Lifeboat Foundation

Results from a recent clinical trial led by physicians at Emory University and Grady Health System indicate that a twice-yearly injection of Lenacapavir offers a 96% reduced risk of HIV infection overall, significantly more effective than the daily oral PrEP.

When it is solicited, the research emphases of E.9 Space Biology: Research Studies will fall under two broad categories: Precision Health and Space Crops.

For Precision Health-focused studies, investigators may propose to use any non-primate animal model system, and any appropriate cell/tissue culture/ microphysiological system/ organoid or microbial models, that are supported by the chosen platform. For Space Crop-focused studies, applicants may propose to use any plant model system, and when appropriate, any microbial or plant and microbial model systems that are supported by the chosen platform.

This opportunity will include five different Project Types: Research Investigations, Early Career Research Investigations, New NASA Investigators, GeneLab Analytical Investigations, and Tissue Sharing Investigations.

The Adaptive Immunity and Immunoregulation Section (AIIS) in the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases at #NIAID is seeking an exceptional candidate for a postdoctoral fellowship position.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the largest institutes in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases.

A postdoctoral fellowship position is available immediately in the Adaptive Immunity and Immunoregulation Section (AIIS) within the Laboratory of Allergic Diseases, NIAID. AIIS seeks highly motivated and collaborative candidates with a strong publication record who are capable of independent reasoning and excited about learning new technologies.

AIIS aims to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling the balance between protective and pathogenic adaptive immune responses to allergens and pathogens. With a particular focus on memory T and B cells and T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, the lab utilizes state-of-the-art cellular and molecular approaches, including in vivo models of infection and allergy, multi-color flow cytometry, adoptive transfer experiments, cell fate tracking experiments, bone marrow chimeras, parabiosis surgery, imaging, conditional knockout and transgenic models, RNA-Seq, and single-cell technologies to characterize memory B-and T-cell responses in different models of food and respiratory allergens and infections.

A new study from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Institut Curie reveals how stem cells sense and respond to their environment, with implications for inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.

Stem cells constantly adapt to their environment to maintain organ and tissue health, informed by chemical signals and physical forces. When they do not function as intended, stem cells can result in a number of health conditions including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal (bowel) cancer, where they continue to divide until a tumor forms.

Until now, how stem cells sense the physical forces around them has remained unclear, but novel findings published in Science led by Dr. Meryem Baghdadi, a former SickKids postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Tae-Hee Kim at SickKids and Dr. Danijela Vignjevic at Institut Curie, has revealed that stem cells depend on two ion channels, called PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, for their survival.

A cancer therapy that prompts the body’s immune defenses against viruses and bacteria to attack tumors can make patients more vulnerable to heart attack and stroke. A possible explanation for this side effect is that the treatment interferes with immune regulation in the heart’s largest blood vessels, a new study suggests.

Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, the new work focused on a potent class of cancer-fighting drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors. These medications work by blocking molecules embedded on the surface of cells—immune checkpoints—which normally serve as “brake pedals” that prevent excess immune activity, or inflammation. Some tumors are known to hijack these checkpoints to weaken the body’s defenses, so by blocking the checkpoints, the treatments enable the immune system to kill tumor cells.

However, this treatment type may also trigger damaging levels of inflammation in the heart, brain, stomach, and other organs, the researchers say. For example, past studies have shown that about 10% of those with atherosclerosis, the buildup of hardened fatty deposits (plaques) within artery walls, have a heart attack or stroke following cancer treatment. However, the specific mechanisms behind this issue had until now remained unclear.

Summary: Researchers identified specific plant compounds that provide antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, contributing to brain health beyond basic nutrition. By analyzing plant-based foods like lemon balm, sage, and elderberry, scientists linked compounds such as phenolics and terpenes to benefits like reducing oxidative stress and scavenging harmful reactive species.

Quercetin-rich foods, such as Queen Garnet plum and clove, showed strong potential to prevent neuron-like cell damage. This study sheds light on how plant-based diets and supplements could support brain health and manage neuroinflammation-related conditions.

A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled an ultra-strong adhesive patch platform that adheres effectively to rough skin surfaces and shows remarkable motion adaptiveness during dynamic body movements, all while offering irritation-free removal on demand. The key to this technology lies in the surface adaptability inspired by barnacles and armadillo carapaces, which feature a tessellated structure that balances rigidity and flexibility.

The team, led by Professor Hoon Eui Jeong from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Jae Joon Kim from the Department of Electrical Engineering at UNIST, along with researchers from the National Institute of Ecology (NIE), has introduced a highly adhesive, detachable, and stretchable skin patch, known as the Motion Adaptive Tessellation Patch.

This innovative technology is garnering attention for its potential to facilitate the commercialization of wearable electronic devices, such as health care monitoring systems and transdermal drug delivery systems. The research is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Chaperones are molecular machines that help proteins in the cell fold into their proper shape. Among them, UNC45 plays a critical role in muscle health by ensuring the proper function of myosin, a key protein essential for muscle movement. UNC45 manages this by directing damaged myosin to degradation pathways while guiding correctly folded myosin toward assembly. Researchers from Tim Clausen’s lab at the IMP have uncovered the mechanisms behind this process, providing new insights into how disruptions in myosin quality control can lead to serious muscle disorders. Their findings have been published in Nature Communications.

Muscle movement relies on the interaction between two key proteins: actin and myosin. These proteins slide past each other to generate the force needed for movement. For this process to work efficiently, actin and myosin must be precisely organized within the sarcomere, the basic structural and functional unit of muscle cells. This arrangement is crucial for maintaining muscle health, particularly during exercise, periods of stress, and as the body ages.

To ensure proteins achieve their correct shape, cells use specialized molecular assistants called chaperones. These chaperones act as caretakers, helping proteins fold and assemble correctly. For myosin, which makes up about 16% of the total protein in muscle cells, proper structure is especially important. One critical chaperone for this task is UNC45, found in all eukaryotic organisms. Identified through genetic studies, UNC45 plays a vital role in shaping myosin and preserving the integrity of the sarcomere. The importance of UNC45 is evident in severe muscle disorders, known as myopathies, which can result from mutations in the UNC45 gene.

As we explore space outside our solar system, genetic engineering offers hope for overcoming challenges like radiation exposure and the effects of microgravity. By understanding and modifying our genes, we could make astronauts more resilient and improve their health in space. However, these advancements raise important ethical questions about safety, fairness, and long-term impacts, which must be carefully considered as we develop new space travel technologies.

We are on the edge of exploring space outside our solar system. This is not just a major advancement in technology, but a transformation for all of mankind. As we aim for the stars, we also try to understand more about ourselves. Our exploration into space will determine the future of our history. However, this thrilling adventure comes with many challenges. We need to build faster spacecraft, develop ways to live sustainably in space and deal with the physical and mental difficulties of long space missions. Genetics may help us solve some of these problems. As we travel further into space, it will be important to understand how genetics affects our ability to adapt to the space environment. This knowledge will be crucial for the success of space missions and the well-being of astronauts.

Genetics offers a hopeful path to overcoming many challenges in space exploration. As we venture further into space, it becomes essential to understand how our genes affect the way we adapt to the space environment. Genetics affects many aspects of an astronaut’s ability to survive and do well in space. It influences how the body handles exposure to radiation, deals with microgravity, and copes with isolation. Some genetic differences, like changes in the Methylene-TetraHydrofolate-Reductase (MTHR) gene, can make certain people more vulnerable to the harmful effects of radiation in space. With tools like genetic testing and personalized medicine, space agencies can now choose the best-suited astronauts and develop health strategies to improve their safety and performance in harsh space conditions.