Detailed brain cell analysis has helped researchers uncover new mechanisms thought to underlie Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in Nature Communications, adds to our growing understanding of the causes of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, and could influence drug design in the future. For years, scientists have known that Parkinson’s disease is associated with a…
Molecular ‘Magnets’ Could Improve Cancer Immunotherapy
Chemicals that attract specialised immune cells toward tumours could be used to develop better immunotherapies for cancer patients, according to new research published in Cell. Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered that immune cells called Natural Killer cells accumulate in tumours and release chemicals that attract specialised dendritic cells (cDC1) – white blood…
Revolutionary New Technique Maps Mini Brain Circuits
In a feat of nanoengineering, scientists have developed a new technique to map electrical circuits in the brain far more comprehensively than ever before. In the brain, dedicated groups of neurons that connect up in microcircuits help us process information about things we see, smell and taste. Knowing how many and what type of cells…