In order to reprogram readily available cells into specific immune cells that fight various diseases, one must know the “recipe” for the transformation. Researchers at Lund University have now created a library of the 400 factors needed for reprogramming and have begun the work of finding the right combination – the recipe – for each type of immune cell.

A novel liquid biopsy technology is set to advance cancer diagnostics and monitoring by overcoming the long-standing challenge of simultaneously achieving high sensitivity, broad coverage, and simple workflow. A team of researchers from Genomill Health Inc., the University of Turku, and the TYKS Turku University Hospital, Finland, benchmarked this new method, Bridge Capture, against two market-leading tools Their analysis, appearing in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier, highlights the method’s simplicity, cost-efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability, making it well suited for routine clinical testing, disease monitoring, and treatment selection.

A toxin secreted by cholera bacteria can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer without causing any measurable damage to the body. This is shown by a new study by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden. Systemic administration of the purified bacterial substance changes the immune microenvironment in tumours, and the results may open the way for research into a new type of cancer treatment.

In a new study, researchers from France have revealed why people with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) often develop serious spine problems, such as scoliosis. Their findings show that faulty bone-forming cells cause the spine to grow abnormally over time. In mice, drugs that blocked an overactive cell signaling pathway were able to stop these spine deformations, suggesting that existing medicines could one day help prevent spinal deformities in people with NF1.

Photothermal therapy, as an emerging cancer treatment method, has attracted significant attention due to its advantages such as minimal invasiveness, low toxicity, and strong spatiotemporal control. It overcomes the limitations of traditional therapies, which often involve large wounds and systemic toxicity. Recently, a study published in Biofunctional Materials reported the successful development of a novel nanomaterial. This material demonstrates excellent photothermal conversion efficiency and good biocompatibility, showing promising potential as a long-lasting and highly effective photothermal agent in experiments, thus offering new possibilities for precise tumor treatment.

For the first time, researchers have used machine learning – a type of artificial intelligence (AI) – to identify the most important drivers of cancer survival in nearly all the countries in the world. The study, which is published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology, provides information on which improvements or policy changes can be made in each country that would have the greatest impact on improving cancer survival. By going to the online tool created by the researchers, anyone can find their country and scroll down to see which factors, such as national wealth, access to radiotherapy and universal health coverage, are most associated with cancer outcomes.

Nearly 15 percent of U.S. adults continue to smoke, often because long-term health risks feel too abstract compared with the immediate rewards. Jeff Stein, an addiction researcher at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, is leading a National Cancer Institute–funded study testing whether episodic future thinking — a strategy that helps people vividly imagine their personal future — can reduce impulsivity and support quitting. The fully remote study will enroll 128 participants nationwide and combine the intervention with counseling and nicotine patches.