Short-circuiting pancreatic cancer
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 11-Jan-2026 04:11 ET (11-Jan-2026 09:11 GMT/UTC)
The Krainer lab discovered a three-oncogene circuit that helps drive the aggressive progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Using antisense oligonucleotide technology, the team developed a potential RNA therapy. In lab tests, the new treatment broke the cancerous circuit, reduced tumor viability, and triggered a type of programmed cell death.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a promising new way to bolster the body’s immune system response to cancer.
In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers used specially engineered multi-pronged antibodies to better activate cancer-killing T cells.
The antibodies work by ‘grabbing’ and ‘clustering’ multiple immune cell receptors – boosting the signal which tells the T cell to attack the cancer.
Scientists at the University of Connecticut have developed a handheld ‘pocket microscope’ that directly visualizes DNA and proteins in living cells without stains or labels. The system uses deep-ultraviolet light to map molecules with femtogram sensitivity, achieving 308-nanometer resolution across centimeter-wide areas. The device enables instant pathology diagnosis, identifies cancer cells, and maps brain neurons -- all while preserving samples’ natural state. This technology could transform medical diagnostics, from operating rooms to space missions.
Two new studies published in Anaesthesia (the journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) analysing pain and other factors connected with day surgery in the UK show that around 1 in 8 patients having day-case surgery end up not going home and instead are admitted to hospital for various complications. Furthermore, one in 14 go on to develop chronic pain at the operative site after the procedure.
BATF2 is a new type of tumor suppressor that can be epigenetically silenced by high levels of glutamine in the tumor microenvironment
Glutamine silences BATF2 and leads to a weakened immune response
Blocking glutamine reverses these effects, increasing BATF2 expression and improving overall immunity