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How Can the Toxic Effects of Chemical Compounds on Humans Be Predicted by Means of Crowdsourcing?
(Latest Thinking), 8 mins
As humans react differently to chemical substances one of the challenges for public health is to establish which compounds are harmful for whom. The research project presented in this video uses crowdsourcing as part of the DREAM challenges as a method to improve research on this topic by involving the scientific...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 8 mins
Description
As humans react differently to chemical substances one of the challenges for public health is to establish which compounds are harmful for whom. The research project presented in this video uses crowdsourcing as part of the DREAM challenges as a method to improve research on this topic by involving the scientific community. Data on different reactions to chemical compounds were shared with scientists all over the world. They analyzed the data wit...
As humans react differently to chemical substances one of the challenges for public health is to establish which compounds are harmful for whom. The research project presented in this video uses crowdsourcing as part of the DREAM challenges as a method to improve research on this topic by involving the scientific community. Data on different reactions to chemical compounds were shared with scientists all over the world. They analyzed the data with different methods and every participating group described their methods and findings in detail. JULIO SAEZ-RODRIGUEZ explains how the outcomes show that the combination of all suggestions allowed for a better prediction of reactions to chemicals. In general the findings show that crowdsourcing has positive effects on science as it accelerates research, and that it is a powerful resource for computational biomedicine.
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How Can We Improve the Response to Chronic Conditions in India?
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
India suffers from a high prevalence of diabetes and raised blood pressure. In this video, PASCAL GELDSETZER presents a detailed analysis of the prevalence of both conditions in India and asks how they might be better treated and controlled. Using population-based data collected by the Indian government, Geldsetze...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
Description
India suffers from a high prevalence of diabetes and raised blood pressure. In this video, PASCAL GELDSETZER presents a detailed analysis of the prevalence of both conditions in India and asks how they might be better treated and controlled. Using population-based data collected by the Indian government, Geldsetzer shows that there is huge variation in the prevalence of these conditions between different Indian states and that these conditions do...
India suffers from a high prevalence of diabetes and raised blood pressure. In this video, PASCAL GELDSETZER presents a detailed analysis of the prevalence of both conditions in India and asks how they might be better treated and controlled. Using population-based data collected by the Indian government, Geldsetzer shows that there is huge variation in the prevalence of these conditions between different Indian states and that these conditions do not, as is sometimes assumed, only affect the wealthier strata of Indian society. With evident relevance for health authorities in India, the work also provides food for thought for authorities considering health interventions in other low and middle-income countries worldwide.
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Why Are Some Genetically Caused Diseases so Frequent in the Human Population?
(Latest Thinking), 12 mins
Why are some people more prone to sickness than others? Individual people differ in their genetic predisposition to disease. TOBIAS LENZ and his research group investigate whether historical selection by pathogens – by infectious agents – has shaped the genetic makeup of our immune system today. Their specific...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 12 mins
Description
Why are some people more prone to sickness than others? Individual people differ in their genetic predisposition to disease. TOBIAS LENZ and his research group investigate whether historical selection by pathogens – by infectious agents – has shaped the genetic makeup of our immune system today. Their specific focus here is on whether selection by pathogens on specific immune genes, so-called HLA genes, has affected the frequency of disease-c...
Why are some people more prone to sickness than others? Individual people differ in their genetic predisposition to disease. TOBIAS LENZ and his research group investigate whether historical selection by pathogens – by infectious agents – has shaped the genetic makeup of our immune system today. Their specific focus here is on whether selection by pathogens on specific immune genes, so-called HLA genes, has affected the frequency of disease-causing mutation in the neighborhood of these genes. As he explains in this video, they used both computer simulations as well as real sequencing of humans and ran a project on the genetics of medieval Europeans who suffered from leprosy. Their findings indeed support their hypothesis. This can explain, at least in part, the surprising frequency of some genetically caused diseases in the human population today.
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Can Biosignatures Be Used to Develop a Reliable, Fast and Low-Cost Test for Tuberculosis?
(Latest Thinking), 8 mins
Tuberculosis is still a major health issue and the number one killer of all contagious diseases. But while more than 2 billion people are infected with the tuberculosis agent, only 10% develop an active disease. Current diagnostic tests cannot distinguish between infected people and people with active tuberculosis...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 8 mins
Description
Tuberculosis is still a major health issue and the number one killer of all contagious diseases. But while more than 2 billion people are infected with the tuberculosis agent, only 10% develop an active disease. Current diagnostic tests cannot distinguish between infected people and people with active tuberculosis. In this video, STEFAN H. E. KAUFMANN explains that they found a characteristic gene expression profile of people infected with tuberc...
Tuberculosis is still a major health issue and the number one killer of all contagious diseases. But while more than 2 billion people are infected with the tuberculosis agent, only 10% develop an active disease. Current diagnostic tests cannot distinguish between infected people and people with active tuberculosis. In this video, STEFAN H. E. KAUFMANN explains that they found a characteristic gene expression profile of people infected with tuberculosis. Relying on only four markers they developed a highly sensitive method that is not only able to identify people with active tuberculosis but is also suitable for point of care application in countries with low resources.
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How Can Biomaterial Scaffolds Help to Repair Damaged Spinal Cords by Guiding Nerves to Grow Across the Injury?
(Latest Thinking), 12 mins
In the 1980s researchers showed that damaged nerves in the spinal cord have the ability to regrow. Chemical engineers contribute to the field of spinal cord repair by developing biomaterial scaffolds that support cell and nerve growth inside the body after an injury. In the research project explained by LAURA DE L...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 12 mins
Description
In the 1980s researchers showed that damaged nerves in the spinal cord have the ability to regrow. Chemical engineers contribute to the field of spinal cord repair by developing biomaterial scaffolds that support cell and nerve growth inside the body after an injury. In the research project explained by LAURA DE LAPORTE in this video, such scaffolds were developed and tested: The special architecture of the developed structures uses oriented chan...
In the 1980s researchers showed that damaged nerves in the spinal cord have the ability to regrow. Chemical engineers contribute to the field of spinal cord repair by developing biomaterial scaffolds that support cell and nerve growth inside the body after an injury. In the research project explained by LAURA DE LAPORTE in this video, such scaffolds were developed and tested: The special architecture of the developed structures uses oriented channels to guide the nerves to grow across the site of injury. Moreover, delivering DNA via the scaffolds resulted in growth of specific proteins that further stimulated the nerve cells to grow. The research project shows that the developed scaffolds can be used twofold: As an architecture, a physical help for the nerves to grow, but also to deliver significant crucial growth factors that are necessary to further stimulate spinal cord repair.
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How Do Natural Killer Cells Protect Themselves and How Does the Killing Process work?
(Latest Thinking), 13 mins
Our immune system has evolved many different cells with different functions to prevent infections. One of these functions is cellular cytotoxicity; this means that cells are able to kill other cells. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are one type of these cells that can achieve cytotoxicity. CARSTEN WATZL experiment...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 13 mins
Description
Our immune system has evolved many different cells with different functions to prevent infections. One of these functions is cellular cytotoxicity; this means that cells are able to kill other cells. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are one type of these cells that can achieve cytotoxicity. CARSTEN WATZL experiments with NK cells in order to find out how they protect themselves from their own cytotoxic machinery and how they undertake ‘serial ki...
Our immune system has evolved many different cells with different functions to prevent infections. One of these functions is cellular cytotoxicity; this means that cells are able to kill other cells. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are one type of these cells that can achieve cytotoxicity. CARSTEN WATZL experiments with NK cells in order to find out how they protect themselves from their own cytotoxic machinery and how they undertake ‘serial killing’. The research group’s results suggest that the molecule CD107a, which is inside the vesicles that contain the cytotoxic molecules, is involved in protecting the NK cell. The researchers also found evidence that the killing process of NK cells is regulated and that the cells know when they have killed another cell. Their discoveries have important applications for the development of treatments for diseases like cancers and autoimmune diseases.
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How Does Metabolism Influence the Function of Different T Cell Types?
(Latest Thinking), 7 mins
T cells are an important component of the body’s immune system. As ERIKA PEARCE explains, there are several types of T cells which form consecutively during the immune response and serve different purposes. Effector T cells combat pathogens from infections or tumors while memory T cells provide protective immuni...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 7 mins
Description
T cells are an important component of the body’s immune system. As ERIKA PEARCE explains, there are several types of T cells which form consecutively during the immune response and serve different purposes. Effector T cells combat pathogens from infections or tumors while memory T cells provide protective immunity to prevent re-infection or reoccurring cancer. The research presented in this video investigates how the metabolism of the T cells i...
T cells are an important component of the body’s immune system. As ERIKA PEARCE explains, there are several types of T cells which form consecutively during the immune response and serve different purposes. Effector T cells combat pathogens from infections or tumors while memory T cells provide protective immunity to prevent re-infection or reoccurring cancer. The research presented in this video investigates how the metabolism of the T cells influences the development of effector and memory T cells by blending in vitro and in vivo approaches. The findings show that the morphology of the mitochondria determines the ability of different types of T cells to perform their functions. Furthermore, the researchers were able to modify the mitochondria in a way that the resulting T cells would provide a better immunity against cancer. These insights open up new possibilities to alter immune cell function and thus might lead to improved immunotherapy.
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What is the Global Economic Burden of Diabetes?
(Latest Thinking), 10 mins
Lifestyle and demographic changes have led to diabetes becoming increasingly prevalent in rich and poor countries alike. In this video, SEBASTIAN VOLLMER assesses the global economic burden of diabetes. Going beyond previous studies in its recognition of the differing costs relating to such chronic conditions in b...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 10 mins
Description
Lifestyle and demographic changes have led to diabetes becoming increasingly prevalent in rich and poor countries alike. In this video, SEBASTIAN VOLLMER assesses the global economic burden of diabetes. Going beyond previous studies in its recognition of the differing costs relating to such chronic conditions in both high and low-income countries, the research concludes that the economic burden of diabetes amounts to almost 2% of global GDP. With...
Lifestyle and demographic changes have led to diabetes becoming increasingly prevalent in rich and poor countries alike. In this video, SEBASTIAN VOLLMER assesses the global economic burden of diabetes. Going beyond previous studies in its recognition of the differing costs relating to such chronic conditions in both high and low-income countries, the research concludes that the economic burden of diabetes amounts to almost 2% of global GDP. With further work providing insight into how costs are likely to develop in the coming decades, Vollmer’s research helps policymakers to identify ways to reduce the economic burden of diabetes.
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Which Functions Do the Noncoding Parts of Human RNA Have in Metastasis Formation of Lung Cancer Cells?
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
Parts of the human RNA that are not translated into proteins may still have an important function. As SVEN DIEDERICHS explains in this video, the occurrence of the RNA gene Malat-1 makes the difference between lung cancer with and without metastasis. By first identifying Malat-1 as the molecular difference between...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
Description
Parts of the human RNA that are not translated into proteins may still have an important function. As SVEN DIEDERICHS explains in this video, the occurrence of the RNA gene Malat-1 makes the difference between lung cancer with and without metastasis. By first identifying Malat-1 as the molecular difference between patients and then silencing this RNA gene, it was found that Malat-1 could be a viable target to suppress development of metastasis in...
Parts of the human RNA that are not translated into proteins may still have an important function. As SVEN DIEDERICHS explains in this video, the occurrence of the RNA gene Malat-1 makes the difference between lung cancer with and without metastasis. By first identifying Malat-1 as the molecular difference between patients and then silencing this RNA gene, it was found that Malat-1 could be a viable target to suppress development of metastasis in lung cancer therapy.
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Do Financial Incentives Help Obese People to Achieve and to Maintain a Target Weight?
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
By means of a field experiment, the research presented in this video tested the effects of financial incentives on the dieting behavior of obese people. As CHRISTOPH M. SCHMIDT explains, patients leaving rehabilitation clinics have been selected for the study and were given different treatments to help them achiev...
Open Access
(Latest Thinking), 9 mins
Description
By means of a field experiment, the research presented in this video tested the effects of financial incentives on the dieting behavior of obese people. As CHRISTOPH M. SCHMIDT explains, patients leaving rehabilitation clinics have been selected for the study and were given different treatments to help them achieve their target weight. It shows that those patients who received a financial incentive were more successful in sustaining healthy behav...
By means of a field experiment, the research presented in this video tested the effects of financial incentives on the dieting behavior of obese people. As CHRISTOPH M. SCHMIDT explains, patients leaving rehabilitation clinics have been selected for the study and were given different treatments to help them achieve their target weight. It shows that those patients who received a financial incentive were more successful in sustaining healthy behavior in the short term, with the effect weakening over time. These insights contribute to the question of the role financial incentives can play in encouraging healthy behavior.
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