Latest news with #FrancisCrickInstitute
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ancient skeleton tests reveal how disease evolved
Researchers at the University of Bradford have taken part in analysis which has found how ancient DNA for a type of bacteria which causes a fever has evolved over thousands of years. Borrelia recurrentis bacteria causes relapsing fever, an illness with many recurring episodes of fever, which is typically found today in areas with poor sanitation or overcrowding, such as refugee camps. It is a distant cousin of the bacteria which causes Lyme disease. Working with the Francis Crick Institute and UCL on samples of archaeological human bone, researchers believe the work can help show how diseases might develop and change in the future. Four samples from across England tested positive for Borrelia recurrentis, caused by bacteria spread through the bites of lice rather than ticks. The samples, dating back to the medieval and Iron Age periods, were obtained from the skeletons of infected people. These included DNA from bone and teeth fragments from a female skeleton from Wetwang Slack, an Iron Age archaeological site in East Yorkshire, and fragments from remains found in Canterbury in Kent, Poulton in Cheshire and South Gloucestershire. Scientists manged to sequence the whole genome, an organism's complete set of DNA, from the four samples. Ranging from 2,300 to 600 years ago, their samples included the oldest Borrelia recurrentis genome to date. The research found how the relapsing fever spread from lice to ticks which may have coincided with changes in human lifestyles, such as living closer together and the beginning of the wool trade. Dr Jo Buckberry, from the University of Bradford's School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, said: "It's really exciting to work with ancient DNA specialists, to identify diseases than we cannot see on the skeleton. "As we celebrate Bradford 2025 and reflect on our role in the historic wool trade, it's fascinating to know our archaeological research has contributed to the understanding of how the use of wool has changed the diseases affecting people in the past." Researchers looked at differences in the ancient and modern-day Borrelia recurrentis and found the species likely diverged from its nearest tick-borne cousin, about 4,000 to 6,000 years ago. The study also found a change from the bacteria's transmission from ticks to lice happened during the transition from the Neolithic, or New Stone Age, period to the Early Bronze Age. Pontus Skoglund, group leader of the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, said: "Understanding how bacteria such as Borrelia recurrentis became more severe in the past may help us understand how diseases could change in the future. "The time points we've identified suggest that changes in human societies such as new clothing material or living in larger groups may have allowed Borrelia recurrentis to jump vectors and become more lethal, an example of how pathogens and humans have co-evolved." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Thousand-year-old skeletons found in hotel garden Left for dead again: Ancient Indian skeleton still waiting for permanent address The Francis Crick Institute UCL University of Bradford
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Bradford researchers solve mystery of disease and wool trade
Researchers at the University of Bradford have taken part in analysis which has found how ancient DNA for a type of bacteria which causes a fever has evolved over thousands of recurrentis bacteria causes relapsing fever, an illness with many recurring episodes of fever, which is typically found today in areas with poor sanitation or overcrowding, such as refugee is a distant cousin of the bacteria which causes Lyme with the Francis Crick Institute and UCL on samples of archaeological human bone, researchers believe the work can help show how diseases might develop and change in the future. Four samples from across England tested positive for Borrelia recurrentis, caused by bacteria spread through the bites of lice rather than samples, dating back to the medieval and Iron Age periods, were obtained from the skeletons of infected included DNA from bone and teeth fragments from a female skeleton from Wetwang Slack, an Iron Age archaeological site in East Yorkshire, and fragments from remains found in Canterbury in Kent, Poulton in Cheshire and South manged to sequence the whole genome, an organism's complete set of DNA, from the four from 2,300 to 600 years ago, their samples included the oldest Borrelia recurrentis genome to date. The research found how the relapsing fever spread from lice to ticks which may have coincided with changes in human lifestyles, such as living closer together and the beginning of the wool Jo Buckberry, from the University of Bradford's School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, said: "It's really exciting to work with ancient DNA specialists, to identify diseases than we cannot see on the skeleton."As we celebrate Bradford 2025 and reflect on our role in the historic wool trade, it's fascinating to know our archaeological research has contributed to the understanding of how the use of wool has changed the diseases affecting people in the past." Researchers looked at differences in the ancient and modern-day Borrelia recurrentis and found the species likely diverged from its nearest tick-borne cousin, about 4,000 to 6,000 years study also found a change from the bacteria's transmission from ticks to lice happened during the transition from the Neolithic, or New Stone Age, period to the Early Bronze Skoglund, group leader of the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, said: "Understanding how bacteria such as Borrelia recurrentis became more severe in the past may help us understand how diseases could change in the future."The time points we've identified suggest that changes in human societies such as new clothing material or living in larger groups may have allowed Borrelia recurrentis to jump vectors and become more lethal, an example of how pathogens and humans have co-evolved." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mesmerizing Video Shows Cardiac Cells Building a Heart
Scientists have caught the intricate dance of cardiac cells coming together to build a heart, in a mesmerizing new timelapse taken during the development of a mouse embryo. The images were captured using a technique called light-sheet microscopy (LSM). Essentially, LSM involves scanning a sample with a thin sheet of light, creating sharp, detailed, three-dimensional images of living tissue without damaging it. Researchers from University College London (UCL) and the Francis Crick Institute in the UK used the method to track how mouse embryo cells begin to specialize into roles, divide, and arrange themselves into the structure of a heart. The team tagged the different types of cells with fluorescent markers, then captured images of them every two minutes for up to 41 hours. The resulting timelapse shows a ragtag group of nondescript cells coming together to form a living, beating mouse heart in a way that's truly captivating to watch. It's not just beautiful; it helped the team uncover new details about cardiac development. Surprisingly, individual cells seemed to already 'know' where they need to go and which roles they'll end up playing, even as early as four or five hours after the first embryonic cell divided. "Our findings demonstrate that cardiac fate determination and directional cell movement may be regulated much earlier in the embryo than current models suggest," says Kenzo Ivanovitch, developmental biologist at UCL. "This fundamentally changes our understanding of cardiac development by showing that what appears to be chaotic cell migration is actually governed by hidden patterns that ensure proper heart formation." While it's a long way off from any practical benefits, a better understanding of this process could potentially lead to new treatment options for congenital heart defects, the team says. The research was published in The EMBO Journal. Scientists Peered Inside The Echidna's Mysterious 'Pseudo-Pouch' Bizarre Three-Eyed Predator Hunted The Ocean Half a Billion Years Ago Earth's Rotation Is Slowing Down, And It Might Explain Why We Have Oxygen
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pasithea Therapeutics Announces Preclinical Data that Shows PAS-004 Inhibits ETS2 Signaling, a Key Driver of Inflammation in IBD and Other Large Addressable Market Diseases
-- Demonstrates PAS-004's potential as a differentiated MEK inhibitor for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as IBD and ankylosing spondylitis – -- Positions PAS-004 for potential expansion beyond MAPK pathway driven tumors into inflammatory diseases – -- PAS-004 outperforms FDA-approved MEK inhibitor selumetinib in targeting ETS2 pathway – -- Study conducted at Francis Crick Institute by lead author of 2024 Nature paper that identified ETS2 as a central regulator of macrophage-driven Inflammation in IBD -- MIAMI, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. (NASDAQ: KTTA) ('Pasithea' or the 'Company'), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing PAS-004, a next-generation macrocyclic MEK inhibitor, today announced new preclinical data demonstrating that PAS-004 provides superior inhibition of ETS2-driven inflammatory responses compared to selumetinib in a human macrophage model of chronic inflammation that mimics the inflammatory milieu seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was conducted at the Francis Crick Institute in London, U.K. by Dr. James Lee, a gastroenterologist and Clinician Scientist Group Leader at the Genetic Mechanisms of Disease Laboratory. Dr. Lee was the lead author of a landmark 2024 Nature paper that identified ETS2 as a master regulator of inflammatory responses in IBD, and uncovered a novel genetic mechanism behind the disease, which pointed to a new, potentially effective treatment strategy through MEK inhibition. In this new study RNA sequencing was used to measure gene expression, with PAS-004 consistently outperforming the FDA-approved MEK inhibitor selumetinib across all tested doses (0.01 μM, 0.1 μM, and 1 μM), showing greater downregulation of ETS2 target genes, as well as experimentally validated MEK1/2 pathway genes. These data suggest more robust and durable MEK inhibition by PAS-004 under inflammatory conditions. Key findings of this study are: - : At all doses, PAS-004 showed greater downregulation of ETS2-regulated genes than selumetinib. - : PAS-004 significantly reduced ETS2-dependent functions such as cytokine production, phagocytosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, all known to be central to chronic inflammation. - : Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed that PAS-004's effects more closely mirrored ETS2 knockout profiles, with a higher normalized enrichment score (-3.96 vs -3.56) and greater statistical significance (1.2 x 10⁻²⁵⁰ vs 3.7 x 10⁻⁷⁴) as compared to selumetinib. Dr. Lee commented, 'Collectively, these in vitro data suggest that, compared to selumetinib, PAS-004 is likely to provide superior inhibition of the macrophage inflammatory pathways orchestrated by ETS2. Blocking single cytokines is a common strategy used to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, but growing evidence suggests that targeting several at once may be a better approach. Blocking ETS2 signaling through MEK1/2 inhibition affects multiple cytokines, including TNFα and IL-23, which are individually targeted by existing therapies, and IL-1β, which has been implicated in treatment resistance and is not directly modulated by JAK inhibitors.' 'JAK inhibitors have dominated the IBD oral treatment landscape over the last few years and we now have genetic evidence that MEK inhibition should affect a broader range of pathogenic cytokines including IL-1β, a critical cytokine that JAK inhibitors do not impact,' commented Dr. Tiago Reis Marques, Chief Executive Officer of Pasithea. Dr. Marques continued 'Based on the low level of adverse events and tolerable safety data we have observed in our Phase 1 clinical trial in advanced cancer patients, we believe PAS-004 has the potential to be a new oral treatment option for those suffering from inflammatory diseases such as IBD and we look forward to continuing to demonstrate proof-of-concept for PAS-004 in these additional indications.' Dr. Larry Steinman, Executive Chairman of Pasithea, added, 'I have studied inflammation and inflammatory pathways for over 50 years and today's results are exciting as we consider better drugs targeting inflammatory conditions. These preclinical results suggest PAS-004's ability to block ETS2 signaling and target multiple cytokines opens the potential for testing PAS-004 in large market inflammatory indications.' About Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. Pasithea is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research and development of innovative treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, RASopathies and MAPK pathway driven tumors. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute 'forward-looking statements' made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of PAS-004 in advanced cancer patients, the Company's Phase 1/1b clinical trial of PAS-004 in adult NF1 patients, and the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and preliminary efficacy of PAS-004, as well as all other statements, other than statements of historical fact, regarding the Company's current views and assumptions with respect to future events regarding its business, as well as other statements with respect to the Company's plans, assumptions, expectations, beliefs and objectives, the success of the Company's current and future business strategies, product development, pre-clinical studies, clinical studies, clinical and regulatory timelines, market opportunity, competitive position, business strategies, potential growth opportunities and other statements that are predictive in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to the Company on the date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including risks that future clinical trial results may not match results observed to date, may be negative or ambiguous, or may not reach the level of statistical significance required for regulatory approval, as well as other factors set forth in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this release, except as required by law. Pasithea Therapeutics Contact Patrick GaynesCorporate Communicationspgaynes@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Watch: Moment heart begins to form captured for first time
Credit: UCL Scientists have for the first time captured the moment a heart begins to form from embryonic stem cells. In astonishing footage, heart cells were seen starting to organise themselves into an organ-like shape just a few hours after they had divided from stem cells. The time-lapse images were captured by University College London (UCL) and the Francis Crick Institute, using the advanced light-sheet microscopy technique on a living model of a mouse embryo. The method uses a thin sheet of light to illuminate and take detailed pictures of tiny samples, creating clear 3D images without causing any damage to living tissue. The images capture a critical moment in development, gastrulation, when the soup of new cells that begin dividing after conception start to specialise and move to their correct places in the emerging foetus. In a human it happens around two weeks after pregnancy begins. Being able to see the heart forming so early could allow scientists to understand how congenital defects occur, and how to stop them. Senior author Dr Kenzo Ivanovitch, of UCL's Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, said: 'This is the first time we've been able to watch heart cells this closely, for this long, during mammalian development. 'We first had to reliably grow the embryos in a dish over long periods, from a few hours to a few days, and what we found was totally unexpected.' Using fluorescent markers, the team tagged heart muscle cells so that they would glow blue, and then took images every two minutes over 40 hours to create a time-lapse. At the beginning of the process, the cells were capable of becoming various types, but within a few hours heart cells began to differentiate and started behaving in highly organised ways. Rather than moving randomly, researchers found that they quickly started to follow distinct paths. It was almost as if they already knew where they were going and what role they would play, whether as part of the heart's pumping chambers or in its atria, where blood enters from the body. Dr Ivanovitch added: 'Our findings demonstrate that cardiac fate determination and directional cell movement may be regulated much earlier in the embryo than current models suggest. 'This fundamentally changes our understanding of cardiac development by showing that what appears to be chaotic cell migration is actually governed by hidden patterns that ensure proper heart formation.' Shayma Abukar, the lead author and a doctoral candidate at UCL, said: 'We are now working to understand the signals that co-ordinate this complex choreography of cell movements during early heart development. 'The heart doesn't come from a single group of cells. It forms from a coalition of distinct cell groups that appear at different times and places during gastrulation.' Insights from the study could revolutionise how scientists understand and treat congenital heart defects, which affect nearly one in 100 babies. The findings could also accelerate progress in growing heart tissue in the lab for use in regenerative medicine. Dr Ivanovitch said: 'In the future, we hope this work will help uncover new mechanisms of organ formation. This will inform design principles to precisely program tissue patterns and shapes for tissue engineering.' The research, which was supported by the British Heart Foundation, was published in the EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organisation) journal. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
