Category Archives: Regenerative Medicine News and General Information

Our Own Melanin Could Help Us Develop a Potentially Ultra Protective Sunscreen

A new discovery about the structure of melanin has brought scientists one step closer to developing a new, potentially ultra-protective sunscreen derived from a biological substance found in nearly all organisms.  Melanin, the pigment that gives humans their skin, eye, and hair color, is the body’s first and best natural defense against the sun’s harmful […]

Vitamin D Deficiency Affects Developing Neurons in the Brain’s Dopamine Circuit

Neuroscientists at The University of Queensland have uncovered how vitamin D deficiency affects developing neurons in schizophrenia, using new technology. Professor Darryl Eyles has built on past research out of his laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute linking maternal vitamin D deficiency and brain development disorders, such as schizophrenia, to understand the functional changes taking […]

Multivitamin Improves Memory in Older Adults

Taking a daily multivitamin supplement can slow age-related memory decline, finds a large study led by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard. “Cognitive aging is a top health concern for older adults, and this study suggests that there may be a simple, inexpensive way to help older adults slow down memory decline,” […]

Artificial Pancreas to Treat Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes affects 46.3 million people worldwide, and the number of people affected increases by about 3% each year. It requires careful calculations of insulin needs and bothersome daily injections to avoid peripheral diseases caused by extremes of high or low blood sugar. Automated insulin delivery systems, also called artificial pancreases, make diabetes management […]

A Channel Involved in Pain Sensation Can Also Suppress It

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara identified the pathway in fruit flies that reduces the sensation of pain from heat. Remarkably, just a single neuron on each side of the animal’s brain controls the response. What’s more, the molecule responsible for suppressing this sensation in adult flies has the opposite role in fly larvae. The surprising […]

Headaches and Migraines May Have Strong Links to the Circadian System

Both cluster headache and migraine have strong links to the circadian system, the internal clock that regulates body processes, according to a meta-analysis. “The data suggest that both of these headache disorders are highly circadian at multiple levels, especially cluster headache,” said study author Mark Joseph Burish, MD, PhD. “This reinforces the importance of the […]

How Bacteria Evolve Resistance to Antibiotics

Bacteria can rapidly evolve resistance to antibiotics by adapting special pumps to flush them out of their cells, according to new research from the Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia. Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem of global significance. The rise of resistant “superbugs” threatens our ability to use antimicrobials like antibiotics to treat […]

Losing Sleep Over Losing Sleep

Watching the clock while trying to fall asleep exacerbates insomnia and the use of sleep aids, according to research from an Indiana University professor — and a small change could help people sleep better. The research, led by Spencer Dawson, clinical assistant professor and associate director of clinical training in the College of Arts and […]

Insights into Flu Severity

Have you ever wondered why some people might get sicker than others, even when they catch the same virus?. A number of host factors have been considered, including pre-existing immunity, age, sex, weight, and the microbiome. Another important factor is the molecular biology within your cells. DNA is shown as one long double-helical strand. So, […]

Pesticides Toxic to Neurons Involved in Parkinson’s

Researchers at UCLA Health and Harvard have identified 10 pesticides that significantly damaged neurons implicated in the development of Parkinson’s disease, providing new clues about environmental toxins’ role in the disease. While environmental factors such as pesticide exposure have long been linked to Parkinson’s, it has been harder to pinpoint which pesticides may raise risk […]