Lipid-Free Binary Platform Boosts Vaccine and Nanomedicine Delivery
In a ground breaking advancement poised to revolutionize the fields of vaccinology and nanomedicine, researchers have developed a novel binary self-amplifying expression platform capable of producing vaccines and nanomedicines without the need for lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). This innovative technology, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications in 2025, could herald an era of safer, more efficient, and scalable vaccine production by circumventing several limitations associated with current lipid nanoparticle-based delivery systems.
Scientists develop first gene-editing treatment for skin conditions
Dr. Sarah Hedtrich and her team examine a skin-on-a-chip model used to test the new CRISPR-based therapy on living human skin samples.
Facilitated Access to Drug Safety Information via the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are the main cause of poor health outcomes and death. Gisladottir et al. (2025) led a research project examining the use of large language models (LLMs) in drug safety research. LLMs are artificial intelligence systems trained on vast amounts of text to generate human-like language. ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer), Llama (Large Language Model Meta AL), and Mixtral are examples of LLMs that were tested in this study. Gisladottir et al. compared the capacity of the mentioned LLMs to pre-existing technologies in retrieving drug safety information from Structured Product Labelling (SPL).
Exploring the Role of Talin Autoinhibition in Platelet Aggregation and Hemostasis
A collaborative project between the Tanentzapf and Kim labs investigated how the disruption of talin regulation affects platelets and hemostasis 1.
UBC enzyme technology clears first human test toward universal donor organs for transplantation
This article was originally posted on the UBC News website and reposted here. UBC-developed enzymes successfully converted a kidney to universal type O for transplant, marking a major step toward faster, more compatible organ donations. The first successful human transplant of a kidney converted from blood type A to universal type O used special enzymes […]
Unlocking a mystery: How a healthy microbiome protects babies from chronic inflammation
This story is re-published from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research website. Photos credited to Phillip Chin. Link to original story: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/54370.html. Why does a sanitized environment protect us from infections but seem to increase the chances of developing chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and eczema? Why does exposure to some bacteria appear to […]
Could AI and lab-grown sperm solve male infertility?
This article originally posted on the UBC Faculty of Medicine website and reposted here. Using 3D bioprinting and other cutting-edge technologies, a team of UBC researchers led by Dr. Ryan Flannigan is bringing new hope to men with a severe form of infertility When Nivan Sharma imagines his future, it always includes children. But the third-year medical […]
UBC Medicine innovators join HATCH Venture Builder to develop transformative health solutions
Three start-up ventures founded by faculty of medicine community members have joined UBC’s HATCH Venture Builder to help bring innovative health solutions from the lab into the clinic.
Unconventional secretion of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease opens the door for new extracellular biology in viral infection
In a recent Cell Reports paper from the Overall Lab, Grin et al. reveal the unconventional secretion of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease, 3CLpro, from infected cells into the extracellular milieu through gasdermin (GSDM)-D and GSDME pores activated by caspases.
Too Much of a Good Thing? Iron’s Role in Accelerating Myelodysplastic Syndromes
In a recent Blood commentary, Dr. Heather Leitch from the CBR highlights groundbreaking research from Antypiuk et al2 that links iron overload with the worsening of MDS symptoms, including bone marrow failure and increased risk of leukemia.