Research News

Zydus Lifesciences announced the publication of two manuscripts detailing the DREAM-ND and DREAM-D Phase 3 study results of Desidustat, a novel HIF-PH inhibitor in the prestigious American Journal of Nephrology.

How does a cell “decide” what type of cell to become? The question of “cell fate” has been explored for decades now, especially in the context of stem cell biology, but there are still gaps in our understanding. For example, any multicellular organism is made up of different cell types that play specific roles, while they all work together to sustain the organism as a whole.

Researchers have found that treating prostate cancer cells with novel cyclin-dependent kinase 19 (CDK19) and homologous cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) inhibitors reduces their potential to migrate into and invade surrounding structures. These molecules may be used as single or combination therapy for patients with advanced disease to prevent and treat metastatic spread. The results appear in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier.

Noninvasive sound technology developed at the University of Michigan breaks down liver tumors in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread an advance that could lead to improved cancer outcomes in humans.  By destroying only 50% to 75% of liver tumor volume, the rats’ immune systems were able to clear away the rest, with no evidence of recurrence or metastases in more than 80% of animals.

Scientists at Scripps Research and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have discovered a special type of cell that resides in salivary glands and is likely crucial for oral health.

Metabolic syndrome increases a person’s risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, and includes conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. In a recent mouse-model study, published in Cell Metabolism, researchers at University Hospitals (UH), Harrington Discovery Institute at UH, and Case Western Reserve University have furthered their progress to develop a drug to treat metabolic syndrome by identifying a receptor that controls appetite and body weight.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 sublineage has been supplanted in many countries by the BA.2 sublineage. Although Omicron is responsible for less severe forms in the general population, immunocompromised people are still at higher risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19. Several monoclonal antibodies are currently available in clinical practice as a preventive treatment for these patients.

The largest ever genetic study of schizophrenia has identified large numbers of specific genes that could play important roles in the psychiatric disorder.

A group of hundreds of researchers across 45 countries analysed DNA from 76,755 people with schizophrenia and 243,649 without it to better understand the genes and biological processes underpinning the condition.

Scientists have published the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome, two decades after the Human Genome Project produced the first draft human genome sequence. According to researchers, having a complete, gap-free sequence of the roughly 3 billion bases in our DNA is critical for understanding the full spectrum of human genomic variation and for understanding the genetic contributions to certain diseases.