Sensing local fibers in pancreatic tumors, cancer cells ‘choose’ to either grow or tolerate treatment
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2026 13:15 ET (22-Jun-2026 17:15 GMT/UTC)
A feature of pancreatic cancer cells’ surroundings determines whether they grow fast or become resistant to chemotherapy, a new study shows. The ability of these cancer cells to adapt quickly and toggle between biological responses makes them more likely to survive and harder to treat, the study authors say.
A team led by LMU physician Sebastian Kobold has found a way to allow the body’s immune system to destroy solid tumors.
Many diseases are driven by proteins that are difficult or impossible to inhibit with conventional drugs. Instead of blocking their activity, an emerging therapeutic strategy aims to remove these proteins entirely from the cell by harnessing the cell’s own degradation machinery. In a new study, researchers at CeMM, AITHYRA and the Scripps Research Institute have now developed a systematic method to discover such protein-degrading compounds on a large scale. The approach, published in Nature Chemical Biology (DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-02137-2) provides a powerful new route toward therapies for diseases such as certain aggressive forms of leukemia.Many diseases are driven by proteins that are difficult or impossible to inhibit with conventional drugs. Instead of blocking their activity, an emerging therapeutic strategy aims to remove these proteins entirely from the cell by harnessing the cell’s own degradation machinery. In a new study, researchers at CeMM, AITHYRA and the Scripps Research Institute have now developed a systematic method to discover such protein-degrading compounds on a large scale. The approach, published in Nature Chemical Biology (DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-02137-2) provides a powerful new route toward therapies for diseases such as certain aggressive forms of leukemia.
Salk Institute scientists find the genome’s dynamic 3D shape influences gene expression, and that the protein NIPBL is a key facilitator of genome structures that inform cell identity. Their findings may inform new therapeutics for disorders related to dysfunctional genome folding, including some cancers and developmental disorders such as autism-related disorders.
A minimally invasive targeted treatment called salvage focal therapy, which targets just the cancerous area of the prostate, can treat men whose prostate cancer has recurred after radiotherapy with much fewer side effects and less impact on their quality of life, according to a new study.
The intricate, lifelong conversation between blood vessels and immune system is fundamental to health, and its breakdown is pathogenic to many diseases. A review, published on February 10, 2026, in Immunity & Inflammation by Prof. Yihai Cao at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, provides a systematic and mechanistic framework for understanding this dynamic crosstalk, offering a unified perspective on how vascular endothelial cells orchestrate immune responses and how their dysfunction leads to pathology.