Research News

Janus kinase inhibitors are an important treatment option for people with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis. Since their approval, the indications for these medical drugs have steadily increased, but recently safety concerns have also been raised.

Alternative RNA splicing is like a movie editor cutting and rearranging scenes from the same footage to create different versions of a film. By selecting which scenes to keep and which to leave out, the editor can produce a drama, a comedy, or even a thriller—all from the same raw material. Similarly, cells splice RNA in different ways to produce a variety of proteins from a single gene, fine-tuning their function based on need. However, when cancer rewrites the script, this process goes awry, fueling tumor growth and survival.

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers helped conduct an important new global health study that found a vaccine that protects against five strains of meningitis prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa is safe and effective for use in young children beginning at 9 months of age.

Tracking targeted drug delivery is often a challenge due to limitations in the current imaging techniques. A recent study by Tokyos Waseda University, reports a breakthrough imaging technique that allows direct and highly sensitive tracking of gold nanoparticles inside the body.

Metastatic melanoma, also known as stage IV melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that spreads to other parts of the body. It is one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, with current therapies—including immunotherapy and targeted drugs—showing limited effectiveness.

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have successfully developed a supercharged iteration of CAR-T cell therapy that can enhance the effectiveness and longevity of the cells, particularly against cancer cells that are harder for prior CAR-T therapies to detect and fight.

The scientists caution that, in some people, aspirin can have serious side effects. Clinical trials are underway to determine how to use it safely and effectively to prevent cancer spread, so people should consult their doctor before starting to take it.