Guest Blogs
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The Connection Between Blood Type And Vulnerability To COVID-19 Could Be Closer Than You Think
6/15/2021
Did you know that a person’s blood type may be linked to the likelihood that they will catch COVID-19 and experience severe symptoms? Recently 23andMe published preliminary data for an upcoming study that strengthens prior research on this subject. In this article we explore the possible connection between COVID-19 and blood types and the ramifications of the 23andMe preliminary data.
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Robust Cell And Gene Therapy Pipeline Targets A Range Of Diseases
6/15/2021
Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) are quickly making their way from theory to clinical practice, primarily because they target specific disease drivers rather than the broad targets of small-molecule therapies. Here we review what treatments are in preclinical stages and are expected to enter the clinical trials pipeline.
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COVID-19 Versus The Seasonal Flu: Facts And Figures
6/14/2021
Since SARS-CoV-2 (or the novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19) emerged, many have compared it to the seasonal flu. Since the two viruses present with very similar symptoms and physicians do not routinely test for the flu, they can be difficult to distinguish. As physicians and researchers learn more about the novel coronavirus, they have identified many similarities and differences between the two viruses and the illnesses they cause.
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New Insight Into RNA And DNA Relationship Could Lead To New Antivirals
6/13/2021
RNA viruses are known to cause a large number of diseases in humans, including COVID-19. One potentially valuable drug development avenue is identifying a mechanism that could halt the function of viral RNA polymerase (RNAP) — the enzyme that initiates RNA replication and thus propagates RNA viruses. In this blog review how a team from the University of Turku, Finland, and Penn State University discovered not only how viral RNA polymerase is triggered, but also how it avoids using DNA nucleotide building blocks, which are chemically similar to RNA.
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LAMP2 Gene Therapy Trials For Rare Danon Disease
6/13/2021
Danon Disease is a rare, life-threatening condition in which the body’s protein removal and recycling processes no longer work properly. The result is dysfunction of the heart, skeletal muscle, nervous system, eyes, and liver. Staff at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have been working to find therapies that address the underlying cause of Danon Disease. The lab began by using patients’ skin cells to create stem cells, which were used to develop a heart model. The model enabled the team to study Danon Disease at a cellular level, yielding new insight into the pathology of the disease.
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Re-Examining The Gene Editing Process Through The Lens Of A Longfin Inshore Squid
6/13/2021
Squid have long been a key organism for deepening the understanding of how nerves transmit signals. They have been passed over for gene-editing studies, however, as their genes were thought to be intractable. But a group of researchers led by Joshua Rosenthal, a biologist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, has found that longfin inshore squid (Doryteuthis pealeii) can modify their RNA outside of their nerve cells’ nuclei. Squid are the only animal known to be capable of this process, making them crucial to gene editing research.
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Understanding Genetics And The Movement Of Mammals: Examining The Sauteur d'Alfort
6/13/2021
The sauteur d’Alfort is a rare breed of domestic rabbit that sometimes walks on its front paws with its hind legs in the air. Its inability to hop and aptitude for handstands has fascinated scientists for years. In this study, after crossing the sauteur d’Alfort with a standard rabbit (a New Zealand white rabbit), the researchers sequenced the genomes of the rabbits’ 52 grandchildren. This study was able to demonstrate the importance of the RORB gene for movement in mammals and furthered scientists’ understanding of genetics and the movement of mammals.
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Cell And Gene Therapies Target Rare Inherited Retinal Diseases
6/13/2021
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are caused by a gene that is not functioning properly. Gene therapy, which corrects and compensates for faulty genes, can help slow disease progression. The overall process of FDA approval and arrival on the market can take several years, which helps ensure the therapy’s safety and effectiveness. Finding a partner with experience can help you navigate PK, immunogenicity, biodistribution, viral clearance, and ADME properties of these novel modalities in a rapidly expanding field.
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Drawn-On-Skin Electronics Are The Future In Healthcare To Monitor, Prevent, And Treat Conditions
6/11/2021
Drawn-on-skin (DoS) electronics is a new bioelectronics platform for on-demand, multifunctional and motion artifact–free sensing. It is created by liquid functional inks drawn directly into stencils on the skin using a modified ballpoint pen. DoS electronics has a wide range of uses. For example, a wireless DoS electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system can be used at home for daily monitoring or in a clinical setting.