Lifeboat Foundation

There are at least 200 forms of cancer and many more subtypes. Cancer is caused by an accumulation of DNA errors, or mutations, that allows cells to proliferate in an uncontrolled manner. Each cancer subtype has its own unique signature of DNA mutations in its genome; identifying these mutations and understanding how they interact to drive the disease is the foundation for improving cancer prevention, early detection and treatment.

TCGA’s finalized tissue collection contains matched tumor and normal tissues from 11,000 patients, and allows for the comprehensive characterization of 33 cancer types and subtypes, including 10 rare cancers. The comprehensive data that have been generated by TCGA’s network approach are freely available and widely used by the cancer community through the TCGA Data Portal and the Cancer Genomics Hub (CGHub).

In 2012, Cycle Computing and a multinational biotechnology company partnered to leverage cloud computing to analyze TCGA data in a unique way. The firm had developed a new end-to-end solution to identify DNA mutations in the TCGA data that could act as markers and risk factors in cancer samples. This solution included the typical SNP and DNA variation workflow, as well as a custom gene fusion, chromosome aberration discovery pipeline.

Continue reading “Leveraging Cloud Computing to Analyze Cancer Genome Atlas Data in a Unique Way” »

Could a cheap molecule used to disinfect swimming pools provide the key to creating a new form of DNA nanomaterials?

Cyanuric acid is commonly used to stabilize chlorine in backyard pools; it binds to free chlorine and releases it slowly in the water. But researchers at McGill University have now discovered that this same small, inexpensive molecule can also be used to coax DNA into forming a brand new structure: instead of forming the familiar double helix, DNA’s nucleobases — which normally form rungs in the DNA ladder — associate with cyanuric acid molecules to form a triple helix.

Read More ON Mcgill University

Continue reading “Researchers create new triple helix structure for DNA — Many potential uses in chemistry, tissue engineering, etc” »

Top scientists at Roche Holding AG and AstraZeneca Plc are sizing up potential allies in the fight against cancer: the trillions of bacteria that live in the human body.

“Five years ago, if you had asked me about bacteria in your gut playing an important role in your systemic immune response, I probably would have laughed it off,” Daniel Chen, head of cancer immunotherapy research at Roche’s Genentech division, said in a phone interview. “Most of us immunologists now believe that there really is an important interaction there.”

EU Justice Ministers Claims Cyber Attackers are terrorists. I wouldn’t say all of them are terrorists. Those who attack hospitals, attack government infrastructures, threaten markets, etc, are terrorists. The next door neighbor’s 13 yr old kid hacking to use your wireless internet service; not a terrorist.

European Union justice ministers on March 11th adopted a general approach on the directive on combatting terrorism, including serious cyber crimes, informs LETA/BNS.

On Friday the council greed its negotiating position on the proposal for a directive on combatting terrorism. The proposed directive strengthens the EU’s legal framework in preventing terrorist attacks by criminalising preparatory acts such as training and travel abroad for terrorist purposes – hence addressing the issue of foreign fighters – as well as aiding and abetting, inciting or attempting such acts. It also reinforce rules on the rights for the victims of terrorism, the Ministry of Justice said.

Continue reading “EU justice ministers defined cyber crimes as terrorism” »

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the dusty surface of the moon on July 20, 1969, it was a victory for NASA and a victory for science.

Continue reading “US Bets $100 Million on Machines That Think More Like Humans” »

Another great invention by the folks from Australia.

Researchers said they developed the new thinnest lens in the world. Made from a crystal called molybdenum disulphide, the new lens is 2,000 thinner than a human hair and can revolutionize the field of nanotechnology. (Photo : Gerd Altmann | Pixabay)

A team of Australian scientists said they have developed the thinnest lens in the world. The new 6.3-nanometer lens, which is 2,000 times thinner than a human hair, can lead to novel advances in medicine and science which could revolutionize nanotechnology.

Continue reading “World’s Thinnest Lens Could Revolutionize Nanotechnology” »

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Shiley Eye Institute, with colleagues in China, have developed an eye lens restoration treatment that has been tested in monkeys and in a small human clinical trial. It produced much fewer surgical complications than the current standard-of-care and resulted in regenerated lenses with superior visual function in all 12 of the pediatric cataract patients who received the new surgery.

Congenital cataracts — lens clouding that occurs at birth or shortly thereafter — is a significant cause of blindness in children.

Continue reading “Scientists grow eye lens from patients’ own stem cells, restoring vision” »

Some of the things that we can do with Gene Editing.

This list just gets cooler and cooler.

SENS has kindly commented about MMTP and the impact our research should have on aging. We launch a fundraiser in April to test senolytics (ApoptoSENS) with a planned follow up to combine this with stem cell therapy (RepleniSENS). It is time to put the engineering approach to aging to the test!

Some drugs tested have been found to increase mouse lifespan such as Metformin and Rapamycin for example and are considered for human testing. Many more substances have never been tested and we do not know if they might extend healthy lifespan.