Biomedical research advancements in genetics and oncology

Biomedical researchers in Europe and the United States have reported several advancements in genetics, disease prediction, and cancer therapy.

Initial breakthroughs focused on epigenetics and targeted cancer treatments. Researchers in Germany developed ‘metilene3’, a machine-learning tool for identifying DNA methylation patterns. In cancer research, teams at Philipps-Universität Marburg utilized the molecule TR-07 to target pancreatic cancer cells, while a British group identified cell signatures to predict melanoma immunotherapy responses. Other developments included methods for quantifying cellular damage in organs and the design of genetic ‘enhancers’ at the Vienna Biocenter.

Subsequent reports highlighted advancements in predictive modeling and immunotherapy manufacturing. Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham introduced ‘Aladynoulli’, an algorithm published in Nature that uses electronic health records and genetic data to predict the probability of 348 different diseases. Additionally, researchers at the University of California San Francisco developed a method to manufacture dendritic cells from induced pluripotent stem cells to better train T-lymphocytes to attack tumors.