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Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has launched an international HIV/AIDS award at the 2016 conference for the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) recently held in Cape Town, South Africa (December 3 to 8).
The annual award is part of the company’s global CARES Initiative dedicated to helping people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Beckman Coulter’s CARES award is designed to recognize individuals who have shown ‘care, dedication and commitment’ in their communities as part of the fight against HIV/AIDS. The winner will receive a $5,000 (€4,700) donation in their name to one of the selected causes, with the three individual stories that receive the most nominations publicized around the world on the CARES Initiative website.
Potential winners can be nurses, healthcare workers, national coordinators, lab scientists and even clinicians; or lay people who are active in community outreach work. This could include a social worker providing AIDS counselling.
CARES supports the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target to ensure that by the year 2020, 90% of people living with HIV will know their status, 90% of those with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
It focuses on providing innovative solutions for the monitoring of HIV and AIDS treatment. CARES was inspired by the work of Professor Debbie Glencross, a South African laboratory pathologist, who found a different and less expensive way to measure a patient’s CD4 count.
While this is intended as an international award, in its first year, the award will focus on recognizing the dedication of people in Africa, one of the areas in the world most affected by HIV/AIDS. The 2017 award will be launched at the annual meeting of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), a pan-African professional body aiming to improve laboratory services.
Recognition for unsung heroes
Samuel Boova, Beckman Coulter’s Director Alliance Development, High Burden HIV Markets, said: “The award is to give a platform to the work and stories of those we see as the unsung heroes of individual communities. These are people who have shown individual dedication, commitment and courage or who have made a difference in the battle against HIV/AIDS.
“However, it is not just the final winner we want to publicaly recognize. We hope the award will encourage communities to learn about and honour the work of every nominee, so that more people will come forward to help and support those living with HIV/AIDS.”
Nominations must first be made via the CARES website. Once a name has been nominated, the local community will be given the opportunity to vote in support. People with the greatest number of votes will be put forward for the final assessment panel. Rules of entry and full details are available in full from http://www.beckman.com/cares.
Mr Boova gave the following examples of ordinary people who support their local communities in the field of HIV/AIDS. “We are looking for dedicated and committed individuals like these who work in the community helping others to live with, and manage, the disease,” he added.
Potential Nominees
The first example is how a young HIV positive woman in Uganda was inspired and empowered by a community charity, PINA (People In Need Agency), to rebuild her life and become an advocate herself for young people living with HIV. This was the objective of PINA when it was first set up by a local case worker – to work with young people, helping them overcome the stigma of living with HIV and rebuild their self-esteem.
Mr Boova also pointed out that there are many women in rural Africa who walk miles every day to see patients to ensure they are compliant with their medications. Medication alone does not help without the commitment of these women – and they have to walk many miles between patients each day and every day, whatever the conditions.www.beckman.com/cares
A new laboratory technique developed by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions can rapidly test the effectiveness of treatments for life-threatening breast cancer metastases in bone.
“For a number of breast cancer patients, the problem is metastasis – the dissemination of breast tumour cells to other organs – after the primary tumour has been eliminated,” said corresponding author Dr. Xiang Zhang, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology and the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor. “Metastases, however, tend to respond differently than the primary tumour to the treatment in part due to residing in a different organ with a different microenvironment.”
Until now, there has not been an effective experimental platform to study metastatic tumours in their new microenvironment.
“We have created an experimental system in which we can mimic the interactions between cancer cells and bone cells, as bone is the place where breast cancer, and many other cancers too, disseminates most frequently,” said Zhang, who also is a McNair Scholar at Baylor. “We have developed a system that allows us to test many different drug responses simultaneously to discover the therapy that can selectively act on metastatic cancer cells and minimize the effect on the bone.”
To mimic the interactions between metastatic breast cancer cells and bone cells in a living system in the lab, Zhang and his colleagues developed a bone metastasis model, called bone-in culture array, by fragmenting mouse bones that already contain breast cancer cells.
The scientists determined that the bone-in culture maintains the micro-environmental characteristics of bone metastasis in living animal models, and the cancer cells maintain the gene expression profile, the growth pattern and their response to therapies.
Using the bone-in model, the researchers determined that the drug danusertib preferentially inhibits bone metastasis. They also found that other drugs stimulate the growth of slow-growing cancer cells in the bone.
In addition to determining the effect of drugs in the growth of metastasis in bone, the bone-in culture can be used to investigate mechanisms involved in bone colonization by cancer cells.
Implications for cancer treatment
“We think that this new system has the potential to be applied not only to breast cancer but to other cancers that also metastasize to the bone,” Zhang said. “This technique can be scaled up to larger sample sizes, which would help accelerate the process of discovering metastatic cancer treatments. We have already found a few interesting drugs. We will keep looking for more and focus on those that are most promising.”
Baylor College
www.bcm.edu/news/cancer-breast/new-breast-cancer-metastasis-technique
“Mutations are part of life. They are mistakes in a gene like typos in a text message,” said Watanabe-Smith, a postdoctoral fellow with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. “But which mutations cause cancer? That’s the real question. And this problem is impossible to understand without a strong model system to test those mutations.”
Watanabe-Smith’s research sought to better understand one “typo” in a standard leukaemia assay, or test. While studying cancer biology and completing his doctorate in the lab of Brian Druker, M.D., at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Watanabe-Smith encountered a new problem: an issue with the model system itself.
“When I was sequencing the patient’s DNA to make sure the original, known mutation is there, I was finding additional, unexpected mutations in the gene that I didn’t put there. And I was getting different mutations every time,” said Watanabe-Smith.
He decided to formally study this phenomenon with his lab advisers, who included Druker; Cristina Tognon, Ph.D., scientific director, Druker lab; and Anupriya Agarwal, Ph.D., assistant professor of hematology & medical oncology, OHSU School of Medicine; researcher with the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, all co-authors on the paper.
His initial research, identifying and characterizing a growth-activating mutation in a patient with T-cell leukaemia and was first published last April. This research published was focused on better understanding the lab’s model system, to ensure that future researchers trying to identify cancer-causing mutations are using accurate and reproducible methods.
Their research investigates a common cell line assay, used since the 1980’s, to detect which mutations are important in driving leukaemia and other cancers. They found this assay is prone to a previously unreported flaw, where the cells, called Ba/F3 cells, can acquire additional mutations.
“The potential impact is that a non-functional mutation could appear functional, and a researcher could publish results that would not be reproducible,” Watanabe-Smith said. “Then we had the question: ‘Did the cells transform because of a mutation the patient had, or did they transform because these new mutations they managed to pick up somewhere?’”
Ultimately, he says, the research team recommends an additional step in the Ba/F3 assay (sequencing outgrown cell lines) to improve reproducibility of future results. While the results urge further research, the message to scientific community is clear: There seems to be more potential for problems than previously anticipated in this standard assay.
OHSU Knight Cancer Institutenews.ohsu.edu/2017/02/21/gene-mutations-cause-leukemia-but-which-ones
Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have discovered genetic markers in malaria parasites linked with resistance to the anti-malarial drug piperaquine. This research will allow health officials to monitor the spread of resistance, and help doctors and public health officers decide where the treatment is most likely to be effective.
Resistance to this key anti-malarial drug has recently emerged in Cambodia, leading to complete treatment failure there, threatening global efforts to treat and eliminate malaria.
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and in 2015, the World Health Organisation estimated that more than 200 million people were infected and nearly half a million people died worldwide from the disease. Children under the age of five made up 70 percent of these deaths. Malaria is a treatable disease when caught early enough, but is a huge problem in many areas due to drug resistance.
Piperaquine is a powerful drug, which is used in combination with another anti-malarial, artemisinin, as a first-line treatment in many areas of the world. Resistance to artemisinin emerged more than seven years ago in South East Asia, but until recently the combination of the drugs still successfully killed the malaria parasites there. Now, the development of piperaquine resistance has led to complete failure of treatment in Cambodia.
Researchers carried out a genome-wide association study on approximately 300 Plasmodium falciparum samples from Cambodia to study the genetic basis behind piperaquine resistance. They looked at thousands of variations in the DNA sequence of the parasites, comparing these across samples with different levels of resistance to piperaquine.
“By studying the genomes of these parasites we found two genetic markers that are linked with piperaquine resistance. Not only can we now use these markers to monitor the spread of the drug resistant malaria, they will also help towards understanding as much as possible about the biology and evolution of the parasite.”
Dr Roberto Amato, lead author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
The scientists found that extra copies of the genes encoding two proteins of a family called plasmepsin, were linked with piperaquine resistance. Plasmepsins are part of a biological pathway that is targeted by other anti-malarial drugs, so this marker could also help the researchers understand the mechanism of the drug resistance. In addition to this, a mutation on chromosome 13 was found to be a second genetic marker linked with the resistance. Both markers were observed in parasites infecting patients who were not responding to treatment.
“The emergence of piperaquine resistance in these Cambodian parasites has led to complete treatment failure there. These malaria parasites are now resistant to both drugs, and since they are no longer being killed, resistance to both drugs will spread. This will threaten global attempts to eliminate malaria.”
Sanger Institute www.sanger.ac.uk/news/view/genetic-marker-found-resistance-malaria-treatment-cambodia
Royal Philips and LabPON, the first clinical laboratory to transition to 100% histopathology digital diagnosis, recently announced its plans to create a digital database of massive aggregated sets of annotated pathology images and big data utilizing Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution. The database will provide pathologists with a wealth of clinical information for the development of image analytics algorithms for computational pathology and pathology education, while promoting research and discovery to develop new insights for disease assessment, including cancer.
Deep learning algorithms have the potential to improve the objectivity and efficiency in tumour tissue diagnosis. In recent years, ‘deep learning’ techniques for image analysis have quickly become the state of the art in computer vision and has surpassed human performance in a number of tasks. The challenge for executing deep learning techniques is having access to a database with sufficient high volume and high quality data from which to develop the algorithms. As one of the largest pathology laboratories in the Netherlands, LabPON will contribute its repository of approximately 300,000 whole slide images (WSI) they prospectively create each year to the database. This will contain de-identified datasets of annotated cases that are manually commented by the pathologist, and will comprise of a wide variety of tissue and disease types, as well as other pertinent diagnostic information to facilitate deep learning.
“Deep learning focuses on the development of advanced computer programs that automatically understand and digitally map tissue images in considerable detail: The more data available, the more refined the computer analysis will be.” Said Peter Hamilton, Group Leader Image Analytics at Philips Digital Pathology Solutions. “Together, LabPON and Philips have the competence and skills to realize this.”
During a time where the pathologist shortage is mounting and cancer caseloads are increasing, the accurate diagnosis and grading of cancer has become increasingly complex, placing significant pressures on pathology services. Technologies such as computational pathology, could help pathologists with tools to work in the most efficient way possible.
“The role of the pathologist remains important by making the definitive diagnosis, which has a high impact on the patient’s treatment. Software tools could help to relieve part of the pathologists’ work such as identifying tumour cells, counting mitotic cells or identifying perineural and vaso-invasive growth, as well as carrying out measurements in a more accurate and precise way,” said Alexi Baidoshvili, pathologist at LabPON. “This ultimately could help to improve the quality of diagnosis and make it more objective.”
Next to the development of computational algorithms for diagnostic use, Philips intends to make available the database to research institutions and other partners through its translational research platform. This could enable selected parties to interrogate and combine massive datasets with the goal to discover new insights that ultimately could be translated into new personalized treatment options for patients.
www.philips.com/digitalpathology
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a new prototype lab-on-a-chip platform for the easy and versatile detection of molecular pathogens.
Nuclear amplification testing is commonly used for pathogen detection; however, the process is currently manually intensive and complex, and requires dedicated equipment. This prevents its use in some settings, and pathogen detection in individual samples.
In a bid to solve these issues, Natalia Sandetskaya and colleagues at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy & Immunology (Leipzig, Germany) have developed a prototype lab-on-a-chip platform capable of automating the process in a single instrument.
“We were motivated by the existing need for making the molecular analysis of complex samples much simpler for the users,” commented Sandetskaya. “Our particular applied interest is the detection of the pathogens in blood; for instance in sepsis, when only a few microorganisms must be rapidly found in a large volume of blood.”
The chip utilizes microfluidics and integrates sample volume transition, lysis, nucleic acid isolation, amplification (PCR or LAMP), and real-time fluorescence detection. As a single instrument, it could enable diagnostics in situations not previously feasible.
The researchers go on to demonstrate its proof-of-concept in the detection of E. coli and Salmonella bacterial species.
“Although our current prototype of the platform will need further development for this application, we have already demonstrated a high level of integration of very diverse processes without making the system overly complex,” noted Sandetskaya.
The team is now planning experiments to evaluate the platform in real-world samples and perfect its design.
Future Science OA
www.future-science-group.com/new-lab-on-a-chip-platform-seeks-to-improve-pathogen-detection/
Specific genetic errors that trigger congenital heart disease (CHD) in humans can be reproduced reliably in Drosophila melanogaster – the common fruit fly – an initial step toward personalized therapies for patients in the future.
“Studying CHD in fruit flies provides a fast and simple first step in understanding the roles that individual genes play in disease progression,” says Zhe Han, Ph.D., a principal investigator and associate professor in the Center for Cancer & Immunology Research at Children’s National Health System and senior author of the paper. “Our research team is the first to describe a high-throughput in vivo validation system to screen candidate disease genes identified from patients. This approach has the potential to facilitate development of precision medicine approaches for CHD and other diseases associated with genetic factors,” Han says.
Some 134 genes have been implicated in causing CHD, a birth defect that affects 8 in 1,000 newborns, according to the National Institutes of Health. The research team led by Han used high-throughput techniques to alter the activity of dozens of genes in flies’ hearts simultaneously in order to validate genes that cause heart disease.
“Our team was able to characterize the effect of these specific genetic alterations on heart development, structure and activity,” Han adds. “The development of the human heart is a complicated process in which a number of different cell types need to mature and differentiate to create all of the structures in this essential organ. The precise timing of those cellular activities is critical to normal heart development, with disruptions in the structure of proteins called histones linked to later heart problems.”.
Of 134 genes studied by the research team, 70 caused heart defects in fruit flies, and several of the altered genes are involved in modifying the structure of histones. Quantitative analyses of multiple cardiac phenotypes demonstrated essential structural, functional and developmental roles for these genes, including a subgroup encoding histone H3K4 modifying proteins. The scientists then corroborated their work by reliably reproducing in flies the effect of specific genetic errors identified in humans with CHD.
“This may allow researchers to replicate individual cases of CHD, study them closely in the laboratory and fashion treatments personalized to that patient specifically,” he adds. “Precise gene-editing techniques could be used to tailor-make flies that express a patient’s specific genetic mutation. Treating CHD at the level of DNA offers the potential of interrupting the current cycle of passing along genetic mutations to each successive generation.”
Children’s National Health System childrensnational.org/news-and-events/childrens-newsroom/2017/studying-chd-in-fruit-flies
Following the presentation to the European market at EuroMedLab in Athens and to the US market at AACC 2017 of the Thermo Scientific Cascadion SM Clinical Analyser bringing together the ease of use of clinical analysers with the selectivity and sensitivity of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the company will now seek CE marking followed by FDA approval.
“This is a marvelous development, and it is really quite outstanding. It will fulfill the needs of many laboratories,” said Professor Brian Keevil, consultant clinical scientist and head of the Clinical Biochemistry Department, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, UK, after viewing a demonstration during EuroMedLab 2017.
The Cascadion system was designed and built using Thermo Fisher products and technologies combined with its industry-leading expertise in mass spectrometry. Featuring turnkey operation, the Cascadion analyser is designed to be used by laboratory staff with no specialized training.
James Nichols, PhD, medical director, Chemistry and Point of Care Testing, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, added, “For much of what we do in terms of chromatography and mass spectrometry, we need very highly skilled and experienced medical technologists. The Cascadion analyser is relatively maintenance-free and because it includes specially designed reagent kits, there is not a lot of interaction required with the technology.”
After previewing the Cascadion analyser, Michael Vogeser, senior physician and professor of laboratory medicine, University Hospital of Munich, stated “About 70% of all physician’s decisions are based on laboratory tests so the impact on laboratory testing is huge and this completely new technological approach is of enormous value to mankind.”
www.thermofisher.com/Cascadion
Researchers have developed a more precise way of diagnosing suicide risk, by developing blood tests that work in everybody, as well as more personalized blood tests for different subtypes of suicidality that they have newly identified, and for different psychiatric high-risk groups.
The research team, led by scientists at Indiana University School of Medicine, also showed how two apps, one based on a suicide risk checklist and the other on a scale for measuring feelings of anxiety and depression, work along with the blood tests to enhance the precision of tests and to suggest lifestyle, psychotherapeutic and other interventions. Lastly, they identified a series of medications and natural substances that could be developed for preventing suicide.
"Our work provides a basis for precision medicine and scientific wellness preventive approaches," said Alexander B. Niculescu III, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and medical neuroscience at IU School of Medicine and attending psychiatrist and research and development investigator at the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The research builds on earlier studies from the Niculescu group.
"Suicide strikes people in all walks of life. We believe such tragedies can be averted. This landmark larger study breaks new ground, as well as reproduces in larger numbers of individuals some of our earlier findings,” said Dr. Niculescu.
There were multiple steps to the research, starting with serial blood tests taken from 66 people who had been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, followed over time, and who had at least one instance in which they reported a significant change in their level of suicidal thinking from one testing visit to the next. The candidate gene expression biomarkers that best tracked suicidality in each individual and across individuals were then prioritized using the Niculescu group’s Convergent Functional Genomics approach, based on all the prior evidence in the field.
Next, working with the Marion County (Indianapolis, Ind.) Coroner’s Office, the researchers tested the validity of the biomarkers using blood samples drawn from 45 people who had committed suicide.
The biomarkers were then tested in another larger, completely independent group of individuals to determine how well they could predict which of them would report intense suicidal thoughts or would be hospitalized for suicide attempts.
The biomarkers identified by the research are RNA molecules whose levels in the blood changed in concert with changes in the levels of suicidal thoughts experienced by the patients. Among the findings reported in the current paper were:
Indiana University School of Medicine
news.medicine.iu.edu/releases/2017/08/precision-medicine-opens-door-scientific-wellness-preventive-approaches-suicide.shtml
March 2024
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