Spray uses virus-filled microbeads to kill harmful bacteria on food

While it would be great if there were a simple method of eradicating all the harmful bacteria present on food, dousing that food in antibiotics certainly wouldn’t be the way to go. A new spray, however, uses food-safe viruses that kill such bacteria.Co… Continue reading Spray uses virus-filled microbeads to kill harmful bacteria on food

Modified blood cells deliver antibiotics to kill dangerous bacteria

Drugs given to the whole body can be too much of a shotgun approach, damaging cells that aren’t meant to be targeted. A new study has found that cloaking drugs inside red blood cells could help guide powerful but toxic antibiotics to target bacteria.Co… Continue reading Modified blood cells deliver antibiotics to kill dangerous bacteria

First known RNA-targeting toxin launches “total assault” to kill bacteria

Scientists at McMaster University have identified a toxin used by bacteria to kill other bacteria through a never-before-seen mechanism. The toxin is the first found to directly target RNA molecules in what the team describes as “a total assault on the… Continue reading First known RNA-targeting toxin launches “total assault” to kill bacteria

Wearable system detects COVID two days before symptoms appear

What if a fitness tracker sitting on your wrist could detect COVID-19 before you even developed symptoms? An impressive new study claims this is not only possible, but preliminary investigations found infections can be detected nearly 48 hours before s… Continue reading Wearable system detects COVID two days before symptoms appear

Scientists identify how caffeine reduces bad cholesterol

Your morning vice might not be that guilty a pleasure after all: coffee seems to have a range of health benefits, but exactly how it affects the body to produce these results remains unknown. A new study has identified specific proteins that caffeine w… Continue reading Scientists identify how caffeine reduces bad cholesterol

Common pesticide may slow calorie-burning and contribute to obesity

New research published in Nature Communications has found a common pesticide may promote obesity by slowing the calorie-burning ability of certain fat cells. The animal study indicates chlorpyrifos, set to be banned in the United States from next year,… Continue reading Common pesticide may slow calorie-burning and contribute to obesity

New CAR-NK cell immunotherapy safely tackles breast cancers in lab tests

Immunotherapy is a promising avenue for cancer treatment, but it has trouble against solid tumors without triggering major side effects. Now, researchers at McMaster University have developed a new form of the treatment that supercharges a different ty… Continue reading New CAR-NK cell immunotherapy safely tackles breast cancers in lab tests

Smartphone-connected device detects infections in less than an hour

Presently, if a doctor suspects that a patient has a bacterial infection, that person has to provide a fluid sample that is sent off to a lab for analysis. A new device, however, could allow such samples to be analyzed on the spot, within minutes.Conti… Continue reading Smartphone-connected device detects infections in less than an hour

Accelerated biological aging seen in prematurely born males

A unique study using epigenetic markers to track biological aging has found prematurely born males, of extremely low birth weight, seem to age more rapidly than prematurely born females with similar birth weight. Why this is the case is unclear but the… Continue reading Accelerated biological aging seen in prematurely born males

Stacking sheets of tissue builds better lab-grown meat

A pair of researchers at McMaster University’s School of Biomedical Engineering have developed a way of cultivating meat that not only does away with the animal, but also allows for greater control over the texture and taste of the end product.Continue… Continue reading Stacking sheets of tissue builds better lab-grown meat