Author Archives: Karely Vega, MD

Biomedical engineers and medical researchers at UNSW Sydney have independently made discoveries about embryonic blood stem cell creation that could one day eliminate the need for blood stem cell donors. The achievements are part of a move in regenerative medicine towards the use of ‘induced pluripotent stem cells’ to treat disease, where stem cells are […]

A team led by Van Andel Institute and Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics scientists has identified two distinct subtypes of insulin-producing beta cells, or ß cells, each with crucial characteristics that may be leveraged to better understand and treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. ß cells are critical guardians of the body’s […]

Sleep disorders such as insomnia are common among young people, especially those with psychiatric conditions. According to some estimates, around 17% of youth engage in self-harming behavior. There are currently few empirically-supported treatments for the condition in youth. A recent meta-analysis suggests that treating the causes of self-harm may reduce its incidence. Some have thus […]

As we age, the end caps of our chromosomes, called telomeres, gradually shorten.  Now, Salk scientists have discovered that when telomeres become very short, they communicate with mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses.  This communication triggers a complex set of signaling pathways and initiates an inflammatory response that destroys cells that could otherwise become cancerous. The findings, […]

A University of Massachusetts Amherst nutrition scientist who has spent his career studying breast milk has demonstrated how beneficial microbes in the gut of infants use nitrogen from human milk to support pediatric nutrition and development. “The molecules in breast milk not only feed the baby but also feed the baby’s microbiome,” says David Sela, […]