Scientists identify receptor in cells that could be key to preventing cancer drug-induced hearing loss
University of Alberta scientists have identified a receptor in cells that could be key to preventing permanent hearing loss in childhood cancer survivors who are being treated with the drug cisplatin. The researchers believe by inhibiting the receptor, they may be able to eliminate toxic side-effects from the drug that cause the hearing loss.
Cisplatin is an incredibly effective chemotherapeutic when it comes to treating solid tumors in children, contributing to an 80 per cent overall survival rate over five years, according to U of A researcher Amit Bhavsar, an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology. The problem has always been with the side-effects. Nearly 100 per cent of patients who receive higher doses of cisplatin show some degree of permanent hearing loss. The ability to prevent this side-effect would dramatically improve the quality of l
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IMAGE: University of Alberta researcher Amit Bhavsar is leading a team that has identified a receptor in cells that could be key to preventing permanent hearing loss in childhood cancer survivors. view more
Credit: William Au
University of Alberta scientists have identified a receptor in cells that could be key to preventing permanent hearing loss in childhood cancer survivors who are being treated with the drug cisplatin. The researchers believe by inhibiting the receptor, they may be able to eliminate toxic side-effects from the drug that cause the hearing loss.
Cisplatin is an incredibly effective chemotherapeutic when it comes to treating solid tumours in children, contributing to an 80 per cent overall survival rate over five years, according to U of A researcher Amit Bhavsar, an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology. The problem has always been with the side-effects. Nearly 100 per cent of patients who receive higher
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Blocking seizures after a head injury could slow or prevent the onset of dementia, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists. Traumatic brain injury is a major risk factor for dementia, but the reason this is the case has remained mysterious, said Ted Allison, co-author and professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in the Faculty of Science. Through this research, we have discovered one important way they are linked namely, post-injury seizures. There is currently no treatment for the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, which includes developing dementia, added lead author Hadeel Alyenbaawi, who recently completed her PhD dissertation on this topic in the Department of Medical Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
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IMAGE: An adult hagfish in a container filled with sea water. New U of A research reveals unexpected similarities between the eyes of hagfish and those of other vertebrates including humans,. view more
Credit: Ryan Wayne
The answer to the age-old mystery of the evolutionary origins of vertebrate eyes may lie in hagfish, according to a new study by biologists at the University of Alberta. Hagfish eyes can help us understand the origins of human vision by expanding our understanding of the early steps in vertebrate eye evolution, explained lead author Emily Dong, who conducted the research during her graduate studies with Ted Allison, a professor in the Faculty of Science and member of the U of A s Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute. Our findings solidify the hagfish s place among vertebrates and open the door to further research to uncover the finer details of their visual system.
Preventing seizures after head injury could slow or prevent the onset of dementia
Blocking seizures after a head injury could slow or prevent the onset of dementia, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists.
Traumatic brain injury is a major risk factor for dementia, but the reason this is the case has remained mysterious. Through this research, we have discovered one important way they are linked namely, post-injury seizures.
Ted Allison, Co-Author and Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta There is currently no treatment for the long-term effects of traumatic brain injury, which includes developing dementia, added lead author Hadeel Alyenbaawi, who recently completed her PhD dissertation on this topic in the Department of Medical Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.