Researchers have identified a key protein that is involved in the long-term success of immunotherapy for patients with blood cancers. Continue reading Putting the Pedal to the Metal: Improving CAR-T Cell Therapy
Researchers have uncovered a genetic variant that is associated with childhood leukemia disparities in Hispanic-Americans. Continue reading Scientists discover genetic factor underlying childhood cancer risk in Hispanic-Americans
Knowing the type of brain tumor can help determine how aggressive the surgeon should be in removing it. A new study has created a procedure using machine learning and DNA sequencing to quickly classify tumors and guide the surgery while it is happening. Continue reading Machine learning can rapidly identify brain tumor type to guide surgery
by Carlos Moralesfigures by Shreya Mantri Our cells perform extraordinary functions using information stored in their genetic material, known as DNA. Changes in DNA, known as mutations, can make cells behave erratically, which may lead to cancer. But how does cancer begin? A new model proposes that RNA — the molecular link between DNA and proteins — is at the heart of this phenomenon. How … Continue reading RNA plays a newly discovered role in the development of cancer
by Hannah Farnsworthfigures with Xiaomeng Han Most people know someone in their life who has been impacted by cancer, and a staggering 40% of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetimes. Despite the prevalence of cancer in the general population, there are many types of cancer that still lack effective treatments. One such form of cancer is a type of brain tumor called … Continue reading Brain Hijackers: How cancer manipulates the brain to help it grow
by Jackson Weirfigures by Jasmin Joseph-Chazan Why is cancer so difficult to cure? Why do available treatments only help a subset of patients? Why are some cancers more aggressive than others? These are questions that clinicians, scientists, and the public have pondered for generations. As it turns out, the answers are complicated because cancer biology is complicated. Luckily, new tools and technologies are helping us … Continue reading Dissecting cancer complexity across space and time
Jasmin Joseph-Chazan is a second-year PhD student in the Immunology department at Harvard University. You can find her on Twitter as @chazanjasmin. Isabella Fraschilla is a Ph.D. student in the Immunology Program at Harvard Medical School. She is studying how immune cells regulate commensal gut bacteria. Cover image by Arek Socha from Pixabay. This biography is part of our “Picture a Scientist” initiative. To learn … Continue reading Gertrude Elion: Forging the path towards a cure for cancer
Novel delivery system enables CRISPR-based genome editing therapy to kill cancer cells in mouse models. Continue reading The Gift that Keeps on Giving: CRISPR Therapy Destroys Cancer Cells
by Paige Haukefigures by Paige Hauke and Catherine Ding As the pandemic rages on and strict social distancing guidelines remain in place for much of the United States, COVID-19, for good reason, takes up most of the medical limelight. But as someone who works at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and walks past our clinical buildings each day, I find myself wondering what this means for other … Continue reading Cancer in the Time of COVID: One oncologist’s look into how the pandemic is impacting the larger medical world
Biologists at Stanford University have developed the LYTAC, a new class of drug that might be the future of therapeutics due to its ability to breakdown previously un-accessible proteins on cell walls and its adaptability. Continue reading Breaking Down Instead of Silencing: A Step Forward in a New Class of Drugs