Clinical Trials & Research

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers analyzed the efficacy of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) fourth-dose vaccination relative to no vaccination towards the Omicron BA.1 variant. Study: Effectiveness of fourth dose COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron variant compared to no vaccination. Image Credit: luchschenF/Shutterstock Background Related Stories Global

In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigated the effect of anti-spike antibody levels on the risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Study: SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and breakthrough infections in the Virus Watch cohort. Image Credit: Naeblys/Shutterstock Background SARS-CoV-2 spike-based vaccines have effectively reduced the mortality rate associated with

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers investigated the waning of protective immunity conferred by prior infection by Omicron sub-variants BA.1, BA.2 towards its most recent sub-variant BA.5. Study: Rapid waning of protection induced by prior BA.1/BA.2 infection against BA.5 infection. Image Credit: Naeblys/Shutterstock Background Although studies have shown that a

Years of work by developmental biologists from Trinity College Dublin, working with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh’s MRC Human Genetics Unit, has yielded a resource of unparalleled detail that will help researchers assess how key genes control the differentiation of tissues and organs of developing embryos. The collaborative team, which has just published the

Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have identified in mice the cell of origin of combined liver/biliary duct carcinomas, a rare type of cancer of the liver. The pro-inflammatory immune messenger interleukin 6 (IL-6) was found to be the driver of carcinogenesis. Blocking of IL-6

Zhengzheng Shi and colleagues at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan report the effects of a common herbal remedy on colitis, one of two conditions that comprise inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Published in Frontiers in Immunology, the study shows that DKT—a standard formula containing ginger, pepper, ginseng, and maltose—reduced the severity

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers investigated all the potential animal hosts and reservoirs of poxviruses, including the monkeypox virus (MPXV), to inform surveillance programs and mitigation procedures. Study: Monkeypox virus shows potential to infect a diverse range of native animal species across Europe, indicating high risk of becoming endemic

insights from industryYael Geva & Andreas FrieseIDEA Bio-Medical LtdOLS OMNI Life Science Please could you introduce yourselves and outline your roles at OLS? YG: My name is Yael Geva, and I am the Head of Operations at IDEA-Bio Ltd in Tel Aviv, Israel. AF: I am Andreas Friese, and I am the Head of Sales

In a recent study published in PLoS ONE, researchers developed humanized nanobodies that neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Study: A humanized nanobody phage display library yields potent binders of SARS CoV-2 spike. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global health emergency at an unprecedented

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers evaluated the impact of removing mask mandates in schools on the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Study: Impact of Lifting School Masking Requirements on Incidence of COVID-19 among Staff and Students in Greater-Boston Area School Districts: A Difference-in-Differences Analysis. Image Credit: kepazuria/Shutterstock

Researchers have created a mathematical model to predict genetic resistance to antimalarial drugs in Africa to manage one of the biggest threats to global malarial control. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites and spread to humans through infected mosquitos. It is preventable and curable, yet resistance to current antimalarial drugs is causing avoidable

Nursing homes are suing friends and family to collect on patients’ billsPlay Barbara Robinson was just trying to help her mother’s friend sign up for Medicaid and move into the Monroe County nursing home in Rochester, New York. But because Robinson signed the admissions form, the nursing home considered her financially responsible for the woman’s

Although some remarkable advances have been made in the detection, prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) and treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the emergence of the recent Omicron variant has highlighted how much there is yet to learn regarding the immune responses of the virus. The correlation between SARS-CoV-2 vaccine protectiveness and

An ongoing program that monitors wastewater for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and which has effectively predicted subsequent surges in COVID-19 cases in San Diego has been expanded to detect the presence of monkeypox. Since the first confirmed case of monkeypox in California in late-May, reported cases have steadily risen in the state and across the

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have revealed how the pathway of an identified protein could lead to early diagnosis and targeted treatment for several cancers and brain disorders. The team of researchers discovered how the journey or molecular pathway of an identified protein is both essential for brain development and howan alteration to its pathway

Several studies have indicated that gut dysbiosis, which is defined as alterations in the gut microbiome, contributes to neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. These studies have shown the existence of a complex bi-directional relationship between AD and the gut microbiome, which also underscores the possibility of developing preventive strategies against disease manifestation by altering

Inflammation is an essential part of the body’s healing process. But when it persists, it can contribute to a wide range of complex diseases including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. Now, world-first genetic research from the University of South Australia shows a direct link between low levels of vitamin D and high

A clinical trial is only as powerful as its participants. For years, researchers have struggled to fill clinical trials and enroll sufficiently diverse groups of patients for results to reflect the broader population, in part because of stringent guidelines on who can participate. In an effort to include a larger and more diverse population, an

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have developed a three-dimensional structure that allows them to see how and where disease mutations on the twinkle protein can lead to mitochondrial diseases. The protein is involved in helping cells use energy our bodies convert from food. Prior to the development of this 3D structure, researchers only

A new study in mice has revealed never-before-seen details about how the complicated visual network forms in them. This research could inform future research into the treatment of congenital blindness. But given the parallels between biological neural tissue and digital artificial intelligence, this research could also help software engineers develop better and more general-purpose artificial

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, which was caused by the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has adversely impacted the health of people throughout the world. To date, over 584 million have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, of whom over 6.4 million have died. The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 can range

On any given day inside the BRAIN Center at the University of Houston, you might encounter visual artists, dancers and musicians, or even paralyzed individuals – all wearing brain caps to teach researchers about what they are thinking, creating or feeling while they move expressively, or try to regain movement. Machines and researchers copiously chart

Researchers from the HSE Center for Language and Brain have identified previously unknown age-related changes in brain activity during the perception of auditory information in a group of children aged 7–12 years. The researchers used magnetoencephalography (MEG), an ultra-precise method of brain activity recording. The results obtained can be used to explore the impairments in

New insights into factors that may predict, increase or protect against the impact of COVID-19 and the pandemic on memory and thinking skills were revealed by multiple studies reported today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2022 in San Diego and virtually. Among the key findings reported at AAIC 2022: A group from Argentina

Dr. Yuanjie Mao has led a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology looking at the correlation between daily insulin dose and cancer incidence (the number of new cases) among patients with type 1 diabetes, finding that higher insulin dose is positively associated with cancer incidence and that the association

Hypertension more than doubles the risk of hospitalization related to Omicron infection, even in people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, according to a new study led by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. The findings are published in the journal Hypertension. The risk is especially widespread given that nearly 1 out of

Researchers have discovered a significant and previously unknown mechanism that many bacteria use to resist antibiotics. Using a combination of computation and physical observation in the laboratory, the researchers have unraveled a sophisticated process that some commonly occurring bacteria use to save themselves from the rifamycin class of antibiotics, which occur naturally and are also

When all else fails, some patients trying to overcome alcoholism, severe depression or anxiety, and even cluster headaches, turn to psychedelic drugs, which clinical research has shown can help treat individuals with these conditions, sometimes with dramatically positive results. But sometimes, as with any therapy, the psychedelic treatment does not work. It just takes a