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Tag: Lund University

  • Decoding Diabetes: Can Epigenetics Hold the Key?

    Decoding Diabetes: Can Epigenetics Hold the Key?

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    Newswise — Do epigenetic changes cause type 2 diabetes, or do the changes occur only after a person has become ill? A new study by researchers at Lund University provides increased support for the idea that epigenetic changes can cause type 2 diabetes. The researchers behind the new findings published in Nature Communications now aim to develop methods for disease prevention.

    We inherit our genes from our parents, and they seldom change. However, epigenetic changes that arise due to environmental and lifestyle factors can affect the function of genes.

    “Our new extensive study confirms our previous findings from smaller studies, showing that epigenetic changes can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we have also identified new genes that impact the development of the disease. Our hope is that with the help of these results, we can develop methods that can be used to prevent type 2 diabetes,” says Charlotte Ling, professor of diabetes and epigenetics at Lund University’s Diabetes Centre (LUDC), who led the study.

    The same epigenetic changes

    The researchers studied epigenetics in insulin-producing cells from donors and found 5584 sites in the genome with changes that differed between 25 individuals with type 2 diabetes and 75 individuals without the disease. The same epigenetic changes found in people with type 2 diabetes were also found in individuals with elevated blood sugar levels, which increase the risk of developing the disease.

    “Those of us who study epigenetics, have long tried to understand whether epigenetic changes cause type 2 diabetes or if the changes occur after the disease has already developed. Because we saw the same epigenetic changes in people with type 2 diabetes and individuals at risk for the disease, we conclude that these changes may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes,” says Tina Rönn, lead author and researcher at LUDC.

    The study identified 203 genes with different expression in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to the control group. The researchers found that the gene RHOT1 showed epigenetic changes in people with type 2 diabetes and that it also played a key role in insulin secretion in insulin-producing cells. When they knocked out the gene expression of RHOT1 in cells from donors without type 2 diabetes, insulin secretion decreased.

    “When we examined the same type of cells in rats with diabetes, we found a lack of RHOT1, confirming the gene’s importance for insulin secretion,” says Tina Rönn.

    Methods that can prevent the disease

    One goal of the research is to develop a blood-based biomarker that can predict who is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the researchers investigated whether their results from insulin-producing cells in the pancreas were reflected in the blood of living people. They found epigenetic changes in the blood of a group of 540 people without the disease and they linked this to the future development of type 2 diabetes in half of the individuals.

    Factors such as unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and ageing increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and they also affect our epigenetics. With the new study, researchers have identified new mechanisms that may make it possible to develop methods to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

    “If we succeed in developing an epigenetic biomarker, we can identify individuals with epigenetic changes before they become ill. These individuals can, for example, receive personalised lifestyle advice that can reduce their risk of disease, or we can develop methods that aim to correct the activity of certain genes using epigenetic editing,” says Charlotte Ling.

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  • Training Birds for Climate Adaptation

    Training Birds for Climate Adaptation

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    Newswise — One result of climate change is that spring is arriving earlier. However, migratory birds are not keeping up with these developments and arrive too late for the peak in food availability when it is time for breeding. By getting the birds to fly a little further north, researchers in Lund, Sweden, and the Netherlands have observed that these birds can give their chicks a better start in life.

    Global warming is causing problems for birds in Sweden and elsewhere. Warmer springs mean that caterpillars hatch, grow and pupate earlier compared with just a few decades ago. This has consequences for birds that cannot eat caterpillars that have entered the pupal stage. Therefore, when the food supply runs out at an ever earlier time in the spring, more and more chicks starve during the breeding season. This is a big problem for migratory birds that spend winters in Africa, as they do not know how early spring arrives in Sweden. Could the problem be solved if the migratory birds simply came home and started breeding earlier?

    “It seems that our non-migratory birds are doing this to a certain extent. But, of course, they are present and can feel how early spring will come. We thought that perhaps the migratory birds could fly further north until they find a place with suitable well-developed caterpillars,” says Jan-Åke Nilsson, biology researcher at Lund University in Sweden.

    To test this in practice, the researchers decided to help some Pied Flycatchers along the way. The biologists caught Pied Flycatchers that had arrived prior to breeding in the Netherlands. The birds were then driven during the night to Vombs Fure, an area of pine forest outside Lund in Skåne, where they were released. The peak of caterpillar availability in Skåne is about two weeks later than in the Netherlands – a distance of around 600 kilometres that a Pied Flycatcher could cover in just two nights.

    “The birds that were given a lift from the Netherlands to Skåne synchronised very well with the food peak! As they started to breed about 10 days earlier the “Swedish” Pied Flycatchers they had a dramatically better breeding success than the Swedish ones as well as a better success than the Pied Flycatchers that remained in the Netherlands,” says Jan-Åke Nilsson.

    In addition, it was shown that the chicks of the Dutch Pied Flycatchers that had received migration assistance did not stop in the Netherlands when they returned after their first spring migration. Instead, they continued on to the area of pine forest outside Lund where they were born. Furthermore, they arrived earlier than the Swedish Pied Flycatchers and thereby had more well-fed chicks at Vombs Fure the year after the researchers gave the Pied Flycatchers a helping hand to find Skåne.

    “The number of small birds, particularly migratory birds, has decreased drastically throughout Europe. By flying a little further north, these birds, at least in principle, could synchronise with their food resources and there is hope that robust populations of small birds can be maintained, even though springs are arriving ever earlier,” concludes Jan-Åke Nilsson.

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  • Sepsis: Common as Cancer, Deadly as Heart Attack

    Sepsis: Common as Cancer, Deadly as Heart Attack

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    Newswise — In 2016, the research team conducted an initial study in southern Sweden (Skåne) where they revealed that sepsis is much more common than previously believed. The incidence turned out to be 750 adults per 100,000 individuals. In the latest study in the same region, the results showed that more than four percent of all hospitalizations involved the patient suffering from sepsis, and 20 percent of all sepsis patients died within three months.

    “This makes sepsis as common as cancer with similar negative long-term consequences, and as deadly as an acute myocardial infarction. Among sepsis survivors, three-quarters also experience long-term complications such as heart attacks, kidney problems, and cognitive difficulties”, says Adam Linder, sepsis researcher and associate professor at the Department of infection medicine at Lund University, as well as a senior physician at Skåne University Hospital.

    The European Sepsis Alliance has assigned the researchers with assessing how common sepsis is in the rest of Europe. Given the differing healthcare systems across countries, it wasn’t immediately clear how they should proceed to obtain accurate figures. Consequently, the researchers conducted a pilot study southern Sweden to determine if their methods were applicable to other European hospitals.

    “Doctors classify patients using diagnostic codes. Since sepsis is a secondary diagnosis resulting from an infection, the condition is significantly underdiagnosed, as the primary disease often dictates the diagnostic code. This makes it challenging to find a way to accurately determine the number of sepsis cases”, says Lisa Mellhammar, sepsis researcher at Lund University and assistant senior physician at Skåne University Hospital.

    In the study, which is now published in JAMA Network Open, it was revealed that 7,500 patients in Skåne were associated with sepsis in 2019. During the pandemic, the incidence increased to six percent. However, even without Covid-19, the researchers believe that sepsis should be viewed as an epidemic.

    The aim is to use the publication to influence the EU to establish a common surveillance system for sepsis. The team are in contact with authorities and researchers from around thirty European countries and hope that the research project can secure sufficient funding to start soon. There is no indication that the number of sepsis cases would be lower in other parts of Europe than in Sweden. In Swedish hospitals, only two percent of all sepsis patients are antibiotic-resistant, and the researchers speculate that the proportion of resistant cases is higher in many other European countries.

    “Although sepsis care has improved in recent years, we need to enhance our diagnostic methods to identify patients earlier and develop alternative treatment methods beyond antibiotics to avoid resistance. Increasing awareness about sepsis among the public and decision-makers is crucial to ensure that resources are allocated appropriately”, concludes Adam Linder.

    https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2808870?resultClick=1

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  • Impact of Psychedelic Drugs on Rat Brain Functions Explored

    Impact of Psychedelic Drugs on Rat Brain Functions Explored

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    Newswise — Researchers at Lund University have developed a technique for simultaneously measuring electrical signals from 128 areas of the brain in awake rats. They have then used the information to measure what happens to the neurons when the rats are given psychedelic drugs. The results show an unexpected and simultaneous synchronisation among neurons in several regions of the brain.

    The idea that electrical oscillations in the brain could be used to teach us more about our experiences was conceived several years ago. Pär Halje and the research team was studying rats with Parkinson’s disease that had problems with involuntary movements. The researchers discovered a tone – an oscillation or wave in the electrical fields – of 80 hertz in the brains of the rats with Parkinson’s disease. It turned out that the wave was closely connected to the involuntary movements. 

    “A Polish researcher had observed similar waves after giving rats the anaesthetic ketamine. The ketamine was given at a low dose so that the rats were conscious, and the equivalent dose in a human causes psychedelic experiences. The waves they saw were in more cognitive regions of the brain than in the rats with Parkinson’s, and the frequency was higher, but that still made us consider whether there were links between the two phenomena. Perhaps excessive brain waves in the motor regions of the brain cause motor symptoms, while excessive waves in cognitive regions give cognitive symptoms,” says Pär Halje, researcher in neurophysiology at Lund University.

    The research team that Pär Halje belongs to has developed a method that uses electrodes to simultaneously measure oscillations from 128 separate areas of the brain in awake rats. The electrical waves are caused by the cumulative activity in thousands of neurons, but the researchers also succeeded in isolating signals from individual neurons.

    “For several of these areas, it is the first time anyone has successfully shown how individual neurons are affected by LSD in awake animals. When we gave the rats the psychedelic substances LSD and ketamine, the waves were clearly registered.”

    Collective wave patterns 

    Despite ketamine and LSD affecting different receptors in the brain – they have completely different ways into the nervous system – they resulted in the same wave patterns even if the signals from individual cells differed. When the rats were given LSD, researchers saw that their neurons were inhibited – they signalled less – in all parts of the brain. Ketamine seemed to have a similar effect on the large neurons – pyramidal cells – which saw their expression inhibited, while interneurons, which are smaller neurons that are only collected locally in tissue, increased their signalling. 

    Pär Halje interprets the results seen in the study, which is published in Communication Biology, to mean that the wave phenomenon is connected to the psychedelic experience. 

    “Activity in the individual neurons caused by ketamine and LSD looks quite different, and as such cannot be directly linked to the psychedelic experience. Instead, it seems to be this distinctive wave phenomenon – how the neurons behave collectively – that is most strongly linked to the psychedelic experience.”

    Research model for psychoses

    Even if what is happening in individual cells is interesting, Pär Halje argues that the whole is bigger and more exciting than the individual parts.

    “The oscillations behave in a strange way. One might think that a strong wave starts somewhere, which then spreads to other parts of the brain. But instead, we see that the neurons’ activity synchronises itself in a special way – the waves in the brain go up and down essentially simultaneously in all parts of the brain where we are able to take measurements. This suggests that there are other ways in which the waves are communicated than through chemical synapses, which are relatively slow.” 

    Pär Halje emphasises that it is difficult to know whether the waves cause hallucinations or are merely an indication of them. But, he argues, it opens up the possibility that this could be used as a research model for psychoses, where no good models exist today.

    “Given how drastically a psychosis manifests itself, there ought to be a common pattern that we can measure. So far, we have not had that, but we now see a very specific oscillation pattern in rats that we are able to measure.”

    Can the waves reveal more about consciousness?

    There is also a dream – that the model will help us in the hunt for the mechanisms behind consciousness and that the measurements may be a way to study how consciousness is shaped. 

    “In light of the development of AI, it is becoming increasingly important to clarify what we mean by intelligence and what we mean by consciousness. Can self-awareness occur spontaneously, or is it something that needs to be built in? We do not know this today, because we do not know what the required ingredients for consciousness in our brains are. This is where it is exciting, the synchronised pattern we see, and whether this can help us to track down the neural foundations of consciousness,” says Pär Halje.

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  • Termite-inspired air conditioning for climate-friendliness

    Termite-inspired air conditioning for climate-friendliness

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    Newswise — The climate control used by termites in their mounds could inspire tomorrow’s climate-smart buildings. New research from Lund University in Sweden shows that future buildings inspired by the termites could achieve the same effect as traditional climate control, but with greater energy efficiency and without its carbon dioxide footprint.

    Termite mounds have a sophisticated ventilation system that enables air circulation throughout the structure. This helps to maintain and regulate temperature and humidity.

    “The digitalisation of design and construction processes creates enormous opportunities for how we shape architecture, and natural and biological systems provide an important model for how we can best utilise these possibilities,” says David Andréen, senior lecturer at the Department of Architecture and Built Environment at Lund University, who wrote the article.

    The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Materials, show a structure for buildings based on termite mounds that facilitates indoor climate control.

    “The study focuses on the interior of termite mounds, which consist of thousands of interconnected channels, tunnels and air chambers, and how these capture wind energy in order to “breathe,” or exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the surroundings. We have explored how these systems work and how similar structures could be integrated in the walls of buildings to drive the flow of air, heat and moisture in a new way.”

    The idea is thus to create new ways to control the airflow in buildings that will be significantly more energy-efficient and climate-smart than traditional air conditioning, which uses the bulk flow principle, normally driven by fans. Instead, it is possible to develop systems that are turbulent, dynamic and variable.

    “These can be controlled by very small equipment and require minor energy provision,” says David Andréen.

    In the study, the researchers demonstrated how airflows interact with geometry – the parameters in the structure that cause the flows to arise and how they can be selectively regulated. These can be driven without using mechanical components such as fans, valves and similar, as only electronic control is required.

    “This a precondition for a distributed system in which many small sensors and regulating devices are placed in the climate-adaptive building envelope through miniaturisation, durability/sustainability and cost reduction,” says David Andréen.

    This enables regulation of the building’s indoor climate and to control factors such as temperature and humidity without relying on large fans and heating and air conditioning systems. The mechanisms are dependent on being able to create complex internal geometries (on the millimetre to centimetre scale), which is only possible using 3D printing. Through 3D printing, value can be added to the built environment to create sustainable architecture that otherwise would not have been possible.

    “It’s fascinating how the termites’ building process manages to create extremely complex well-functioning “engineering masterpieces”, without having the centralised control or drawings to refer to that we would need,” concludes David Andréen.
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1126974/full

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  • Rare element found in exoplanet’s atmosphere

    Rare element found in exoplanet’s atmosphere

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    Newswise —

    The planet KELT-9 b holds the record for being the hottest exoplanet in the galaxy, located approximately 670 light years away from Earth and orbiting a distant star. With an astounding average temperature of 4,000 degrees Celsius, this celestial entity has captured the attention of astronomers worldwide since its initial discovery in 2016. Recently, a study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics has uncovered novel insights regarding the peculiar and searingly hot planet’s atmosphere.

    Nicholas Borsato, a PhD student in astrophysics at Lund University, explains that they have devised a fresh approach that enables them to gather more comprehensive data. Through this innovative technique, they have identified seven elements, among them the uncommon element terbium, which has never been detected in the atmosphere of any other exoplanet.

    Terbium is categorized as a rare earth metal and is classified as one of the lanthanoids. The element was first discovered by Swedish chemist Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1843, at the Ytterby mine situated in the Stockholm archipelago. Terbium is exceedingly scarce in the natural environment, and currently, approximately 99 percent of the world’s terbium production occurs in the Bayan Obo mining district located in Inner Mongolia.

    “Finding terbium in an exoplanet’s atmosphere is very surprising”, says Nicholas Borsato.

    The majority of exoplanets are typically detected through measurements of their host stars’ luminosity. During an exoplanet’s transit, its passage in front of the host star leads to a reduction in the star’s brightness. With their sophisticated measurement technique, the scientists have successfully eliminated the primary signals from KELT-9 b’s atmosphere. This breakthrough allows for the potential discovery of additional information regarding other exoplanets’ atmospheres.

    Nicholas Borsato elucidates that gaining further knowledge about the denser elements can aid in ascertaining crucial information such as the exoplanet’s age and the manner in which it was created.

    Exoplanets, also known as extrasolar planets, refer to planets that exist in solar systems other than our own. The first confirmed detection of an exoplanet was made in 1992, which was orbiting a neutron star. Subsequently, in 1995, the first exoplanet revolving around a sun-like star was discovered. To date, scientists have documented over 5,000 exoplanets. The presence of exoplanets often raises inquiries about the likelihood of extraterrestrial life in the universe.

    The identification of dense elements within the atmospheres of ultra-hot exoplanets marks another milestone in comprehending the mechanics of planetary atmospheres. As we continue to deepen our understanding of these celestial bodies, we enhance our likelihood of discovering a “second Earth” in the future. This optimistic sentiment is conveyed by Nicholas Borsato to conclude his remarks.

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  • Midwives and doctors have better emotional stability.

    Midwives and doctors have better emotional stability.

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    Newswise — Swedish obstetricians and gynecologists are noticeably more emotionally stable and conscientious compared to the majority of the Swedish population. Based on the doctors’ personalities, their decision-making styles differ in emergency situations. The research study from Lund University is now published in Scientific Reports.

    Personality is usually summarized in five traits – the so-called “big five”: Emotional stability (neuroticism), extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. Our personality then shapes our decision-making style. In a research study from Lund University, Swedish obstetricians’ and gynecologists’ personality profiles and clinical experience are linked for the first time to their decision-making styles in acute childbirth situations.

    ”Obstetricians and gynecologists have a personality profile that differs significantly from the population at large. On average, 85 percent of Sweden’s population has significantly lower emotional stability, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness than the obstetricians in our study. It’s hard not to be surprised when the differences are so clear”, says Petri Kajonius, associate professor of personality psychology and behavioral measurement at Lund University.

    It is our personality that defines what we will enjoy in our professional life, and the consequence is likely a self-selection of people who seek a certain profession. Swedish obstetric-focused physicians’ personalities make them comfortable in an environment where a childbirth situation can quickly shift to something acute and potentially escalate into a crisis. Here, traits such as emotional stability and conscientiousness are prominent:

    ”Neuroticism is the opposite of emotional stability and is characterized by anxiety and vulnerability to stress. Someone with high neuroticism may have a harder time handling stress in acute situations, but a small amount of it can increase the inclination to collaborate and make decisions together with others, which can be advantageous”, says Gabriel Raoust, doctoral student at Lund University and consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at Ystad Lasarett, Sweden.

    It has been previously established that women exhibit greater levels of neuroticism than men, which coincides with the fact that they are often more inclined to cooperate and less prone to taking risks. The study also showed that the more clinically experienced doctors are – especially men – the more comfortable they are taking the lead and making individual decisions. Traits like agreeableness combined with conscientiousness are beneficial in situations where one must follow checklists and procedures while interacting with others on the team.

    “To increase understanding of decision-making processes and the factors that influence doctors’ behavior, it is important to realize that it is normal that there are different personalities. An individual-centered or team-based approach depends on the person’s “big five” personality and can be surprisingly relevant even in a highly organized and protocol-driven environment like acute obstetrics”, concludes Gabriel Raoust.

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-32658-6

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  • Migratory birds take breaks to boost their immune system

    Migratory birds take breaks to boost their immune system

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    Newswise — Exercising too much and not getting enough rest is bad for your health. A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that the same is true for migratory birds. They need to rest not only to renew their energy levels but also in order to boost their immune system.

    After a period of physical exertion, vertebrates, including humans, usually need a period of recovery. Apart from the obvious – lowering the heart rate and repairing injured muscles – other, less prominent physiological systems might also need to recover. Intensive physical activity can affect an individual’s basic immune defence.

    When birds migrate, they regularly stop in one place for a few days to rest and eat. This was previously thought necessary in order to build up new fat reserves that provide fuel for their migration. However, researchers have now shown that birds also build up their immune system during their pit stops. They do so very quickly – a few days’ rest is more than enough.

    “This is the first time that this has been demonstrated in wild migratory birds. Our study shows that migratory birds’ stops serve other purposes, besides just ‘refuelling.’ They also need other physiological systems to recover. You could compare it to pulling off the motorway into a service station. That is not just for the purpose of refuelling, you might also need to recover,” says Arne Hegemann, biologist at Lund University who conducted the study with colleagues from the Institute for Avian Research in Germany.

    Researchers have examined small migratory birds – such as chaffinches, dunnocks and common redstarts – and analysed how their immune system changes when they take a break during their migration.

    “If you see a little bird in your garden or in the park during the autumn and you know that it is heading to southern Europe or Africa, it is fascinating to think about why it is taking a break. If they do not get food or rest, their immune systems cannot recover – which is when they risk becoming ill,” says Arne Hegemann.

    By collecting and comparing data from different individuals and species, the researchers show that free-flying migratory birds can restore several parameters of immune function during stopovers; stationary periods between flights.

    “It is fascinating just how much we are still to learn about avian migration and exciting new things emerge regularly. This provides an important part of the puzzle of how migratory birds cope with the physiological challenges they are faced with on their long journeys,” concludes Arne Hegemann.

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  • Altered cell behaviour behind resistance in neuroblastoma

    Altered cell behaviour behind resistance in neuroblastoma

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    Newswise — Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have identified one of the reasons why the childhood cancer neuroblastoma becomes resistant to chemotherapy. The findings are significant for how future treatments should be designed. The results have been published inScience Advances.

    Neuroblastoma is an aggressive cancer of the sympathetic nervous system, especially of the adrenal gland. Despite intense treatment with chemotherapy, the disease can be difficult to cure and the prognosis is poor for children who have the aggressive variant. One of the reasons is that the tumour often develops resistance to drugs. In order to understand what happens when the tumour becomes resistant, good disease models are needed that can mimic the complex drug treatment given to patients today:

    “Tumours from patients with neuroblastoma look very different, and it is difficult to produce a model that is representative of many patients. This type of challenge often limits medical research”, explains the study’s first author, Adriana Mañas, child cancer researcher at Lund University.

    However, the researchers have now succeeded in developing a model in mice with human neuroblastoma tumour cells, which makes it possible to follow the mechanisms that occur when certain tumour cells develop resistance to drugs.

    “What happens is that the tumour cells change to mimic embryonic cells from the fetal development phase. These embryonic tumour cells are more resistant to chemotherapy”, says research group leader Daniel Bexell, who led the study.

    It has long been known that genetic changes are crucial for neuroblastoma to form and develop into an aggressive tumour. However, when it comes to resistance, it is not primarily about genetic changes, but rather that the cells quickly adapt their behaviour. The reason why the embryonic tumour cells are less responsive to drugs is not yet fully understood, but the researchers think that that the cells in their immature state can adapt and survive in changing conditions.

    “Current treatment with chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing tumour cells. Our research results can contribute to new treatments which better reach the entire tumour, in order to avoid the development of resistance. In future research, it will be important to understand how to specifically target the embryonic state of the neuroblastoma cell in order to cure patients”, concludes Daniel Bexell.

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