Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a previously unknown mechanism that explains how bacteria can drive treatment resistance in patients with oral and colorectal cancer. The study was published today in Cancer Cell.

Tumor-infiltrating bacteria have been known to impact cancer progression and treatment, but very little is understood about how they do this. The new study shows how certain bacteria—particularly Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn)—can induce a reversible state, known as quiescence, in cancer epithelial cells. This allows tumors to evade the immune system and resist chemotherapy.

“These bacteria-tumor interactions have been hiding in plain sig...

With the advent of commercial spaceflight, an increasing number of people may be heading into space in the coming years. Some will even get a chance to fly to the moon or live on Mars.

One of the major health risks associated with spaceflight involves the immune system, which normally fights off viruses and cancer. It’s already established that spaceflight weakens immunity; current and past astronauts report clinical issues such as respiratory illnesses and skin rashes...

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have shown that their nanoparticle-based vaccine can successfully prevent several aggressive cancers in mice, including melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer. Depending on the cancer type, up to 88% of vaccinated mice stayed tumor-free (depending on the cancer), and the vaccine also reduced — and in some cases completely prevented — the spread of cancer throughout the body.

“By engineering these nanoparticles to activate the immune system via multi-...

Researchers at University of Limerick (UL) have developed a battery that could reshape the future of electric vehicles and portable electronics. Their breakthrough in energy storage technology has seen the development of the world’s first full-cell dual-cation battery.

This innovative system combines lithium and sodium ions to significantly enhance both battery capacity and stability, marking a new frontier in sustainable energy research.

The work, published in Nano Energy, was led by Hugh Geaney, Associate Professor of Chemistry at UL’s Department of Chemical Sciences and Principal Investigator at UL’s Bernal Institute, ...