November 2022- Volume 18, Issue 11
In this Issue
Editor's Focus
Heart cells grow to their own beats
Heart cells grow to their own beats
Armed with beautiful microscope images and new translational assays, Dylan Burnette hopes to discover novel and affordable treatments for heart disease.
A prescription for venom
A prescription for venom
Nature’s most lethal chemicals offer a new road to pain relief.
Editors Insight
Opioid alternatives
Opioid alternatives
In writing about new pain treatments that could benefit a family member, I was reminded of the real people behind every study and story.
Neuroscience
For neurological disorders, milk-based therapies are on the way
For neurological disorders, milk-based therapies are on the way
From peptides to sugars to lipids, researchers investigate milk as an untapped source of therapeutics for conditions as diverse as anxiety and infant brain injury.
Manipulating nerves to relieve pain without drugs
Manipulating nerves to relieve pain without drugs
Seeking alternatives to pharmacological approaches, researchers apply thermal, electrical, and mechanical stimuli to change nerve signaling and treat pain.
Stopping power surges in the brain
Stopping power surges in the brain
Anti-seizure medications act on different neural targets to prevent epilepsy.
Cell Biology
Viral reactivation may cause CAR T cell-induced neurotoxicity
Viral reactivation may cause CAR T cell-induced neurotoxicity
CAR T cell therapies use engineered T cells to fight cancer, but they can sometimes cause neurotoxic side effects. Herpes virus reactivation in donor CAR T cells may be to blame.
Autoimmune Disease
Delivering smart solutions for osteoarthritis
Delivering smart solutions for osteoarthritis
Transporting osteoarthritis drugs to the joints is challenging. Innovations in nanoparticle delivery, therapeutic gels, and “smart cells” may be the answer.
A drug that effectively treats vitiligo
A drug that effectively treats vitiligo
There are currently no FDA-approved drugs to treat vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that kills skin pigment cells. But a phase III study of a drug used to treat atopic dermatitis may be the first to get the FDA seal of approval.
