.immixbio.com.

Media ContactRyan Witt+1 (888) 958-1084info@immixbio.com

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Immix adds Biotech VC Mesa Verde to Investor Syndicate and Receives IRB Approval to Enroll Patients in Phase 1b/2a Cancer Study in the United States -...

Advances in molecular biology and human genetics, coupled with the completion of the Human Genome Project and the increasing power of quantitative genetics to identify disease susceptibility genes, are contributing to a revolution in the practice of medicine. In the 21st century, practicing physicians will focus more on defining genetically determined disease susceptibility in individual patients. This strategy will be used to prevent, modify, and treat a wide array of common disorders that have unique heritable risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, arthrosclerosis, and cancer.

The Division of Genetic Medicine provides an academic environment enabling researchers to explore new relationships between disease susceptibility and human genetics. The Division of Genetic Medicine was established to host both research and clinical research programs focused on the genetic basis of health and disease. Equipped with state-of-the-art research tools and facilities, our faculty members are advancing knowledge of the common genetic determinants of cancer, congenital neuropathies, and heart disease. The Division faculty work jointly with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center to support the Hereditary Cancer Clinic for treating patients and families who have an inherited predisposition to various malignancies.

Genetic differences in humans at the molecular level not only contribute to the disease process but also significantly impact an individuals ability to respond optimally to drug therapy. Vanderbilt is a pioneer in precisely identifying genetic differences between patients and making rational treatment decisions at the bedside.

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Genetic Medicine | Department of Medicine

A womans genetic background can powerfully modifiy her cancer risk from a BRCA1 mutation.

By Jocelyn KaiserDec. 17, 2019 , 4:00 PM

Women who learn that they have a mutation in the breast cancer gene BRCA1 face a wrenching decision. Their doctor or genetic counselor will likely tell them that women with such mutations have, on average, a 72% lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 44% risk of ovarian cancer. Given that, up to half decide to have prophylactic mastectomies, and many have ovaries removed, too.

But recent studies show a woman could receive a more individualized, accurate cancer risk estimate by factoring in other gene variants. A preprint posted last month finds that a person's "polygenic" background influences not only the disease risk conferred by a BRCA1 defect, but also risks from single gene mutations linked to colorectal cancer and heart disease. Some individuals were very likely to develop cancer or heart disease by age 75, the analysis showed, whereas in others the risk was not much greater than in a person without the high-risk mutation.

"It's pretty striking," says cardiologist and geneticist Amit Khera of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, leader of the study, which is on the medRxiv preprint server. "It's become clear that there are both monogenic and polygenic [disease] drivers. The future is to assess both."

"The message is a very important one for patients and clinicians," says Teri Manolio of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. "Carriers of BRCA1 mutations or other pathogenic variants don't invariably develop disease, and genomics can be used to help parse carriers who are at lower risk." Others caution, however, that risk scores summing how dozens to thousands of other genetic variants interact with a single major disease gene aren't yet accurate enough to use in the clinic. The new paper "is teasing at the possibility, but there's a lot of work to be done," says Harvard University epidemiologist Peter Kraft.

MGH cardiology fellow Akl Fahed and others in Khera's group explored polygenic influences on the three important single-gene disorders in the United States: familial hypercholesterolemia, which leads to sky-high cholesterol levels and dramatically elevates risk of heart disease; Lynch syndrome, a flaw in DNA repair that brings a lifetime risk of colorectal cancer of about 60%; and inherited breast cancer, caused by variants in BRCA1 or BRCA2. They took advantage of databases that combine medical and genomic information from thousands of people, enabling researchers to tally how the many genetic variants with subtle effects modify disease risks and complex traits such as height.

Drawing on some 50,000 participants in the UK Biobank and 19,000 women tested for BRCA genes by the company Color Genomics, the team found that polygenic background strongly modified the risk of carrying a mutation in the key genes for the three disorders. For a small proportion of major disease gene carriers, other genetic variants boosted their overall risk of cancer or heart disease to about 80%, well above the average of 30% to 40% that Khera's group estimated for its study populations based on just the single disease gene mutations. (The team's monogenic disease risk predictions are lower than many other estimates for several possible reasons, Khera notes, including that the UK Biobank participants are healthier than the general population.) At the other extreme, the polygenic analysis suggested that a few people with those mutations have much lower risks than predicted by their single mutation alone, as low as 11% for colon cancer, 13% for breast cancer, and 17% for heart diseasenot much higher than other people in general.

Khera's group says adding polygenic data to single-gene tests could help people decide whether to take aggressive steps to head off diseasemastectomy or removal of the ovaries for women carrying BRCA mutations or frequent colonoscopies for people with Lynch syndrome. But the new study does not include enough data for clinical decisions, says genetic epidemiologist Antonis Antoniou of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Only 116 women in the UK Biobank sample had BRCA mutations, which he notes "is an extremely small number to make inferences about risks."

Two years ago, Antoniou led a study that reported on how polygenic scores influence risks in 25,000 carriers of BRCA mutations and found nearly as wide a range of overall cancer risks. His team has incorporated those data into a breast cancer risk estimator along with factors such as family history.

The MGH study is "an important and exciting paper" that complements other work, says David Ledbetter, chief scientific officer for the Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. His team recently looked at 92,000 participants in an ongoing genomic medicine study called MyCode, focusing on those who carried mutations predisposing them to 11 rare disorders that affect traits such as height, weight, and cholesterol levels. Incorporating polygenic scores helped predict those traits, the group reported on 25 October in Nature Communications.

It may be a while before physicians are comfortable telling patients how genetic backgrounds modify the risk posed by a major disease gene mutation. But some companies already offer polygenic scores for cancer and other diseases, and tests that combine both kinds of information are imminent. Before insurance companies agree to pay for such tests, Ledbetter cautions, "They're going to want to see much more clinical validation"including for minorities, because current polygenic analyses draw on data primarily from people of European ancestry.

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'Polygenic' profile could better predict disease risk for those with cancer mutations - Science Magazine

UNC Police is asking the public for help in their investigation of a series of credit card thefts fromdifferent medical research buildings on south campus earlier this month.

The department tweeted out photos on Tuesday morning, asking for helping identifying two people of interest in relation to the investigation.

According to an Alert Carolina post made on December 5, the thefts occurred during business hours on Wednesday December 4 inMacNider Hall, Beard Hall, the Bioinformatics Building and the Genetic Medicine Research Building among others. The post says credit cards were taken from unsecured offices and cubicles throughout the buildings.

Anyone seeing any suspicious activity anywhere on campus is reminded to call 911 immediately. UNC Police also encourage people to use smart security practices while in a work environment, like putting away visible valuables, keeping a record of all keys that have been issued and no admitting strangers into places of work.

If you have any information about the individuals, call the UNC Police Department at (919) 962-8100.

Related

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UNC Police Investigating Series of Credit Card Thefts on South Campus - Chapelboro.com

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report today in the journal Neuron evidence that refutes the link between increased levels of herpes virus and Alzheimers disease. In addition, the researchers provide a new statistical and computational framework for the analysis of large-scale sequencing data.

About 50 million people worldwide are affected by Alzheimers disease, a type of progressive dementia that results in the loss of memory, cognitive abilities and verbal skills, and the numbers are growing rapidly. Currently available medications temporarily ease the symptoms or slow the rate of decline, which maximizes the time patients can live and function independently. However, there are no treatments to halt progression of Alzheimers disease.

Like all types of dementia, Alzheimers disease is characterized by massive death of brain cells, the neurons. Identifying the reason why neurons begin and continue to die in the brains of Alzheimers disease patients is an active area of research, said corresponding author Dr. Zhandong Liu, associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Childrens Hospital.

One theory that has gained traction in the past year is that certain microbial infections, such as those caused by viruses, can trigger Alzheimers disease. A 2018 study reported increased levels of human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A) and human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) in the postmortem brain tissues of more than 1,000 patients with Alzheimers disease when compared to the brain tissues of healthy-aging subjects or those suffering from a different neurodegenerative condition.

Presence of elevated levels of genetic material of herpes viruses indicated active infections, which were linked to Alzheimers disease. In less than a year, this study generated a flurry of excitement and led to the initiation of several studies to better understand the link between viral infections and Alzheimers disease.

Surprisingly, when co-author Dr. Hyun-Hwan Jeong, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Lius group and others, reanalyzed the data sets from the 2018 study using the identical statistical methods with rigorous filtering, as well as four commonly used statistical tools, they were unable to produce the same results.

The team was motivated to reanalyze the data from the previous study because they observed that while the p-values (a statistical parameter that predicts the probability of obtaining the observed results of a test, assuming that other conditions are correct) were highly significant, they were being ascribed to data in which the differences were not visually appreciable.

Moreover, the p-values did not fit with simple logistic regression a statistical analysis that predicts the outcome of the data as one of two defined states. In fact, after several types of rigorous statistical tests, they found no link between the abundance of herpes viral DNA or RNA and likelihood of Alzheimers disease in this cohort.

As high-throughput omics technologies, which include those for genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and others, become affordable and easily available, there is a rising trend toward big data in basic biomedical research. In these situations, given the massive amounts of data that have to be mined and extracted in a short time, researchers may be tempted to rely solely on p-values to interpret results and arrive at conclusions, Liu said.

Our study highlights one of the potential pitfalls of over-reliance on p-values. While p-values are a very valuable statistical parameter, they cannot be used as a stand-alone measure of statistical correlation data sets from high-throughput procedures still need to be carefully plotted to visualize the spread of the data, Jeong said. Data sets also have to be used in conjunction with accurately calculated p-values to make gene-disease associations that are statistically correct and biologically meaningful.

Our goal in pursuing and publishing this study was to generate tools and guidelines for big data analysis, so the scientific community can identify treatment strategies that will likely benefit patients, Liu said.

This study was funded by the Huffington Foundation.

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Link between herpes virus infections, Alzheimer's refuted - Baylor College of Medicine News

Drug Target Review lists its 10 most popular news stories from 2019, summarising the drug targets that you wanted to read about.

Drug Target Review has published a wide range of news stories this year, from the identification of novel drug targets to improvements in toxicology studies and developments in screening.

As the year draws to a close, we reflect on the biggest and most popular stories from 2019. To read the full pieces, click on the title of each news story.

A genetic analysis study revealed that variants of hundreds of genes work together in contributing to the development of Tourettes syndrome, in our tenth most popular story this year.

According to the researchers, from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and collaborators, their findings confirm that the underlying basis for Tourettes syndrome is polygenic, meaning that hundreds of small DNA changes cause the condition, rather than one inactive gene.

The scientists said their next step is to expand their sample size to around 12,000 patients, made possible with a potential international collaboration.

The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

A group of researchers identified new genetic targets on which BRCA2-driven cancer cells are dependent upon, providing a potential avenue for drug development.

The study, conducted at Brigham and Womens Hospital, used CRISPR and short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) to test 380 genes with a known or suspected role in DNA-damage response. This allowed the team to narrow in on the most promising genes: APEX2 and FEN1, two novel targets for breast cancer.

The results were published in Molecular Cell.

Immunotherapy treatment could reduce the persistence of HIV in patients receiving triple therapy, found a group of researchers.

The researchers, from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, discovered that these therapies expose the virus to the immune system. Three proteins PD-1, LAG-3 and TIGIT were uncovered by the scientists as frequently expressed on the surface of HIV-hiding cells; these proteins are also cancer targets.

According to the team, their study could lead to the development of new HIV therapies based on cancer immunotherapies.

The study was published in Nature Communications.

Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine developed a blood test to measure pain and improve diagnosis. The team analysed hundreds of patient samples to reveal biomarkers in their blood, which could be used as a scale to determine pain.

According to the researchers, the biomarkers act like a signature that can be matched against a prescription database. This could allow medical professionals to select the appropriate compound and reduce pain for the patient.

The study was published in Molecular Psychiatry.

A team of scientists revealed that immune cells could be key in causing endometriosis, a pelvic pain experienced by women, through an investigation into macrophages. The study was led by researchers from Warwick Medical School and the University of Warwick.

Macrophages can adapt their function according to local signals from their surroundings and so become modified by disease. This led the researchers to add modified macrophages to a cell culture, which resulted in the production of higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

The team conclude that macrophages therefore present a drug target for endometriosis.

The results can be found in The FASEB Journal.

Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania imaged a molecule that induces inflammation and leads to lupus, in our fifth most popular story of 2019. The researchers discovered that the molecule is comprised of two sections: SHMT2 and BRISC, a cluster of proteins. When these two sections bind to each other, they cause inflammation.

When mice models lacking BRISC were tested, they were resistant to lupus. This led the team to conclude that a molecule which blocks BRISC and SHMT2 could be a drug target for lupus.

The findings were published in Nature.

A team of researchers reported that a CRISPR-Cas9 gene therapy which specifically reduces fat tissue and obesity-related metabolic disease was successful in mice.

The scientists, from Hanyang University, argue that their technique could be used as a way to combat type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related diseases.

Targeting Fabp4, a fatty acid metabolism gene, the researchers observed a 20 percent reduction of body weight in obese mice. It also resulted in improved insulin resistance after only six weeks of treatment.

The findings were published in Genome Research.

A compound that promotes the rebuilding of the protective sheath around nerve cells has been developed by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

The team found that the S3 compound reverses the effect of hyaluronic acid (HA) in mice. HA has been found to accumulate in the brain of patients with multiple sclerosis, and accumulation of HA

has also been linked to maturity failure of cells called oligodendrocytes, which generate myelin, the protective layer of axons.

The team therefore believe that the S3 compound could provide a therapeutic strategy for treating nervous system disorders.

The study can be found in Glia.

A group of researchers formed a complex view of the functional dysbiosis in the gut microbiome during inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to reveal new targets for treatments.

The scientists, from theBroad InstituteofMITandHarvard University, observed microbial changes and human gene regulatory shifts from stool and blood samples of patients.

This multi-omic study enabled the team to discover that during periods of disease activity, IBD patients had higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in both the blood and stool. They also identified other varying levels of nutrients and vitamins, presenting several potential drug targets.

The findings were published in Nature.

In our most popular news piece this year, researchers found that the small molecule PJ34 reduces the number of human pancreatic cancer cells in transplanted tumours by 90 percent.

The team, from Tel Aviv University, built on previous research to treat xenografts with their small molecule. It is permeable in the cell membrane, but affects human cancer cells exclusively, making it an attractive compound for development.

The scientists found that PJ34 causes a rapid cell death and in one mouse, the tumour completely disappeared. They concluded that the molecule could be a potent therapeutic against pancreatic cancer.

The results were published in Oncotarget.

Related organisationsBrigham and Women's Hospital, Hanyang University, Harvard University, Indiana University School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MIT, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Pennsylvania University, Tel Aviv University, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Warwick Medical School, Warwick University

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DTR's news round-up 2019: the stories that defined the year - Drug Target Review

Spark will continue its operations in Philadelphia as an independent company within the Roche Group

Roche and Spark Therapeutics, Inc. have announced the completion of the acquisition following the receipt of regulatory approval from all government authorities required by the merger agreement.

Commenting on this important step forward, Severin Schwan, CEO of Roche, said, We are excited about this important milestone because we believe that together, Roche and Spark will be able to significantly improve the lives of patients through innovative gene therapies.This acquisition supports our long-lasting commitment to bringing transformational therapies and innovative approaches to people around the world with serious diseases.

Spark Therapeutics, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a fully integrated, commercial company committed to discovering, developing and delivering gene therapies for genetic diseases, including blindness, haemophilia, lysosomal storage disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Spark Therapeutics will continue to operate as an independent company within the Roche Group.

Today ushers in a new and promising era in the development of genetic medicines for patients and families living with inherited diseases and beyond, said Jeffrey D. Marrazzo, co-founder and CEO of Spark Therapeutics. Spark and Roche share an ethos of imagining the unimaginable. Together, we have the potential to change the future of medicine and deliver the medicines of tomorrow today. We couldnt be more thrilled about whats next.

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Roche acquires Spark Therapeutics to strengthen presence in gene therapy - BSI bureau

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Innovations Transforming the Global Healthcare IT, Biomarker, Biologics, and Small Molecule Landscape" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This edition of the Life Science, Health & Wellness TechVision Opportunity Engine (TOE) provides technological insights across 26 global healthcare innovations.

The technologies analyzed include advances in digital health, biologics, small molecules, medical imaging, dental caries and precision oncology platforms. The TOE also covers application and megatrends impact, apart from exclusive analyst insights for each innovation.

The Life Science, Health & Wellness TOE will feature disruptive technology advances in the global life sciences industry. The technologies and innovations profiled will encompass developments across genetic engineering, drug discovery and development, biomarkers, tissue engineering, synthetic biology, microbiome, disease management, as well as health and wellness among several other platforms.

The Health & Wellness cluster tracks developments in a myriad of areas including genetic engineering, regenerative medicine, drug discovery and development, nanomedicine, nutrition, cosmetic procedures, pain and disease management and therapies, drug delivery, personalized medicine, and smart healthcare.

Companies featured:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/98ey4z

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Innovations Transforming the Global Healthcare IT, Biomarker, Biologics, and Small Molecule Landscape, 2019 Research Report - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

Church was born in England and grew up in post-war London. As a child, she took to the water early.

I was a swimmer, Church said. I had a chance to train for the 1940 Olympic team but the war came along and they cancelled everything so that was the end of that.

She worked at Cambridge University during the second world war as a stenographer and met her future husband Harry, a Canadian soldier.

Harry returned to Canada in 1944, while Jessica followed two years later. The pair built a life in Thunder Bay Ont, before moving out west to Vancouver, Victoria and finally Parksville.

(Thunder Bay) was too darn cold so I said to my husband that we have to move down the coastits like English weather, Church said.

The two raised five children, a daughter and four sons. Church also worked for the Canadian government in a security and investigative role.

Church said the world has immeasurably changed in her time and was at wonder about the development of technology.

When we were in England when I was growing up, all we had was a radio, nothing else. No TV, no computers, no nothingjust a radio, Church said.

Church is a 17-year resident of Buttertubs Place and spends her time painting flowers and gardening.

She added the simplest advice she can give on living life to its fullest was to take it easy, take things in stride and dont get upset.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley

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100-years-young: Nanaimo woman reflects on lifetime of change - Nanaimo News NOW

For any farmer, judging their livestock is a key part to success. For Lydia Gosney, not only is it a skill that she has been working on since she was seven-years-old but it is also she is a part of the best team in the nation, and those two elements will send her to Scotland for international competition. She is a member of Kentuckys first 4-H Livestock Judging team to win the top spot at the North American International Livestock Exposition. Her teammates include Chevy Vaske (Grant County), Will Banks (Harrison County), and Kasey Johnson (Mason County). When Kentucky was called as National Champions, we jumped out of our seats, tears flowing and hugged each other so tight, recalled Gosney of that moment. I still get chills thinking about it and all of the raw emotion. While the team was having unparalled success, she was receiving individual honors, too. After placing in many areas, it came down to the overall awards. As the announcer got closer and closer to first place, he paused. I vividly remember the sound of his voice and the silence as he announced the top two individuals were tied. She was named Reserve National Champion. I was blessed and immediately started crying, not because I was upset about getting second, but because I had put my whole heart and soul into this for the past seven years, she explained. As a livestock judge, they evaluate animals and their genetics to determine their longevity in the herd and/or their carcass merit for slaughter. At the North American International contest, her team are to judge 11 classes of either sheep, goats, cattle or hogs. They answer 30 questions on three of those classes, as well. My favorite and most competitive category is Reasons, Gosney stated in explaining the competition process. This is where they defend their decisions on the four classes they placed earlier in the day. They write four sets of speeches and, with minimal preparation, they deliver the speeches in front of the judges. Pendleton County 4-H Agent Shelly Meyer has watched Gosney grow into the national champion. Lydia is a prodigy of the Pendleton County Livestock Judging program, she said of the young lady who started in the program as a nine-year-old and came back stronger each year. Gosney has teamed with Zach Wyatt, and the duo have been the team to beat in Kentucky, according to Meyer. Beyond their success in competition, Meyer said she saw even more in them. I turned the county judging team over to them to coach and train for this past years competition, she said. It was truly remarkable to watch two young people share their knowledge and expertise with their fellow 4-Hers.

It was an incredible way to give back. Gosney credits Meyer for her success. Shelley Meyer started this journey. She judged livestock in college and decided to put together a competitive team of local kids. She has traveled the country, competing and winning competitions, but in June, her team will travel to Scotland and Ireland to represent Kentucky.

The journey was not easy though as Gosney told Falmouth Outlook that each weekend since August her teammates loaded up in a University of Kentucky van to travel and practice nonstop. I dont think people really understand all the blood, sweat and tears put into this. The bond between my team is unbelievably strong, she said. I am humbled and honored to be a part of this team. As in all champions, the hard work, dedication and commitment from the individual is directly related to their success, there is a support system that assists and guides them along the way. Coach Steve Austin saw potential in her and has pushed her to be the best she can be. My parents, Martha and Brent Gosney, are the best support system I could ask for, she said. She credits mom for keeping her confidence levels up but reminding her to stay humble and thanking the Lord for everything He has given her. Her dad pushes her to be the best version of herself she can be but never fails to remind her that she is a champion whether she wins or not.

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Gosney travels the country to become a national champion - The Falmouth Outlook

Glenn Ellis

By Glenn Ellis

(TriceEdneyWire.com) It saddens me (as I grow older myself) how many people are struggling with accepting old age. Much of our society is filled with folks, young and old, who see aging as a negative aspect of life. Our society discards those who have reached old age, and we are inundated with promises and potions that have us fixated on staying young.

We are programmed to die;agingis the outcome of this programming, and it is no secret that the human body changes over time. Both genetics and lifestyle play a huge role in how we age.

We all age (if we live long enough), but seldom do we think about the process that takes place that takes us from the vibrant, youthful, and energetic creatures we used to be, to the sedentary and limited beings we become in old age.

There are those in the scientific and medical community who are advocating thatagingshould be treated as adisease. Aging is defined as the progressive accumulation of damage to your cells, tissues and organs, leading to disease and death. According to one study, this dreadful process starts at 24 years of age, at least for the brain; it could be a bit later.

Aging is nothing more than the natural wear and tear of the bodys component parts. Its inevitable, and endlessly intriguing. While many age-related changes cannot be prevented, a lifestyle that includes exercise and a well-balanced diet will slow or minimize many problems related to aging.

As we age, our bodys organs and other systems make changes. These changes alter our susceptibility to various diseases. Researchers are just beginning to understand the processes that cause changes over time in our body systems. Understanding these processes is important because many of the effects of aging are first noticed in our body systems.

No single process can explain all the changes of aging. Aging is a complex process that varies as to how it affects different people and even different organs. Most Gerontologists (people who study aging) feel that aging is due to the interaction of many lifelong influences. These influences include heredity, environment, culture, diet, exercise and leisure, past illnesses, and many other factors.

Since 1900, average U.S. life expectancy has risen from 47 to 79. A lot of those gains come from a lower infant-mortality rate: A century ago, 1-in-10 babies born in the U.S. died before age 1, while today that figure is 1-in-170. But longevity gains in later years have also been substantial.

Most people are scared, indeed, terrified of old age because they feel that aging is characterized by a progressive loss of essential body functions that they have learnt to take for granted over the years; for instance, loss of vision, hearing, teeth, memory, intelligence, sexual drive, muscle strength and vigor. However, it needs to be emphasized that you can become old healthily; remember that old age does not necessarily mean progressive deterioration or susceptibility to a plethora of ailments!

Fortunately, aging doesnt have to be a downhill slide. Older people have the reputation of being more mature, experienced and thoughtful. Whether or not you become wiser as you grow older, you are likely to become farsighted for sure! Farsightedness, one example of aging, is a change in vision thats a normal part of aging. It is caused by a gradual hardening of the eyes lens, which impairs your ability to see up close. Your optometrist may recommend a pair of non-prescription reading glasses or prescribe bifocals for you.

Never think ofageas being anything but just a number. There are some things in life we have no control over, such as when we were born. Age is no more than a circumstantial detail, like the color of your eyes, or the names of your parents; it doesnotdefine who you are. Aging is inevitable, growing old is avoidable. Expressed differently, one is never too young to be old or die, but one is never so aged as to become old.

If we live long enough, we will age. Just like the flowers, trees, bees, and all other living species on earth. It is up to us to accept aging as another stage of the life cycle nothing more. Too many of us become despondent, depressed, and feel worthless. Just make the best of whatever you have to work with in old age. Remember, healthy aging is not just about preventing problems. Its also about spotting them and addressing them before they get worse or drag down the rest of your health and independence.

Dying is not just an event that happens to us at the close of our lives. It is our purpose for being. We begin to die the very day we are born and live all our life towards death. Sure, we may get sick as we age, but we can get sick at any stage of life. Illness and aging need not go hand in hand. If you take good care of your body in the morning, it will take good care of you in the evening of your life.

Remember, Im not a doctor. I just sound like one. Take good care of yourself and live the best life possible!

The information included in this column is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.Glenn Ellis, is Research Bioethics Fellow at Harvard Medical School and author of Which Doctor?, and Information is the Best Medicine. Ellis is an active media contributor on Health Equity and Medical Ethics. For more good health information visit: http://www.glennellis.com

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How and Why We Age - charlestonchronicle.net

Theres no way to spend half an hour talking with Jenny Tung and not come away with the unmistakable sense that youve encountered one of the smartest people youll ever meet. Shell speak quickly, words forming in a rapid-fire progression, explaining what are, to her, rudimentary concepts, but, to youif youre a journalist whose academic background is in social scienceare strange and foreign ideas.

Yet you grasp the gravity of what shes saying. Its not so much the granular details that matter. What matters is the fact that the work Tung and her colleagues are doing could fundamentally change how we understand societies and health and longevity.

In September, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named Tung, a thirty-seven-year-old evolutionary anthropologist at Duke University, one of twenty-six 2019 fellows, an honor that comes with an unrestricted $625,000 Genius grant. (Tung was one of two North Carolinians to become a fellow this year; the other is an artist in Yancey County.)

The foundation said it awarded Tung the fellowship because her research has important implications for human health. While associations between socially induced stress and negative health outcomes have long been observed in humans, her findings suggest there is a causal link between social and environmental adversity and poor health.

To explain: We know that, on average, wealthier people live longer than poor people. There are a lot of potential causes: They have better health care. They smoke less. Theyre more likely to exercise and have access to more nutritious foods. Theyre less likely to live in environmentally hazardous neighborhoods.

Tungs work flips our notions of causality on their heads. Sure, those factors matter. But, in studies of baboons living in the wild in Kenya and rhesus monkeys in captivity, she and her team have shown that povertydiminished access to resourcesand lower social status actually affect us on the genomic and cellular level.

In essence, the research indicates that those on lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder tend to have poorer immune systems, rendering them more susceptible to adverse health conditions and early death. And research with captive monkeys suggests that the health effects can be reversed by assigning the lower-ranking monkeys to a higher status.

Thats part of the reason why the MacArthur Foundation sees so much promise in her work.

Tung started out as an undergraduate at Duke in 1999. She planned to be a doctor, but those plans were derailed early on, when she took a course on evolution and social behavior. She was drawn to genetics and their role in quality-of-life determinants.

These things were often studied from the perspective of social sciences, she thought. Why not study them through the lens of life sciences?

If there are direct relationships between social conditions and how our organs and tissues and cells function, then thats a biological function, Tung says. Thats the framework. The how and the why.

Unlike social sciences, life sciences allowed for experimentation and the manipulation of social environments (albeit not with humans). Here, baboons proved especially useful. They are social animals that dont live nearly as long as humansabout eighteen years, on average. But thats long enough to track changes in lifespan. And the baboon group in Kenya has been monitored by scientists for decades, which made it ideal for this kind of generational research.

What shes discovered is that baboons born into early-life adversityduring droughts, or whose mothers died, or who were socially isolatedtend to live ten years less than their peers. In most cases, the cause of death isnt clear, nor is it clear whether the baboons died for the same reason.

But what is clear, Tung says, is that social adversity is toxic to all kinds of systems.

The rhesus monkeys might provide a hint as to whats going on. In lower-status and socially isolated monkeys, genes that are involved in the defense against viruses crank up, leading to molecular inflammation and eventually obliterating cellsa defense mechanism gone wild, as Tung puts it.

The work were contributing to helps clarify a lot about how social interactions could be causal to the outcomes we care about, she says.

There are many questions still to be answered, and the practical implications of Tungs work still need to be developed.

A utopian future in which there are no social stressors seems unlikely, Tung says, but improving childrens social environments could have a significant effect on their long-term health. Shes also looking at the UKs recent decision to add a Minister of Loneliness, aimed at giving isolated elderly people someone to talk to.

And she hopes her research might eventually help explain why some people seem more vulnerable to adverse conditions than others.

As for what she plans to do with the Genius money?

My immediate plan is to try to finish this semester without drowning, she told the INDY earlier this month. [The grant] comes with this onus to do something. I need to think about it.

Contact editor in chief Jeffrey C. Billman at jbillman@indyweek.com.

Support independent local journalism.Join the INDY Press Clubto help us keep fearless watchdog reporting and essential arts and culture coverage viable in the Triangle.

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19 People of 2019: Jenny Tung - INDY Week