Research News

New ‘Smart’ Cancer Drug Targets Tumor Cells While Sparing Healthy Tissue. Scientists in India have developed a promising experimental cancer drug designed to activate mainly inside cancer cells, potentially offering a more selective approach than conventional chemotherapy.

Drugs such as Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists, widely known for their effects on diabetes and weight management, may have potential beyond appetite control, with emerging research suggesting they could also help reduce cravings associated with addiction. A recent report published by The Conversation highlights new evidence pointing to a specific brain pathway that may explain how these medicines influence reward-driven behaviours.

As cancer treatments continue to improve survival rates, managing treatment-related side effects remains one of the biggest challenges in oncology. A new scientific review has highlighted the significant role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in understanding and potentially reducing the toxic effects associated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.

A team of researchers from Japan has uncovered a previously unknown immune mechanism that helps explain how allergies that begin in the skin can progress into severe, body-wide allergic reactions. The discovery sheds light on the biological events underlying the "atopic march" and could pave the way for new therapies aimed at preventing life-threatening allergic conditions.

Engineered Gut Bacteria Show Potential as a New Weapon Against Pancreatic CancerResearchers have developed a genetically engineered probiotic bacterium that could offer a promising new approach for treating pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer with limited therapeutic options. The study demonstrates that a modified strain of Bifidobacterium longum, a naturally occurring gut bacterium, can selectively colonize pancreatic tumors and stimulate a potent anti-tumor immune response.

An international research team led by the Medical University of Vienna has investigated a new peptide derived from cone snail venom which significantly reduced inflammation-induced pain in an animal model. Crucially, its effect takes hold immediately after subcutaneous injection, whereas previously known cone snail peptides must be administered directly into the cerebrospinal fluid.