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The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Lab-grown sperm and eggs just a few years away, scientists say
Scientists are just a few years from creating viable human sex cells in the lab, according to an internationally renowned pioneer of the field, who says the advance could open up biology-defying possibilities for reproduction. Speaking to the Guardian, Prof Katsuhiko Hayashi, a developmental geneticist at the University of Osaka, said rapid progress is being made towards being able to transform adult skin or blood cells into eggs and sperm, a feat of genetic conjury known as in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG). His own lab is about seven years away from the milestone, he predicts. Other frontrunners include a team at the University of Kyoto and a California-based startup, Conception Biosciences, whose Silicon Valley backers include the OpenAI founder, Sam Altman and whose CEO told the Guardian that growing eggs in the lab 'might be the best tool we have to reverse population decline' and could pave the way for human gene editing. 'I feel a bit of pressure. It feels like being in a race,' said Hayashi, speaking before his talk at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology's (ESHRE) annual meeting in Paris this week. 'On the other hand, I always try to persuade myself to keep to a scientific sense of value.' If shown to be safe, IVG could pave the way for anyone – regardless of fertility or age – to have biological children. And given that Hayashi's lab previously created mice with two biological fathers, theoretically this could extend to same-sex couples. 'We get emails from [fertility] patients, maybe once a week,' said Hayashi. 'Some people say': 'I can come to Japan.' So I feel the demand from people.' Matt Krisiloff, Conception's CEO, told the Guardian that lab-grown eggs 'could be massive in the future'. 'Just the aspect alone of pushing the fertility clock … to potentially allow women to have children at a much older age would be huge,' he said. 'Outside of social policy, in the long term this technology might be the best tool we have to reverse population decline dynamics due to its potential to significantly expand that family planning window.' In a presentation at the ESHRE conference, Hayashi outlined his team's latest advances, including creating primitive mouse sperm cells inside a lab-grown testicle organoid and developing an human ovary organoid, a step on the path to being able to cultivate human eggs. IVG typically begins with genetically reprogramming adult skin or blood cells into stem cells, which have the potential to become any cell type in the body. The stem cells are then coaxed into becoming primordial germ cells, the precursors to eggs and sperm. These are then placed into a lab-grown organoid (itself cultured from stem cells) designed to give out the complex sequence of biological signals required to steer the germ cells on to the developmental path to becoming mature eggs or sperm. Inside the artificial mouse testes, measuring only about 1mm across, Hayashi's team were able to grow spermatocytes, the precursors of sperm cells, at which point the cells died. It is hoped that an updated testicle organoid, with a better oxygen supply, will bring them closer to mature sperm. Hayashi estimated that viable lab-grown human sperm could be about seven years away. Sperm cultivated from female cells would be 'technically challenging, but I don't say it is impossible', he added. Others agreed with Hayashi's predicted timescale. 'People might not realise how quickly the science is moving,' said Prof Rod Mitchell, research lead for male fertility preservation in children with cancer at the University of Edinburgh. 'It's now realistic that we will be looking at eggs or sperm generated from immature cells in the testicle or ovary in five or 10 years' time. I think that is a realistic estimate rather than the standard answer to questions about timescale.' Prof Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology and deputy vice-president of the University of Manchester, agreed: 'I think somebody will crack it. I'm ready for it. Whether society has realised, I don't know.' While several labs have successfully produced baby mice from lab-grown eggs, creating viable human eggs has proved far more technically challenging. But a recent advance in understanding how eggs are held in a dormant state – as they are in the human ovary for more than a decade – could prove crucial. In the race to crack IVG, Hayashi suggested that his former colleague, Prof Mitinori Saitou, based at Kyoto University, or Conception Biosciences, which is entirely focused on producing clinical-grade human eggs, could be in the lead. 'But they [Conception] are really, really secretive,' he said. Krisiloff declined to share specific developments, but said the biotech is 'making really good progress on getting to a full protocol' and that in a best case scenario the technology could be 'in the clinic within five years, but could be longer'. Most believe that years of testing would be required to ensure the lab-grown cells are not carrying dangerous genetic mutations that could be passed on to embryos – and any subsequent generations. Some of the mice born produced using lab-grown cells have had normal lifespans and been fertile. 'We really need to prove that this kind of technology is safe,' said Hayashi. 'This is a big obligation.' In the UK, lab-grown cells would be illegal to use in fertility treatment under current laws and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is already grappling with how the safety of lab grown eggs and sperm could be ensured and what tests would need to be completed before clinical applications could be considered. 'The idea that you can take a cell that was never supposed to be a sperm or an egg and make it into a sperm or an egg is incredible,' said Mitchell. 'But it does bring the problem of safety. We need to be confident that it's safe before we could ever use those cells to make a baby.' There is also a question over how the technology might be applied. A central motivation is to help those with infertility, but Hayashi said he is ambivalent about the technology's application to allow much older women or same-sex couples to have biological children – in part, due to the potentially greater associated safety risks. However, if society were broadly in favour, he would not oppose such applications, he said. 'Of course, although I made a [mouse] baby from two dads, that is actually not natural,' he said. 'So I would say that the if the science brings outcomes that are not natural, we should be very, very careful.' Unibabies (with sperm and egg made from a single parent) or multiplex babies (with genetic contributions from more than two parents) would also be theoretically possible. 'Would anyone want to try these two options?' said Prof Hank Greely, who researches law and bioethics at Stanford University. 'I don't see why but it's a big world with lots of crazy people in it, some of whom are rich.' Others are ready to contemplate some of the more radical possibilities for the technology, such as mass-screening of embryos or genetically editing the stem cells used to create babies. 'It's true those are possibilities for this technology,' said Krisiloff, adding that appropriate regulations and ethical considerations would be important. 'I personally believe doing things that can reduce the chance of disease for future generations would be a good thing when there are clear diseases that can be prevented, but it's important to not get carried away.'
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers issue urgent warning after nightmare creatures breed to form dangerous hybrid species: 'Effective camouflage and secretive behavior'
Two invasive species of python in Florida have interbred to create a terrifying new hybrid snake that is even better adapted to the Everglades environment, a U.S. Geological Survey study found. First introduced to Florida via the commercial pet trade, Burmese pythons, which are native to Southeast Asia, have been breeding in the Florida wild since the 1980s, the study said. Unfortunately, the giant constrictors have adapted remarkably well to the environment in South Florida, expanding rapidly in terms of population and geography since their introduction, per the USGS. The snakes' natural stealthiness, paired with the inaccessibility of the Everglades environment to humans, has made tracking and studying the snakes a challenge for researchers. "Our ability to detect Burmese pythons in the Greater Everglades has been limited by their effective camouflage and secretive behavior," said Kristen Hart, a study co-author, per the USGS. "By using genetic tools and techniques and continuing to monitor their movement patterns, we have been able to get a better understanding of their habitat preferences and resource use." These genetic tools revealed that the Burmese pythons were closely related, indicating they likely descended from relatively few ancestors that had either escaped or were released into the wild, the study found. The genetic testing also yielded another, unexpected result. "The snakes in South Florida are physically identifiable as Burmese pythons, but genetically, there seems to be a different, more complicated story," said Margaret Hunter, the study's lead author, per the USGS. Genetically, the giant constrictors were hybrids of Burmese pythons and Indian pythons. The new hybrid snakes appeared even better acclimated to existence in the Florida Everglades, something Hunter attributed to "hybrid vigor." Genetic mixing between closely related species "can lead to … the best traits of two species are passed into their offspring," the geneticist explained. "Hybrid vigor can potentially lead to a better ability to adapt to environmental stressors and changes. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "In an invasive species population like the Burmese pythons in South Florida, this could result in a broader and more rapid distribution." The introduction of invasive pythons into the South Florida ecosystem has devastated the populations of small mammals on which the snakes prey. From 1997 to 2012, the USGS measured population declines of 99.3% for raccoons, 98.9% for opossums, and 87.5% for bobcats. "The most severe decline in native species [have] occurred in the remote southernmost regions of the [Everglades National] Park where pythons have been established the longest," the USGS said. As the example of pythons in South Florida has illustrated, once an invasive species is introduced into a new environment, the consequences are highly unpredictable but often devastating. Around the world, invasive species are the No. 2 reason why native species go extinct, behind only habitat loss, according to New Scientist. Invasive species outcompete native plants and animals, spread deadly diseases, and disrupt delicate ecosystems. They also impact the food supply by decimating livestock and crops while also shutting down trade. Rising global temperatures have increased the spread of invasive species, opening up new regions where certain species could not previously survive, per the USGS. Consequently, in order to curb the spread of invasive species on a global scale, we need to reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution that enters the atmosphere. You can reduce the pollution you and your family generate by driving an electric vehicle, installing solar panels, or taking public transit. Additionally, you can give direct assistance to native species in your area by planting a native garden, upgrading to a natural lawn, or rewilding your yard, all of which provide additional shelter and food for local wildlife. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Fox News
17-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Cancer could be detected three years before diagnosis with experimental blood test
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University say they have uncovered an advanced method for detecting cancer. A new study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery and partly funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that genetic material shed by tumors can be detected in the bloodstream three years prior to a cancer diagnosis. The researchers analyzed plasma samples from a large Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study to assess risk factors for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, according to a press release. Blood samples were analyzed from 26 participants who were diagnosed with cancer within six months of sample collection, and 26 who were not diagnosed with cancer. Out of these 52 participants, eight scored positively on a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) lab test and were diagnosed with cancer within four months following blood collection. MCED tests are an experimental type of cancer screening that looks for signs of multiple types of cancer at the same time, according to the American Cancer Society. These signs may include pieces of DNA, RNA or proteins from abnormal cells. For six of these eight individuals, researchers were able to assess additional blood samples that were collected 3.1 to 3.5 years prior to diagnosis. In four samples, researchers identified tumor-derived mutations (genetic alterations within cancer cells). Lead study author Yuxuan Wang, MD, PhD, assistant professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, shared in a statement that investigators were surprised by the outcomes. "Three years earlier provides time for intervention," she said. "The tumors are likely to be much less advanced and more likely to be curable." For more Health articles, visit Senior study author Bert Vogelstein, MD, Clayton Professor of Oncology and co-director of the Ludwig Center at Johns Hopkins, said the study shows "the promise of MCED tests in detecting cancers very early, and sets the benchmark sensitivities required for their success." Detecting cancer years before a clinical diagnosis could help "provide management with a more favorable outcome," noted senior author Nickolas Papadopoulos, PhD, professor of oncology and Ludwig Center investigator. "Of course, we need to determine the appropriate clinical follow-up after a positive test for such cancers," he added. Fox News Digital reached out to Johns Hopkins for comment.
The Independent
17-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Breakthrough blood test detects cancer years before symptoms appear
Scientists have developed a 'highly sensitive' blood test that could detect signs of cancerous tumours years before the first symptoms appear, an advance that could lead to better treatment outcomes for patients. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US found that genetic material shed by tumours can be detected in the bloodstream much before patients get their first diagnosis. The study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery, found that these genetic mutations caused by cancer, can be detected in the blood over three years in advance for some patients. 'Three years earlier provides time for intervention. The tumours are likely to be much less advanced and more likely to be curable,' said study co-author Yuxuan Wang. In the research, scientists assessed blood plasma samples collected from participants of a large NIH-funded study to investigate risk factors for heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. Researchers developed highly accurate and sensitive genome sequencing techniques to analyse blood samples from 52 of the earlier study's participants. Twenty-six of the participants were diagnosed with cancer within six months after sample collection, and 26 who were not diagnosed served as the control group for comparison. Eight of the 52 participants scored positively in a multicancer early detection (MCED) laboratory test conducted at the time their blood samples were taken. The MCED test is designed to detect multiple cancers in their early stages from a single blood sample by analysing cancer-signature molecules in the blood, including DNA and proteins. All eight were diagnosed with cancer within four months following blood collection. For six of these 8 participants, additional blood samples were collected about 3 to 3.5 years before cancer diagnosis. In four of these cases, mutations linked to tumour growth could be identified in their earlier blood samples. The findings point to 'the promise of MCED tests in detecting cancers very early', researchers say. It may lead to more standardised blood tests to screen people either annually or every two years, which could boost early detection and prevent cancers from becoming treatment-resistant tumours. 'These results demonstrate that it is possible to detect circulating tumour DNA more than three years prior to clinical diagnosis, and provide benchmark sensitivities required for this purpose,' scientists wrote. 'Detecting cancers years before their clinical diagnosis could help provide management with a more favourable outcome,' said Nickolas Papadopoulos, another author of the study. Scientists hope the findings can be validated in a larger-scale trial involving more participants.
Medscape
13-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
HS Genetics Point Toward the Hair Growth Cycle
A missense variant in WNT10A detected by a recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) suggested that drug-development efforts should target hair follicle biology, said the authors of a recent letter responding to the study. Increasing providers' and patients' knowledge about the genetic underpinnings of HS also could help reduce stigma around the disease, an expert told Medscape Dermatology . The GWAS meta-analysis, published online on December 5, 2024, in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ( JAAD ), included 4814 HS cases and 1.2 million control patients. RNA sequencing and other tools enabled authors led by Rune Kjærsgaard Andersen, MD, PhD, of the Department of Dermatology, Zealand University Hospital in Roskilde, Denmark, to identify eight independent HS-associated variants, including four previously unreported variants that all mapped to signaling pathways crucial in epidermal keratinization. Ultimately, the authors highlighted rs121908120-A, a missense variant in the WNT10A pathway, as protective against HS. Noteworthy Discovery The discovery of rs121908120-A is notable, wrote authors led by Olivia D. Perez, MD, of the Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine in New York City, because of its clinical implications derived from previously reported disease associations at the WNT10A locus. A 2023 British Journal of Dermatology publication showed that the rs121908120-A variant is elevated in patients with hair miniaturization disorders. Because the clinical effects of WNT10A deficiency on hair have been validated in a mouse model, added Perez and colleagues, 'a shortened hair follicle growth phase could be protective of HS, which has clinical implications for HS trials.' Their letter was published in the JAAD Notes and Comments section on May 5, 2025. In the absence of functional genomic studies elucidating the mechanism(s) of the WNT10A pathway in HS, Perez and coauthors used data from a study published in Immunity in 2024 to investigate where this gene is expressed in lesional skin. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that WNT10A is expressed in keratinocytes, including hair follicle infundibulum, proliferative cells, basal cells, and immune cells, including regulatory T cells. Spatial transcriptomics confirmed that WNT10A is expressed in both surface and tunnel epithelium, along with the immune cell-rich dermis of HS lesions. The latter findings suggest potential WNT10A involvement in immune responses and augment its known roles in follicular biology, wrote Perez and colleagues. With few treatments approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for HS, trials to date largely have attempted to repurpose existing drugs that target the inflammatory cascade. Conversely, Perez and colleagues wrote that the GWAS findings highlighted the potential of targeting hair follicle biology and that a shorter follicular growth phase may explain the success of laser hair removal in HS management. A Developing Story Lasers appeared to address HS through ablation rather than targeting any specific cytokine or gene, Christopher Sayed, MD, professor of dermatology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, said in an interview. 'If the initial event in disease development is centered on the hair follicle, then reducing the number of follicles present should help slow down the development of new lesions and progression.' He was not involved with JAAD studies but was asked to comment. Christopher Sayed, MD More broadly, Sayed said, Perez and colleagues' paper resonates with prior research, including a study published in JAMA Dermatology in 2023 that he co-authored, all suggesting that HS involves follicular dysregulation that probably also affects processes such as wound healing and inflammatory responses. 'That's potentially another thread that we should be pulling on, beyond the inflammatory process, when it comes to treatment, to see if there's a way to improve how the follicles differentiate and how the chronic wounds in HS could perhaps be coaxed into healing better,' he said. Perez and colleagues' findings also could counter the long-standing misconception that HS stems largely from modifiable factors such as hygiene issues, infection, or obesity, Sayed noted. 'There's a very strong genetic correlation, and multiple genes now implicated have to do with follicular regulation and epidermal differentiation,' he explained. 'While environmental factors may play a role, it's probably a much smaller role than people used to think.' As with other inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease, said Sayed, probably the biggest HS risk factor is heredity. 'So, when we talk to patients and the public about hidradenitis suppurativa, we can describe it as a chronic inflammatory condition with a strong genetic component — rather than something where there should be blame and stigma placed on patients.' Regarding new therapeutics, Sayed said he is unaware of any HS drugs in development that specifically target hair follicle biology. 'It's an area that has just started to come into focus over the last couple of years as genome-wide association studies have highlighted a role for these pathways that are intertwined with inflammatory processes and wound healing.' Regardless of what triggers HS, he added, the process results in inflammation, which is the target of many drugs in HS trials. 'As we understand hidradenitis suppurativa and how pathways around epidermal and follicular differentiation are dysregulated,' Sayed said, 'it will hopefully present opportunities for more deliberate drug development.' The letter authors reported funding from the National Institutes of Health, Sanofi-Aventis US, and the Irma T. Hirschl Charitable Trust. These authors reported no relevant conflicts of interest. GWAS authors reported financial relationships with more than a dozen pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly, LEO Pharma, Novartis, and others. Additionally, several of these authors are employees of deCODE genetics/Amgen. Sayed reported no relevant conflicts of interest.
