Dr Gabriella Colucci, the founder of two biotechnology companies that discover new plant-based molecules for industrial use, has won the top award of €100,000 in the 2018 EU Prize for Women Innovators, which was presented at a ceremony in Brussels, Belgium on 21 June. Dr Colucci, whose businesses have filed 14 patents for newly discovered … Read more
by Gary Finnegan Lessons learned from past Ebola epidemics are helping to combat a fresh outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Investing in new vaccines, diagnostic tests and laboratories is paying off as expert networks spring into action. A new Ebola epidemic in the DRC has killed at least 28 people since April … Read more
Table-top cell production factories and placentas harvested after birth are promising to bring life-saving cell therapies to unprecedented numbers of patients. The techniques could potentially help to turn the tide on chronic diseases and certain forms of cancer by providing much-needed upscaling for regenerative medicine. ‘You insert the blood here, press the button, follow the steps and … Read more
Scientists studying skin and breast cancer in genetically modified mice have spotted hybrid cancer cells that combine the properties of different cell types, a discovery that could help understand how cancer spreads in the body and provide a new target for treatment. It is the latest insight in a fast-moving research area that is revealing … Read more
If one part of the body breaks, can you just replace it with cells from another organ? That’s the hope of stem cell scientists who are reprogramming cells to treat major conditions such as incontinence and heart failure. Millions of Europeans are affected by stress urinary incontinence (SUI) which can have a devastating effect on … Read more
The big data explosion, which allows scientists to analyse factors such as people’s lifestyles, genes and medical records to develop personalised treatments for conditions, has so far mostly benefitted rare diseases with simple causes. But now, complex problems such as cardiovascular disease and dementia are getting the big data treatment. The big data explosion, which … Read more