Medicine

As a first-in-the-world "rapid smart test kit", the cPass™ which can measure neutralising antibodies in an hour will be a huge boost to current COVID-19 investigations, from contact tracing, sero-prevalence survey, and assessment of herd immunity, longevity of protective immunity and efficacy of different vaccine candidates.

Japanese 'bone engineers' have developed a bone-substitute biomaterial used in dental grafts that reduces the need for harvesting bone from the patient's own body.

The newly developed rapid testing kit detects COVID-19 antibodies, requiring only micro-liter volume of serum and 15 minutes of time for achieving results.

A research team led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has developed a novel anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) drug that can selectively disrupt a viral protein produced by EBV, leading to the shrinkage of tumours caused by the virus. It is the first known agent to successfully target the virus and disturb its latency in tumour cells in this way.

When the master regulator of protein production malfunctions, it may contribute to the development of neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's.

The UK today confirmed that it will be the largest supporter of the international alliance to vaccinate children against deadly diseases, saving millions of lives.

A small mitochondrial protein is necessary for energy production and its malfunction could be behind a range of degenerative diseases, according to study by Duke-NUS Medical School and their collaborators.

According to a clinical study conducted by the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), nearly 90% of the patients who took a six-week course of Chinese medicine formula for the treatment of “cold type” asthma had their asthma symptoms eliminated or relieved. Among this group of patients, over half had their symptoms eliminated, while 35% had their symptoms relieved or significantly relieved.

A new X-ray imaging technique could identify lesions and tumors before ultrasound or MRI can.

Looking for experts to who can comment on the coronavirus pandemic? Our Focus On: Coronavirus resource connects journalists with experts prepared to speak with international media about different aspects of the pandemic, including public health, virology, economic impacts, travel and spread of information.

To support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, from March 29, the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine) has offered to conduct, for free, stool tests for asymptomatic children coming to Hong Kong by air to screen for possible COVID-19. The test currently employed by the Department of Health relies on collection of respiratory samples. The false negative rate of deep throat saliva test increases to over 40% with improper collection technique. Collection is particularly difficult in young children and infants. The potentially high false negative rate of the current test for children is therefore of great public health concern. The stool test that CU Medicine has developed is non-invasive, accurate and is potentially a better option for screening test for asymptomatic populations such as young children and infants. By conducting stool tests for children, CU Medicine aims to help identify asymptomatic children carrying the COVID-19 virus as early as possible in order to stop its spread through our community.

A Communique from the InterAcademy Partnership urges countries to collaborate, use and share science-based information, and help the developing world.

A new technique allows researchers to test how the deformation of tiny train track-like cell proteins affects their function. The findings could help clarify the roles of deformed “microtubules” in traumatic brain injuries and in neurological diseases like Parkinson’s.

In a recent study published in Autophagy, researchers at Kanazawa University show how abnormalities in a gene called TPR can lead to pediatric brain cancer

Singapore's National Supercomputing Centre fast track access for researchers involved in COVID-19 research. Applications are open from now until 23 September 2020.

A new approach could lead to “cornea-on-a-chip” devices that more accurately test the effects of drugs on the human eye.

A cheap, biocompatible white powder that luminesces when heated could be used for non-invasively monitoring the temperature of specific organs within the body. Tohoku University scientists conducted preliminary tests to demonstrate the applicability of this concept and published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

Nested in the long-running Singapore Chinese Health Study, a new study by researchers in Singapore, based on data from over 60,000 middle-aged to older adults, has found that people who suffer from diabetes and who are also underweight have a much higher risk of active tuberculosis (TB) than their heavier counterparts, supporting calls for TB screening among these patients.

Studying Finnish genes leads to unique revelations about the development of a serious complication of diabetes, and informs an ongoing genomic study of a Singaporean cohort as part of Singapore’s Diabetes Study in Nephropathy and other Microvascular Complications (DYNAMO).

A design team, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has been honored at the international design competition, iF Design Awards 2020.

A new compound with the potential to turn genes on and off could lead to new cancer and hereditary disease treatment strategies.

A recent study, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has unveiled the structure and mechanism of proteins that are highly overexpressed in various cancers and associated with poor patient prognoses.

Attendees’ health and safety “utmost priority”

A protein that helps colorectal cancer cells spread to other parts of the body could be an effective treatment target.

A faculty startup, based at South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has attracted 7 Billion KRW investment.

Multi-country intervention trial to improve hypertension management, led by Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, in partnership with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Aga Khan University in Pakistan, the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and the Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI), leads to “clinically meaningful” reductions in blood pressure and better blood pressure control in patients receiving the multi-component intervention. Researchers call for national scale-up of the intervention.

New insight on how malaria cells shield themselves from destruction opens avenues for the development of novel antimalarial drugs.

The precipitous drop in HPV vaccination rates after suspension of proactive recommendations by the government in 2013 could result in an additional 25,000 cervical cancer cases and more than 5,000 additional deaths among females born between 1994 to 2007 in Japan. However, swift action by the government could mitigate much of this damage according to a study in Lancet Public Health.

INTERPHEX Week Osaka is a B to B trade show specialised in pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing which will be held in Osaka, the largest city in western Japan.

New Delhi – To tackle the escalating problem of antimicrobial resistance, a new collaboration platform was launched in New Delhi, India, on 11 February. The platform, initiated by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), will bring together actors from civil society, governments and the pharmaceutical industry. It could mean a major breakthrough for the responsible manufacturing of antibiotics and reduce the risk of the industry itself contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.