University of Cambridge

Amy Milton, a Cambridge professor, highlights the stigma around drug addiction and explores how emotional memory malfunctions contribute to PTSD, drug addiction, and OCD. She proposes targeting emotional memories to potentially treat these conditions, suggesting a personalized approach for better outcomes.

The NORAPS trial, a double-blind, randomized crossover study, evaluates atomoxetine's safety and efficacy in PSP patients with apathy and impulsivity. Presented at the 2024 MDS Congress, the study aims to enroll 84 participants, focusing on challenging-behaviors subscale of the Cambridge Behavioral Inventory. Led by Robert Durcan, PhD, the trial includes an 8-week treatment period, a 2-week washout, and a crossover phase, excluding those with cardiac issues or on other noradrenergic treatments. Research suggests noradrenaline axis impairments in PSP correlate with worse prognosis, highlighting the need for noradrenergic restoration as a potential treatment.

AI in healthcare faces challenges like lack of clear regulation, bias in training data, and regulatory conflicts with AI's dynamic nature. Despite this, AI offers benefits such as improved diagnosis, automation, and drug discovery. The WHO's recent publication on AI regulatory considerations provides a starting point for addressing these issues.

Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 show substantial cognitive decline 12–18 months post-hospitalization, comparable to 20 years of aging, with MRI and blood tests indicating brain injury markers and reduced brain volume. A trend toward recovery was observed in follow-up, supporting the hypothesis that brain injury in moderate to severe COVID-19 may be immune-mediated.

Clarivate Plc unveils Citation Laureates 2024, forecasting Nobel Prize recipients based on extraordinary citation records and societal impact. This year's 22 laureates span six countries and have made significant contributions to fields like clean energy, nanotechnology, and quantum computing.

A 3-week hypofractionated RT course showed noninferiority to 5-week normofractionated RT in reducing lymphedema risk in early-stage breast cancer, with similar survival outcomes and no increased toxicity, according to the HypoG-01 trial. The study concludes that 3-week nodal RT should be the standard for breast cancer treatment.

IMU Biosciences appoints Dr. John Baker as CEO and Dr. Jason Brown as CBO to expand leadership team, supporting growth in precision medicine.

Kelly Chibale, from a Zambian village to Cambridge and Scripps, founded the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) at the University of Cape Town in 2010. H3D, supported by research and funding partners, focuses on malaria, tuberculosis, and antibiotic-resistant diseases, developing MMV390048, the first small-molecule clinical candidate discovered by an Africa-led team. Chibale emphasizes the need for global recognition and collaboration with African scientists to address diverse health challenges and foster innovation.

Replacing ultra-processed foods (UPFs) with less processed foods reduces diabetes risk, with every 10% increase in UPFs linked to a 17% rise in risk. High-risk UPFs include savoury snacks, processed meats, ready meals, and sweetened beverages. Substituting 10% of UPFs with minimally processed foods or processed foods lowers diabetes risk by 14% and 18%, respectively.

Prof Andres Cervantes likens ESMO to a tree, providing support and collaboration to oncologists. ESMO offers educational opportunities and embraces emerging trends, including AI and precision medicine. Cervantes emphasizes the importance of better patient outcomes and improved working conditions for oncology professionals, including DEI. ESMO 2024 focused on women's cancers and oncology, with discussions on fertility preservation and sexual health post-cancer treatment. The conference also highlighted advancements in whole genome sequencing and mutational signatures in cancer research.