In the brain of a zebrafish, lymphatic “scavenger” cells (shown in red) wrap around blood vessels (shown in green). The scavenger cells, or mural lymphatic endothelial cells, discovered by scientists at the University of Queensland, are believed to protect the brain from cellular waste, such as excess fats, leaking from the bloodstream. “It is rare…

Medical research comparing a kanuka honey treatment for cold sores with a commonly used anti-viral cream is taking place in Northland. The nationwide trial compares HoneyLab’s Honevo “Sore Lip” kanuka honey product with a common aciclovir treatment or antiviral cream similar to over the counter products like Zovirax. Read more

Nearly one in two seniors in Ontario who visited a family doctor for a non-bacterial infection received an unnecessary antibiotic prescription, according to a new study from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) Western site in London, Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute. The study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, examined the rate of…

The funding commitment for clinical trials and registries announced in this week’s Federal Budget is a major first step in realising the enormous potential of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to save and improve the lives of millions of Australians. The announcement reaffirms the Government’s commitment to achieving the MRFF capital target of $20…

Eleven Wellington-based medical researchers received grants in the first funding round of the year from the Research For Life, formerly known as the Wellington Medical Research Foundation. Five Research Grant applicants received a total of $47,095 to undertake innovative medical research and a further six Travel Grants totalling $14,000 were approved to assist local researchers…

Australia’s efforts to prevent chronic disease have received a significant boost tonight with the Federal Government’s Budget announcement of a $10 million investment in The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre based at the Sax Institute. “We welcome the Federal Government’s significant commitment through the Medical Research Future Fund to support innovative research into preventing chronic disease,”…

A review of worldwide studies has found that add-on treatment with high-dose b-vitamins — including B6, B8 and B12 — can significantly reduce symptoms of schizophrenia more than standard treatments alone. The research — on the effect of vitamin and mineral supplements on symptoms of schizophrenia — is funded by The Medical Research Council and…

Australian researchers say they are now capable of predicting which smokers and ex-smokers are most likely to get lung cancer, up to six years before a diagnosis, by using a newly-developed mathematical algorithm. Each year more Australians die from lung cancer than other cancer, and the lack of a safe nationwide screening process contributes to…

By looking at the ‘dark matter’ of the genome, a new study published today in Nature has found that genetic changes in melanomas on the hands and feet (acral) and internal surfaces (mucosal) are completely different to the mutations found in skin melanoma. This confirms them as very distinct diseases from each other. Researchers at…

A new test for bladder cancer could enable GPs to test a urine sample and spare patients the discomfort of a cystoscopy in hospital, according to UCL research published today in Clinical Epigenetics. The test, called UroMark, has been developed by UCL researchers and uses cutting edge genomic sequencing to detect abnormal cancer DNA in…