Tag Archives: fellow

Overweight and obesity linked to 10 common cancers, over 12,000 cases every year in UK

UK researchers at the London School of Hygiene &Tropical Medicine and the Farr Institute of Health Informatics estimate that over 12,000 cases of these 10 cancers each year are attributable to being overweight or obese, and calculate that if average BMI in the population continues to increase, there could be over 3500 extra cancers every year as a result. “The number of people who are overweight or obese is rapidly increasing both in the UK and worldwide. It is well recognised that this is likely to cause more diabetes and cardiovascular disease. …

Genetic pathway can slow spread of ovarian cancer

The discovery is in part due to research into the genetics of humans’ most distant mammalian relative, the platypus. In a paper published today in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers characterize a genetic pathway — involving piRNA genes — that is turned on in ovarian cancer. “This pathway is important for the development of the ovaries in drosophila flies but little is known about its role in the mammalian ovary,” says lead author Associate Professor Frank Grützner, Genetics Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow with the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute and the School of Molecular and Biomedical Science. …

Neanderthal viruses found in modern humans

The researchers compared genetic data from fossils of Neanderthals and another group of ancient human ancestors called Denisovans to data from modern-day cancer patients. They found evidence of Neanderthal and Denisovan viruses in the modern human DNA, suggesting that the viruses originated in our common ancestors more than half a million years ago. This latest finding, reported in Current Biology, will enable scientists to further investigate possible links between ancient viruses and modern diseases including HIV and cancer, and was supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council (MRC). Around 8% of human DNA is made up of ‘endogenous retroviruses’ (ERVs), DNA sequences from viruses which pass from generation to generation…

Discovery of HIV ‘invisibility cloak’ reveals new treatment opportunities

Their study shows how ‘uncloaking’ the virus using an experimental drug triggers an immune response that stops the virus from replicating in cells grown in the laboratory. The findings could lead to new treatments and help to improve existing therapies for HIV infection. The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defence against infection and incorporates an alarm system present in all cells of the body that detects the presence of ‘foreign’ material from invading bacteria and viruses. When the alarm is tripped, the infected cell begins an anti-viral programme and sends out warning signals to alert other cells that a virus is around. …

Higher intake of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of bladder cancer in women

The investigation was conducted as part of the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC) Study, established in 1993 to assess the relationships among dietary, lifestyle, genetic factors, and cancer risk. Park and her fellow researcher’s analyzed data collected from 185,885 older adults over a period of 12.5 years, of which 581 invasive bladder cancer cases were diagnosed (152 women and 429 men). After adjusting for variables related to cancer risk (age, etc.) the researchers found that women who consumed the most fruits and vegetables had the lowest bladder cancer risk…