The Story of Beta-thalassemia: Blood, the Sea, and a Bluebird
Though blood transfusions, iron chelation therapy, folic acid supplementation, and stem cell transplantation can be used to treat thalassemia, gene-therapy sparks much attention to be a potential treatment option for beta-thalassemia major patients.
Christian Kastrup’s Team Leads the Way Towards a More Stable Blood Clot
Alternative mechanisms to increase clot adhesion are needed. PhD candidate Karen Chan from Dr. Kastrup’s lab found therapeutic use of using a synthetic polymer to stabilize a blood clot.
Host Defense Peptides
Dr. Hancock’s lab published a review in Nature Reviews establishing that host defense peptides, in addition to having direct antimicrobial effects, also play an important role in immune modulation, wound healing, and diseases, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Dr. Scott Modifies Red Blood Cells to Make Transfusion Possible in Patients with Rare Blood Types
When a person is in dire need of blood, a blood transfusion seems like a simple solution. A donor donates blood, and eventually a patient in need receives it. Yet, in reality this life-saving medical procedure, as safe as it may be, is not that simple.
Research Reveals the Takeover of Blood Platelets by Dengue Virus
New research from Dr. Ed Pryzdial laboratory has revealed for the first time that dengue – the most common virus spread by mosquitoes -hijacks blood platelets and commandeers machinery inside the platelets to reproduce itself.
The Spread of Zika Virus through the Americas and the Shield of Canadian Winter
Dr. Devine believes that researchers at the CBR have the expertise to determine “whether the technologies that are available to essentially sterilize blood products actually kill Zika virus.”
New Antibiotic Enhancer has Independent Antimicrobial Activity
Strynadka Lab at the CBR, discovered unexpected properties of the newly FDA-approved antibiotic enhancer, avibactam. The drug had shown additional direct anti-microbial properties, making it the first such drug introduced to the market within the last 30 years.
Anti-Osteoporosis Drug Derived from a Traditional Medicinal Herb
In a recent study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Dr. Dieter Bromme and his lab at CBR, made an important discovery showing that it is possible to effectively prevent the loss of bone tissues in osteoporosis, while leaving other important molecular mechanisms untouched.
Discovering Potential Treatments for Age-related Blindness
Losing the ability to see a loved one’s face clearly, or use a computer or cell phone is probably unthinkable to most of us. However, this is the frightening reality for those suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among those over 50 in developed countries.
Iron Overload Reduction Improves Quality of Life
Excessive iron is toxic to many organs, and thus may result in liver disease, heart disease, and diabetes. Dr Leitch describes a number of studies that report that removing excess iron from the blood may be beneficial for patients with MDS.