PHARMA
Targeting Cellular Senescence: A New Frontier in Combating Cancer and Age-Related Diseases
In the realm of cellular biology, senescence has emerged as a pivotal process influencing both the progression of cancer and the onset of age-related diseases. Defined as a state where cells cease to divide but remain metabolically active, senescence acts as a double-edged sword. Key life sciences companies are pinning pipeline hopes in cracking this.
Navigating the New Frontier: The First Abridged Complaint under the 2024 ABPI Code
In the ever-evolving landscape of pharmaceutical marketing, the industry faces a delicate balance between informing the public and adhering to strict regulations. This challenge was thrust into the spotlight with the recent case of CSL Seqirus and the alleged promotion of their prescription-only Flucelvax Influenza vaccine on the social media platform LinkedIn.
Stability Oracle: A Powerful Tool for Engineering Stable Proteins
In the rapidly evolving world of biotechnology, the ability to engineer proteins with enhanced stability is a critical challenge. Computational methods that can accurately predict how amino acid mutations will impact a protein's thermodynamic stability could revolutionize the protein engineering process. Enter Stability Oracle, a new deep learning framework that outperforms state-of-the-art methods in predicting thermodynamically stabilizing protein mutations
A New Era in US Schizophrenia Treatment: The FDA Approval of COBENFY
In a significant development for the field of neuropsychiatry, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for COBENFY™ (xanomeline and trospium chloride), marking the introduction of the first new pharmacological approach to treating schizophrenia in decades
The Rise and Fall of Oxbryta: A Cautionary Tale in Sickle Cell Disease Treatment
The landscape of medical treatments for chronic illnesses is often marked by innovation, hope, and occasionally, disappointment. One such instance is the recent announcement by Pfizer to withdraw its sickle cell disease treatment, Oxbryta (voxelotor), from all markets where it was approved
HEALTH
Unveiling Injustice: The Imperative of Addressing Racism in Global Child Health
The recently launched Lancet Commission on Racism and Child Health has embarked on a pioneering journey to unravel the profound impact of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination on child health worldwide. This editorial delves into the multifaceted dimensions of this issue, exploring the pathways through which racism affects health outcomes and highlighting the urgent need for systemic change.
Rethinking Suicide Prevention: A Public Health Approach to a Global Problem
Suicide is a major public health crisis, claiming over 700,000 lives globally each year. Yet, despite its staggering toll, suicide is a preventable tragedy. A new framework is emerging that could transform how we approach this complex issue - by shifting the focus from individual-level risk factors to the broader social determinants that shape suicide risk across populations
Outwitting the Fungal Invaders: How Pathogens Hijack Our Immune Defenses
Fungi are often overlooked as a major threat to human health, overshadowed by the more dramatic impacts of bacterial and viral infections. Yet these eukaryotic microbes pose a serious and growing danger, responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. And their success is largely due to their ability to manipulate the very immune defenses we rely on to keep us healthy.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY
Targeting Cellular Senescence: A New Frontier in Combating Cancer and Age-Related Diseases
In the realm of cellular biology, senescence has emerged as a pivotal process influencing both the progression of cancer and the onset of age-related diseases. Defined as a state where cells cease to divide but remain metabolically active, senescence acts as a double-edged sword. Key life sciences companies are pinning pipeline hopes in cracking this.
Hydroclimate Volatility: Navigating Extremes on a Warming Earth
In the face of a rapidly changing climate, the concept of hydroclimate volatility has emerged as a critical area of study, highlighting the dramatic and often sudden fluctuations between extremely dry and wet conditions. This phenomenon poses significant challenges to both natural ecosystems and human societies
Dear World Leaders, A Clarion Call to Action: Addressing the Peril of Antarctic Sea Ice Loss
We write to you today with a profound sense of alarm and a pressing need for urgent action. The events unfolding in the Antarctic are a stark harbinger of the dangers posed by climate change, and they demand an immediate and concerted global response.
The Connectome Conquest: Mapping the Brain’s Secrets
Seung and Murthy have been developing the FlyWire map for more than four years, using electron microscopy images of slices of the fly’s brain. The researchers and their hundreds of global colleagues stitched the data together to form a full map of the brain with the help of artificial-intelligence (AI) tools. This is an immense achievement and already is revolutionising the field.
Stability Oracle: A Powerful Tool for Engineering Stable Proteins
In the rapidly evolving world of biotechnology, the ability to engineer proteins with enhanced stability is a critical challenge. Computational methods that can accurately predict how amino acid mutations will impact a protein's thermodynamic stability could revolutionize the protein engineering process. Enter Stability Oracle, a new deep learning framework that outperforms state-of-the-art methods in predicting thermodynamically stabilizing protein mutations
Buried Treasure: How Martian Clays Could Unlock the Planet’s Mysterious Past
The early Martian atmosphere was once flush with carbon dioxide, but over time this thick atmosphere thinned dramatically. Where did all that carbon go? The answer may lie in the very rocks and minerals that coat the Martian surface
Turning Lignin into Jet Fuel: A Sustainable Aviation Breakthrough
As the global aviation industry strives to reduce its environmental impact, the race is on to develop sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) that can replace traditional petroleum-based jet fuel. One promising solution lies in an unlikely source - the abundant biopolymer lignin
Outwitting the Fungal Invaders: How Pathogens Hijack Our Immune Defenses
Fungi are often overlooked as a major threat to human health, overshadowed by the more dramatic impacts of bacterial and viral infections. Yet these eukaryotic microbes pose a serious and growing danger, responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. And their success is largely due to their ability to manipulate the very immune defenses we rely on to keep us healthy.
Quenching the Thirst of the Arid World: Compact Fuel-Powered Atmospheric Water Harvesters
As the global population continues to surge and climate change disrupts traditional water sources, the need for innovative approaches to freshwater production has never been more pressing. Now a promising solution has emerged in the form of sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) devices
EDITORIAL
GO EXPLORING
ACTIVITY | Exploring the Wonders of Kew Gardens: A Paradise for Young Explorers
Nestled in the heart of London, Kew Gardens is a remarkable botanical paradise that captivates visitors of all ages. While its beauty and scientific significance are widely acclaimed, Kew Gardens holds a special allure for children, offering a myriad of exciting activities and educational opportunities
ACTIVITY | The Great Exhibition Road Festival: A Celebration of Science, Art, and Innovation
The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts each summer in South Kensington. Join us in June 2024 for a weekend of free science and arts events for all ages. Enjoy hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations
ACTIVITY | Unraveling the Marvels of the Twist Museum in London
Nestled in the heart of London, the Twist Museum stands as a remarkable testament to the art of the unexpected. With its captivating exhibits and thought-provoking installations, this hidden gem offers visitors a unique and memorable experience like no other
ACTIVITY | The Lyrid Meteor Shower: An April Sky Spectacle
In the vast expanse of the night sky, a captivating celestial event awaits astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers alike. Brace yourselves for the Lyrid meteor shower, a dazzling display of shooting stars that occurs annually in mid to late April.
ACTIVITY | The Great Exhibition Road Festival: A Celebration of Science, Art, and Innovation
The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts each summer in South Kensington. Join us in June 2024 for a weekend of free science and arts events for all ages. Enjoy hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations
ACTIVITY | Exploring Wonder and Discovery: A Journey Through the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester
The Science and Industry Museum in Manchester is a captivating destination that offers a wide array of exhibits and activities for both children and adults. With its commitment to fostering curiosity, innovation, and learning, the museum stands as a gateway to the wonders of science and the marvels of industrial history
ACTIVITY | The Lyrid Meteor Shower: An April Sky Spectacle
In the vast expanse of the night sky, a captivating celestial event awaits astronomy enthusiasts and stargazers alike. Brace yourselves for the Lyrid meteor shower, a dazzling display of shooting stars that occurs annually in mid to late April.
ACTIVITY | Exploring the Wonders of Kew Gardens: A Paradise for Young Explorers
Nestled in the heart of London, Kew Gardens is a remarkable botanical paradise that captivates visitors of all ages. While its beauty and scientific significance are widely acclaimed, Kew Gardens holds a special allure for children, offering a myriad of exciting activities and educational opportunities
FlyWire is a human-AI collaboration for reconstructing the full brain connectome of Drosophila. It is made possible by contributions from hundreds of scientists around the globe. The potential benefits of such a resource are immense – we can now make significant advances in our understanding of how the brain works by ultimately linking neuronal wiring with brain function.
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Health
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HEADER IMAGE | A solitary boy sits amidst urban destruction as monstrous storms wreak havoc in a nightmarish scene brought on by the relentless rise in global temperatures. Are we being over dramatic? We think not. The time to be polite regarding the topic has passed. ADOBE STOCK #1068157517