Cancer Research

Macrophages, derived from Greek and meaning “eating cells”, are biological cells that spring from white blood cells to destroy foreign or dying cells. They are basically cellular “policemen” that can differentiate between good and bad cells. But some cancer cells over-express the molecular protein that macrophages recognize as friendly — they create a fake ID — which allows the cancer to avoid being perceived as foreign by macrophages. In addition, the molecules involved in the recognition mechanism appear somewhat variable from person to person, with possible links to success or failure in…

LAS VEGAS, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Altogen Biosystems (http://www.altogen.com) announced launch of new contract research services. Located in Las Vegas, NV, Altogen Custom Services focus on providing specialized biotechnology and pharmaceutical services, including RNA Interference (RNAi) services, generation of stably-expressing cell lines, assay development, screening and transfection services. In particular, the company will draw upon their unique experience with over hundred cancer cell lines and expertise in polymer and nanoparticle-based gene delivery technologies. Generation of stably…

CALGARY, Canada, March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY), will present a corporate overview of the Company at the BioSquare 2008 Conference on Thursday, March 13, 2008. The event is being held at the Congress Center in Basel, Switzerland from March 12-14, 2008. About Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program includes a variety of Phase I/II and Phase II human trials using…

Cells are coded with several programs for self-destruction. Many cells die peacefully. Others cause a ruckus on their way out. Some programmed cell death pathways simply and quietly remove unwanted cells, noted a team of University of Washington (UW) researchers who study the mechanisms of cell destruction. Then there is the alarm-ringing death of a potentially dangerous cell, such as a cell infected with Salmonella, they added. These dying cells spill chemical signals and get a protective response. The resulting inflammation, which the body launches in self-defense, can at times backfire…

Nearly 25 million U.S. women between the ages of 14 and 59 are infected with HPV, and the annual cost of screening and treating cervical abnormalities is about $4 billion, according to a statement from the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists. For many unvaccinated women HPV infections clear up naturally without causing any cervical problems, as do many pre-malignant lesions. In other cases, HPV prompts cell changes that can gradually put women at greater risk of cervical cancer. A significant drop in abnormal Pap test results happened after girls and women were given the vaccine named Gardasil…

A team of Penn State University researchers is the first to demonstrate that lipid molecules in cell membranes participate in mammals' reactions to allergens in a living cell. The finding will help scientists better understand how allergy symptoms are triggered, and could contribute to the creation of improved drugs to treat them. The team studied clusters of cholesterol-rich lipid molecules that they believe serve as platforms for the receptors that receive antibodies, the proteins that protect the body from allergens. In this case, the team examined IgE antibodies, which upon binding to…

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Galderma Pharma, S.A. announces an agreement with ZARS Pharma, Inc. giving Galderma exclusive rights for all markets outside the USA and Canada for promotion and distribution of a novel topical anesthetic cream. This partnership follows an agreement signed last year between Galderma and ZARS Pharma for the promotion and distribution of Pliaglis(TM) in the USA and Canada. "This agreement gives us a new opportunity to contribute to progress in patient care worldwide," said Humberto C. Antunes, CEO of Galderma. "As the market for corrective and…

A team of bioinformaticians at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) report in Nature the discovery of a structural alphabet that can be used to infer the 3D structure of ribonucleic acid (RNA) from sequence data, providing new tools to understand the role of this important class of cellular regulators. The folding of a single-stranded RNA molecule is determined by the interactions between its constituent nucleotides. The classical approach to RNA modelling suffers from an important limitation: it only takes into account the canonical Watson-Crick interactions A:U and G:C, that is those where…

Anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin may reduce breast cancer by up to 20 per cent, according to an extensive review carried out by experts at London’s Guy’s Hospital published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice. But they stress that further research is needed to determine the best type, dose and duration and whether the benefits of regularly using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) outweigh the side effects, especially for high-risk groups. “Our review of research published over the last 27 years suggests that, in addition to possible prevention, there may also be…

Scientists have discovered how to prevent certain craniofacial disorders in what could ultimately lead to at-risk babies being treated in the womb. University of Manchester researchers, working with colleagues at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas, have successfully treated mice with Treacher Collins syndrome – a rare genetic disorder characterised by underdeveloped facial bones, absent or deformed ears and occasionally cleft palate. The team had previously found that the condition, which affects one in 10,000 individuals, was caused by a mutation in a single gene called…