There is a long list of drugs currently available that lower blood pressure and bring down cholesterol levels to reduce the chances of developing heart problems. Now, scientists are discovering novel drugs, both new and existing, that could reduce the risk of heart disease. One study found that a drug typically used to treat gout

Inflammation has traditionally been thought to be a good thing. It helps fight infections and heal wounds. But, more and more, scientists and doctors are finding that inflammation has a dark side. It may be involved in many, if not all, disease processes. In recent decades, many successful breakthroughs and new therapies have been treatments

Gene-editing technology first surfaced in 2010 and has revolutionized the field of genetics with its potential to fight thousands of diseases. Three years ago, US regulators gave the green light for the first human trials to test the DNA-editing tool CRISPR for safety and efficacy in cancer patients. In February 2020, scientists at the University

For decades, scientists have been researching ways to increase healthy lifespan in humans. Here are five treatments they’ve considered and what they found. 1. Rapamycin First discovered in bacteria from a soil sample on Easter Island, rapamycin is an FDA-approved drug prescribed to transplant recipients in need of immune suppression. Surprisingly, rapamycin has been found

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the arteries that is linked to a very high number of deaths. A new area of interest in the prevention and management of atherosclerosis is autophagy (self-eating), which is the body’s way to clean out damaged cells. Autophagy has a protective effect on the cells in the walls of

Klotho is an aging regulator gene that is linked to the risk of age-related diseases. The klotho protein is produced mainly by the kidneys and circulating levels of this protein decrease with age. In the laboratory, klotho-deficient mice demonstrate accelerated aging. On the contrary, overexpression of the gene leads to an extended lifespan. Klotho is,

The gene-editing technique CRISPR (pronounced crisper) is a powerful tool for altering DNA sequences and modifying gene function. It is a specialized segment of DNA that was adapted from a naturally occurring genome editing system found in bacteria. CRISPR allows researchers to edit genomes. Scientists can add, remove, or alter genes at a particular location

Lysosomes, which were first identified in the late 1940s, are membrane-bound organelles in animal cells that contain digestive enzymes. They break down obsolete cell components and destroy bacteria and viruses. So, one could say lysosomes are cellular recycling stations or biological garbage dumps. Traditionally, lysosomes were thought to be spherical structures that look something like

Scientists at the Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany have demonstrated a protocol to extract kidney stem cells from urine. The UdRPCs (urine-derived renal progenitor cells) could potentially offer easier access to stem cells for regenerative therapies that target kidney diseases. UdRPCs could also aid in research and development using disease models. One of the

Scientists at Northwestern University have published a new study in the American Academy of Neurology journal in which they used a technique called TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) to target the hippocampus, a complex structure embedded deep inside the brain. The hippocampus plays a major role in learning and memory. As people get older, the hippocampus