Skip to content

Massive bombs dropped in dangerous proximity to hospitals in the Gaza Strip

Satellite data on the proximity of hundreds of M-84 bomb craters to hospitals in the Gaza Strip suggest that hospitals were no longer specifically protected from indiscriminate bombing in November 2023, as required by international humanitarian law. This is the result of a new study published this week in PLOS Global Public Health by Dennis Kunichoff of Harvard University and colleagues. On October 7, 2023, Israel launched a major military campaign in the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas attacks in Israel. Weapons used include US-supplied Mark 84 (M-84) bombs, air-dropped explosive bombs that shoot more than 1,000 pounds of steel fragments in all directions. M-84 bombs have been shown to cause injuries and damage infrastructure up to 800 m from the detonation site. In the new study, researchers used publicly available geodata to identify hospitals in the Gaza Strip,… 

more »Massive bombs dropped in dangerous proximity to hospitals in the Gaza Strip

First map of DNA modification in the developing human brain

A UCLA-led study has provided an unprecedented glimpse into how gene regulation develops during the formation of the human brain, revealing that the 3D structure of chromatin—DNA and proteins—plays a critical role. This work offers new insights into how early brain development shapes lifelong mental health. The study, published in Nature, was led by Chongyuan Luo, PhD, at UCLA, and Mercedes Paredes, PhD, at UC San Francisco, in collaboration with researchers from the Salk Institute, UC San Diego and Seoul National University. It created the first map of DNA modification in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex—two brain regions crucial for learning, memory and emotional regulation. These areas are also frequently implicated in disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. The research team analyzed more than 53,000 brain cells from donors from the… 

more »First map of DNA modification in the developing human brain

Pancreatic blood values

  • News

Pancreatic blood values can provide important clues about the health status of this organ. Relevant values include, in particular, the pancreatic enzymes lipase and amylase, as well as certain tumor markers. Lipase is the most sensitive and specific enzyme for pancreatic diseases. The normal range for adults is between 13 and 60 U/l (Units per liter)[1]. An increase in lipase to 3 times the upper normal limit is considered a diagnostic criterion for acute pancreatitis. However, other conditions such as chronic pancreatitis or kidney failure can also lead to elevated lipase levels. Amylase has a normal range of less than 100 U/l in serum[1]. Elevated amylase levels can also indicate pancreatitis, but are less specific than lipase. In cases of chronic pancreatitis or advanced pancreatic cancer, enzyme levels may also be within the normal range or even decreased. Tumor markers are particularly important for cancer diagnosis. The most important tumor marker for… 

more »Pancreatic blood values

Chemistry Nobel Prize 2024 revolutionizes laboratory medicine

  • News

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three researchers who have made groundbreaking advances in protein research[1][2]. Half of the prize went to US biochemist David Baker for his work in computational protein design. The other half was shared by Demis Hassabis and John Jumper, two scientists working in the UK, for their development of methods for predicting complex protein structures[1][3]. The research of these scientists has the potential to revolutionize laboratory medicine and medical research as a whole. Proteins play a central role in almost all biological processes and are therefore crucial for understanding diseases and developing new therapies[3]. The ability to accurately predict protein structures and design custom proteins opens up entirely new possibilities in medical research and development. Hassabis and Jumper developed AlphaFold, an AI-based tool that can predict the three-dimensional structure of proteins from their amino acid sequence[2]. This… 

more »2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Revolutionizes Laboratory Medicine

“Slim Genes” Double Weight Loss

  • News

The secret to weight loss may be down to a combination of 14 “slim genes,” a new study reveals. Researchers at the University of Essex have found that people lose twice as much weight when they run for half an hour three times a week. The team, led by Dr. Henry Chung from the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, found that those who possessed more of these genes lost the most weight over eight weeks. Those with the most markers lost up to 5kg during the study, while those without these markers lost an average of 2kg. The study found that the PARGC1A gene, which encodes PGC-1-a, was key to weight loss and was present in the participants who lost the most weight. Investigations found that 62 percent of the weight lost was down to genes and 37 percent down to… 

more »“Slim Genes” Double Weight Loss

Bosch Health Campus Develops AI Guideline for Medicine

Researchers from the Bosch Health Campus and the Universities of Bayreuth and Bristol are now proposing a model in the journal Nature, “npj Digital Medicine” (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-024-01224-3), to preserve trust between medical professionals and patients and to enable reliable and safe use of medical AI. Instead of the previous two-person relationship of doctor – patient, the increasing use of AI applications in medicine has led to a triangular constellation. “With our model, we want to help ensure that trust between doctors and patients is maintained even with the use of medical AI, and that both groups can also rely on the flawless functionality of the AI,” says Dr. med. Matthias Zuchowski from the Bosch Health Campus, health economist and habilitand at the Institute for Medical Management and Health Sciences at the University of Bayreuth. There is a cooperation between the Bosch Health Campus and the University of Bayreuth for the development and implementation of research projects on medical management, leadership and… 

more »Bosch Health Campus develops AI guideline for medicine

Antag Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for Lead Molecule, AT-7687

Antag Therapeutics, a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on targeting the Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) receptor to pioneer novel treatments for obesity, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its lead molecule, AT-7687. This milestone enables Antag Therapeutics to initiate its Phase I clinical trial, which will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of AT-7687 in both healthy lean and healthy obese subjects. The study will also explore AT-7687 as a monotherapy and in combination with semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, in healthy obese individuals. AT-7687 is a peptide GIP receptor antagonist designed for once-weekly subcutaneous administration. Highly translational preclinical studies have shown that AT-7687 attenuates weight gain and enhances GLP-1-mediated weight loss while improving lipid profiles, particularly LDL, independent of weight change. Importantly, these benefits are not associated… 

more »Antag Therapeutics Announces FDA Clearance of Investigational New Drug (IND) Application for Lead Molecule, AT-7687

Ryvu Therapeutics to present clinical and preclinical data on RVU120

Ryvu Therapeutics (WSE: RVU), a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company focusing on novel small molecule therapies that address emerging targets in oncology, will present four posters with clinical and preclinical data from RVU120 (CDK8/19 inhibitor), RVU305 (MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor), WRN and novel synthetic lethality programs at the 2024 EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium (ENA), October 23-25, Barcelona, Spain. Abstract Title:  Discovery of novel MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitors as targeted therapeutics for MTAP-deleted cancers Abstract Number:  ENA24-0205 Session date and time:  Wednesday, October 23 (12:00-19:00 CEST)

Viatris Announces Positive Top-line Results from Phase 3 Study

Viatris Announces Positive Top-line Results from Phase 3 Study of EFFEXOR® in Japanese Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Treatment with once-daily EFFEXOR® met primary and all secondary efficacy endpoints in outpatient adults with GAD EFFEXOR® was generally well tolerated, consistent with its known safety profile Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) submission targeted for 2025 Viatris Inc. (NASDAQ: VTRS), a global healthcare company, today announced positive top-line results of its Phase 3 study (B2411367) in Japan evaluating the safety and efficacy of EFFEXOR® (venlafaxine) in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The study achieved its primary objective of superiority of anxiolytic effects of venlafaxine compared to placebo at 8 weeks, based on the change in the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) total score from baseline (two-sided p-value=0.012). All seven secondary efficacy endpoints as defined by the trial protocol were… 

more »Viatris Announces Positive Top-line Results from Phase 3 Study

Nuvaxovid™ COVID-19 Vaccine Receives Authorization in the EU

Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a global company advancing protein-based vaccines with its Matrix-M™ adjuvant, today announced that the European Commission granted Marketing Authorization for Novavax’s updated 2024-2025 Nuvaxovid™ COVID-19 Vaccine (recombinant, adjuvanted) (NVX-CoV2705), dispersion for injection, for use in individuals aged 12 and older for the prevention of COVID-19 in the European Union (EU). This decision follows the positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Authorization was based on non-clinical data that showed Novavax’s updated vaccine provides cross-reactivity against JN.1 and numerous JN.1 lineage viruses, including KP.2.3, KP.3, KP.3.1.1 and LB.1.1 In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions associated with Novavax’s prototype COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-CoV2373) included headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain, injection site tenderness, injection site pain, fatigue and malaise. Novavax’s vaccine is also authorized for… 

more »Nuvaxovid™ COVID-19 Vaccine Receives Authorization in the EU