Latest news with #Telmatosaurustranssylvanicus
Metro
13 hours ago
- Science
- Metro
70,000,000-year-old dinosaur could unlock key cancer discoveries
Scientists believe they could develop new cancer treatments by studying the disease in the remains of prehistoric creatures. Researchers discovered structures similar to red blood cells in dinosaur fossils, which they believe could help better understand tumours and even give rise to new treatments. The ten-year study at Anglia Ruskin University was launched following the discovery of a fossil of a herbivorous Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus – known as a 'marsh lizard' – in Romania with a tumour in its jaw in 2016. Oncologist Professor Justin Stebbing led researchers in a project to see if any parallels could be drawn between the tumour and human cancers. Cancer specialist Dr Biancastella Cereser was part of the team of scientists that conducted a study into the unusual fossil. She told the Independent: 'We contacted the town in Romania, which was very excited to loan us the fossil.' The team then used a 'very, very, very fine drill' and a microscope to look inside the specimen, where they found structures resembling human red blood cells. The development has helped researchers understand 'the role of environment on cancer', Professor Stebbing said. He added that understanding the disease from a 'very ancient perspective' is another piece in the jigsaw. The project in some ways bears a similarity to that of the upcoming Jurassic World movie, which is due to be released in cinemas on July 2. The fourth film in the series follows a group of scientists trying to locate the remains of prehistoric species on an Atlantic island in a bid to create a life-saving drug for humans. More Trending However, after getting stranded on the island, the team discovers it is home to the results of failed dinosaur experiments which have been thriving for decades. They encounter some frightening mutations such as a Distortus Rex – a deformed, alien-like version of a T-Rex with six limbs. But while the claim that dinosaurs can be somewhat resurrected using DNA from their fossils is inaccurate, Professor Stebbing says the discovery of proteins in soft tissues means prehistoric remains could help with the development of better treatments in the future. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Diarrhea left me in hospital – but I never expected my diagnosis MORE: Biden jokes he 'can beat the hell out of' authors on his decline after cancer diagnosis MORE: Adele Roberts facing fresh health issue three years after being declared cancer-free
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Dinosaurs may hold key to cancer breakthroughs say scientists
Researchers explored the fossil of a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a 'marsh lizard' that existed between 66 and 70 million years ago Dinosaurs might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering cancer treatment. Yet scientists now believe these prehistoric creatures could actually provide valuable insights on how to tackle the complex, cell-mutating disease. Ne w research from Anglia Ruskin University and Imperial College London explored this subject, using pioneering techniques to closely examine the fossil of an ancient species. Now they theorise that soft tissue and cellular structures are perhaps preserved in ancient remains more frequently than previously understood, potentially offering crucial information for future illness prevention. Senior author Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University, said: "Dinosaurs, as long-lived, large-bodied organisms, present a compelling case for investigating how species managed cancer susceptibility and resistance over millions of years. "Proteins, particularly those found in calcified tissues like bone, are more stable than DNA and are less susceptible to degradation and contamination. This makes them ideal candidates for studying ancient diseases, including cancer, in paleontological specimens." The researchers specifically highlighted the Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed 'marsh lizard' that roamed what is now Romania between 66 and 70 million years ago. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), researchers discovered 'red blood cell-like structures' within a fossil of this creature. Now, by examining preserved proteins and biomarkers, scientists hope to gain insights into diseases that impacted prehistoric animals, including cancer. This project builds on a previous study that found evidence of cancer in the same marsh lizard. Professor Stebbing continued: "Unlike skeletal structures alone, soft tissues contain proteins that provide molecular information that can reveal the underlying biological mechanisms of disease." With this in mind, scientists also emphasised the importance of gathering and preserving dinosaur tissue, not just skeletons. They asserted that future analyses could enhance our understanding of disease evolution over time, potentially informing treatments for humans. "Our research, using relatively underused methods, invites further exploration that could hold the key to future discoveries that could benefit humans," Professor Stebbing added. "However, it is crucial that long-term fossil conservation efforts are coordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Can dinosaur fossils unlock the future of cancer treatment? Scientists say yes
A dinosaur's jaw might just open a new chapter in cancer research. In a study spanning a decade, scientists from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London used advanced paleoproteomic techniques — a method that holds promise for uncovering molecular data from ancient specimens — to discover red blood cell-like structures preserved in a dinosaur fossil. The fossil belongs to Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed herbivore 'marsh lizard' that roamed what is now Romania some 66–70 million years ago. The findings raise the possibility that ancient tumours could help unravel cancer's molecular origins and potentially inform future treatments. The idea for the research began in 2016 when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, read about a dinosaur fossil with a tumor in its jaw. This tumor, known as an ameloblastoma, is a benign growth that also occurs in humans, sparking curiosity about the molecular similarities between ancient and modern cancers. By 2017, a multidisciplinary team—including Dr. Biancastella Cereser from Imperial and Professor Pramodh Chandrasinghe from Sri Lanka—secured the fossil and began meticulous analysis. 'We brought it back and basically drilled into it with a very, very, very fine drill,' said Dr Cereser. An image of fossilised erythrocyte-like structures. Anglia Ruskin University Using high-resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), a very sophisticated microscope, the team identified structures that resembled erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the fossilised bone. 'Until recently, fossils were mostly useful for examining hard structures like shells and bones, noted Stebbing. 'But if we're trying to look at the building blocks of life or cancer, we now know we can actually see soft tissues too. We could actually see the flesh of the cancer.' This ancient evidence offers a rare opportunity to study the long-term environmental factors that may have shaped cancer across millions of years. The findings raise the possibility that soft tissue and cellular components are more commonly preserved in ancient remains than previously thought. By identifying preserved proteins and biomarkers, scientists believe they can gain insights into the diseases that affected prehistoric creatures, including cancer, potentially influencing future treatments for humans. 'Proteins, particularly those found in calcified tissues like bone, are more stable than DNA and are less susceptible to degradation and contamination. This makes them ideal candidates for studying ancient diseases, including cancer, in paleontological specimens,' Stebbing said. While popular culture often imagines recovering dinosaur DNA to bring these creatures back to life, Stebbing was clear: 'Jurassic Park isn't right... we can't get DNA out of this because it's broken down by time and weathering. But what we have found is that we've actually found proteins in soft tissues that can survive over time.' The team believes that studying cancer in such ancient organisms could 'help us understand the role of environment on cancer,' and ultimately inform better treatments for humans. The researchers also emphasize the importance of fossil conservation, urging that 'long-term fossil conservation efforts are coordinated to ensure that future researchers have access to specimens suitable for cutting-edge molecular investigations.'The study has been published in the journal Biology.
Sinar Daily
3 days ago
- Health
- Sinar Daily
Dinosaurs could hold key to cancer discoveries, UK scientists say
Researchers identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. 29 May 2025 06:33pm Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva. LONDON - Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said, PA Media/dpa reported. In a new study published in the journal Biology, which was almost a decade in the making, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. The findings raised the possibility that prehistoric creatures could be used to study ancient tumours, helping to fill in the "jigsaw' of cancer's molecular building blocks, and potentially influencing future treatments for humans. Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva. The idea for the study began when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, was reading the news in 2016 and came across an article about the discovery of a new fossil in Romania with a tumour in its jaw. The remains were those of a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant-eating "marsh lizard', a specimen that had lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania. - BERNAMA-PA Media/dpa More Like This
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Dinosaurs could hold key to cancer discoveries, scientists say
Dinosaur fossils could hold the key to new cancer discoveries and influence future treatments for humans, scientists have said. In a new study published in the journal Biology, which was almost a decade in the making, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Imperial College London identified preserved red blood cell-like structures in a dinosaur fossil. The findings raised the possibility that prehistoric creatures could be used to study ancient tumours, helping to fill in the 'jigsaw' of cancer's molecular building blocks, and potentially influencing future treatments for humans. The idea for the study began when Professor Justin Stebbing, an oncologist at ARU, was reading the news in 2016 and came across an article about the discovery of a new fossil in Romania with a tumour in its jaw. The remains were those of a Telmatosaurus transsylvanicus, a duck-billed, plant eating 'marsh lizard', a specimen that had lived between 66-70 million years ago in the Hateg Basin in present-day Romania. 'Justin said, guys, I want to go and get this tumour and see what we can get out of it,' Dr Biancastella Cereser, a cancer specialist at Imperial, told the PA news agency. 'We wanted to see if this tumour in the dinosaur could give us any information about any parallel with human cancers, because the tumour that this dinosaur had was an ameloblastoma, a benign tumour in the jaw, which humans have as well.' From 2017, a team was put together, including three scientists who traditionally work on human cancers — Professor Stebbing, Dr Cereser, and Professor Pramodh Chandrasinghe from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. 'We contacted the town in Romania which was very excited to loan us the fossil,' Dr Cereser said. 'We went to Romania and collected the specimen. We brought it back, and we basically drilled into it with a very, very, very fine drill. 'Then we mounted it into this very sophisticated microscope and imaged it. What we saw inside – there were some structures, some forms, that looked like blood cells.' This Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique enabled the researchers to identify low-density structures resembling erythrocytes, or red blood cells, in the fossilised bone. 'Up until recently, the fossil record and finding ancient things was really interesting for finding hard things like shells or skeletons to assess tissues,' Professor Stebbing said. 'But if we're trying to look at the building blocks of life or the building blocks of cancer, to understand cancer better, what we found was you can actually as well as seeing the skeleton we can actually see soft tissue as well. We could actually see like the flesh of the cancer. This means we can look at cancer not only occurring in human or in animal models, but we can look at it tens and tens of millions of years ago. 'It helps us understand the role of environments on cancer.' He continued: 'Jurassic Park isn't right, because what they said is dinosaur DNA could be recovered and cloned to resurrect dinosaurs, but we can't get DNA out of this because it's broken down by weathering and time. 'But what we have found is we've actually found proteins in soft tissues can survive over time. 'All we're trying to understand is the molecular building blocks of cancer from a very, very ancient perspective,' he said. 'If we can understand cancer better, we can come up with better treatments. I do a lot of research in cancer, so, you know, it all comes together. It's just part of a jigsaw that you are trying to build.'
