ORNL Image Analysis Prowess Advances Retina Research
Armed with a new ability to find retinal anomalies at the cellular level, neurobiologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have made a discovery they hope will ultimately lead to a treatment for cancer of the retina. While much work remains, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's specialized tracing algorithm allows researchers to analyze thousands of cells instead of just a few dozen. This tool has helped reveal a previously undiscovered role of Rb, the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene in the developing retina.
Potential To Double The Efficacy Of Radiation Therapy
Scientists may have a way to double the efficacy and reduce the side effects of radiation therapy. Georgia Health Sciences University scientists have devised a way to reduce lung cancer cells' ability to repair the lethal double-strand DNA breaks caused by radiation therapy. "Radiation is a great therapy - the problem is the side effects, " said Dr. William S. Dynan, biochemist and Associate Director of Research and Chief, Nanomedicine and Gene Regulation at the GHSU Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics.
Silicon Breast Implants Must Be Removed?
In news that sounds more like something from an automotive, or white goods recall, French authorities have announced that a certain type of silicone breast implant can rupture and might cause cancer. The French authorities are in the process of deciding whether to issue a "recall" and recommend up to 30, 000 French women have their implants changed or removed. Meanwhile in the UK, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has advised that there is not enough evidence to warrant removal.