Medicine Medical Science Thread

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Graphene based neural implants get around problems with metallic brain computer interface chips. Tested in large animals they are beginning tests in humans.

Next-Gen Brain Implant Uses a Graphene Chip

A brain-computer interface from the startup Inbrain could be used to treat Parkinson's disease

spectrum.ieee.org

 

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For more than 30 years stem cells have promoted as being a potential cure for many ills. Sadly the results have fallen miles behind the hype. This recent breakthrough uses stem cells to produce insulin and has kept an insulin dependent diabetic off insulin for 12 months.

"Functional cure" for diabetes restores insulin production with stem cells

A patient with type 1 diabetes has been functionally cured of the disease, requiring no insulin doses for over a year. The treatment involves growing and transplanting new insulin-producing cells from the patient’s own stem cells.

newatlas.com

There is a down side, life long immunosuppression is required.

 

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Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun the guys who discovered microRNA while studying worm growth have won the 2024 Nobel Prize for medicine. A very well deserved award because the discovery of microRNA changed everything and has led to a much better understanding of how genes are controlled and cells divide, grow and specialise. Many of the treatments for cancer we sill see through this century will be based on this knowledge.

Nobel prize in medicine awarded for discovery of microRNAs, the molecules that control our genes

US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun changed our understanding of how the body works and opened up a new area of science.

theconversation.com

 

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Membrane-less organelles didn't exist when I did biology as a youngster, the cells organelles were all wrapped up snug as a bug in a rug in a hearty membrane. This ain't so, in the early 2000's it was recognised 'biomolecular condensates' were actually functional elements. It’s has been difficult to figure out what biomolecular condensates do, although a few have clear roles. However, many others don’t have clear functions. The discovery may alter significantly our understanding of the phase of chemical evolution that went on to form 'life'. It's always been assumed cell membranes were essential in the early RNA world but this may not be so. The medical implications are unknown but could be enormous, there are papers suggesting biological condensates are important in neurodegenerative disease - this paper discusses it, though it's one for the scholars. The topic is covered very well in this article from The Conversation written by a scientist involved in the research.

Cells have more mini ‘organs’ than researchers thought − unbound by membranes, these rogue organelles challenge biology’s fundamentals

Membraneless organelles, also called biomolecular condensates, are changing how scientists think about protein chemistry, various diseases and even the origin of life.

theconversation.com

 

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Melbourne Uni, along with other folks mostly centred around Parkville, have developed a liquid 3D bioprinting method that means they no longer need a base to print on. If you've ever done any 3D printing with the cheap additive printer will know how many issues crop up with the base, it's even worse with bioprinting.

3D bioprinting is pushing the boundaries of human tissue engineering

A new way to 3D print human tissue is revolutionising how we create and test medical treatments, a University of Melbourne expert says

pursuit.unimelb.edu.au

 

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This is really interesting. These scientists developed an experimental model of concussion using neurons grown from stem cells, which were then subject to physical trauma. This is a great thing in itself to develop a good model, we don't really have any good concussion models. Even more extraordinary were their findings. After subjecting the tissue to controlled trauma, they observed that in cells containing inactivated Herpes Simplex virus (HSV-1), the virus reactivated. Even worse, following this reactivation, the tissue began to exhibit key markers of Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid plaques, tau protein tangles, inflammation, neuronal death, and a surge in gliosis. Repeated trauma intensified these effects. In contrast, cells without HSV-1 showed only minor gliosis and no other Alzheimer’s indicators. They point out there may be a therapeutic options with antivirals.

Concussions may activate dormant viruses in the brain

The study reveals a potential link between concussions and the activation of dormant viruses, which may lead to neurodegenerative diseases.

www.earth.com

For the scholars, the original paper. Yet to read it, but I will.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scisignal.ado6430