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Topics: Medical research

  • ​Ancient proteins studied in detail

    How did protein interactions arise, how have they developed? In a new study, researchers have looked at two proteins which began co-evolving between 400 and 600 million years ago. How did they work, and how have they changed over time? The findings, published in eLife, show how a combination of changes in the proteins’ properties created better conditions for the regulation of a cellular process.

  • Potential new treatment for kidney failure in cancer patients

    Kidney dysfunction is a frequent complication in cancer patients, and is directly linked to poor survival. It is still not clear how presence of a tumour contributes to kidney dysfunction and how this can be prevented. A new study from researchers at Uppsala University shows that kidney dysfunction can be caused by the patient’s own immune system, ‘tricked’ by the tumour to become activated.

  • New tool for prognosis and choice of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

    In rheumatoid arthritis, antibodies are formed that affect the inflammation in the joints. In an article published today in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers at Uppsala University show that antibodies against the cartilage protein collagen II are associated with a good prognosis.

  • Cell of origin affects malignancy and drug sensitivity of brain tumours

    Patients with glioblastoma have very poor prognosis since there are no effective therapies. In a study published in Cell Reports, researchers at Uppsala University have discovered a correlation between the cell type from which the tumour originates and the growth and drug sensitivity of the tumour.

  • Delayed clamping prevents anaemia

    When clamping of the umbilical cord is delayed, iron deficiency up to six months of age can be prevented, according to a new study from Uppsala University, published in JAMA Pediatrics. The study was conducted in Nepal.

  • New research study creates new opportunities for treating brain diseases

    Immunotherapy has proven to be effective against many serious diseases. But to treat diseases in the brain, the antibodies must first get past the obstacle of the blood-brain barrier. In a new study, a research group at Uppsala University describes their development of a new antibody design that increases brain uptake of antibodies almost 100-fold.

  • Therapy response in brain tumour cells is linked to disease prognosis

    The brain tumour form glioblastoma is difficult to treat and has very poor prognosis. In a new study, published today in the journal Cell Reports, scientists from Uppsala University show that a type of stem cell in the tumour is present in different states, with different response to drugs and radiation. The results may open an avenue towards development of new treatment strategies.

  • The cell of origin in childhood brain tumours affects susceptibility to therapy

    Children that are diagnosed with the severe the brain tumour malignant glioma often have a very poor prognosis. New findings from Uppsala University show that in mice glioma development and glioma cell properties are affected by both age and the cell type from which the tumour has arisen. The tumour cell of origin was also important for the susceptibility of the tumour cells towards cancer drugs.

  • 3D tumors grown in the lab provide new perspective for cancer drug discovery

    Understanding how cells within tumors respond to drugs is a critical issue in anticancer drug development. In an article published in Cell Chemical Biology researchers from Uppsala University report a new approach to study cancer cells’ reactions to treatments and present how it can be used to find new promising drug combinations.

  • Sleep loss tied to changes of the gut microbiota in humans

    Results from a new clinical study conducted at Uppsala University suggest that curtailing sleep alters the abundance of bacterial gut species that have previously been linked to compromised human metabolic health. The new article is published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.

  • Artificial intelligence reveals mechanism behind brain tumour

    Researchers at Uppsala University have used computer modelling to study how brain tumours arise. The study, which is published today in the journal EBioMedicine, illustrated how researchers in the future will be able to use large-scale data to find new disease mechanisms and identify new treatment targets.

  • The memory of a heart attack is stored in our genes

    Both heredity and environmental factors influence our risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study, by researches at Uppsala University, shows now that the memory of a heart attack can be stored in our genes through epigenetic changes. The results have been published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

  • Biobank storage time as important as age

    The amount of time a blood sample used for medical research has been stored at a biobank may affect the test results as much as the blood sample provider’s age. These are the findings of a new study from Uppsala University, published in journal EBioMedicine. Until now, medical research has taken into account age, sex and health factors, but it turns out that storage time is just as important.

  • Forensic DNA analysis checks the origin of cultured cells

    Cell lines are cultured cells that are commonly used in medical research. New results from Uppsala University show that such cells are not always what they are assumed to be. Using genetic analyses, the researchers showed that a commonly used cell line which was established in Uppsala almost fifty years ago does not originate from the patient it is claimed to stem from.

  • Loss of Y chromosome in blood cells associated with developing Alzheimer’s disease

    Men with blood cells that do not carry the Y chromosome are at greater risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This is in addition to an increased risk of death from other causes, including many cancers. These new findings by researchers at Uppsala University could lead to a simple test to identify those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

  • New study shows how shift work affects cognitive functions

    A new study from Uppsala University shows that compared to non-shift workers, shift workers needed more time to complete a test that is frequently used by physicians to screen for cognitive impairment. However, those who had quit shift work more than five years ago completed the test just as quick as the non-shift workers. The findings are published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

  • Dogs provide information about brain tumour development in humans

    Brain tumours in dogs are strikingly similar to their human tumour counterparts. In a recent study in the journal PLOS Genetics, researchers at Uppsala University and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have used genetic analyses in different dog breeds to identify genes that could have a role in the development of brain tumours in both dogs and human.

  • New app improves treatment of atrial fibrillation

    Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke. Treatment with oral anticoagulation reduces this risk but instead increases the risk of bleeding. Today, a new blood test based tool enabling better and more individualized stroke prevention treatment is presented at a congress in Chicago, and simultaneously published in the top-ranked medical journal The Lancet.

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