02 – 08 January 2017
Mesentery: New organ discovered inside human body by scientists
A new organ has been discovered hiding in plain sight inside the human body. Known as the mesentery, it was previously thought to be just a few fragmented structures in the digestive system. But scientists have realised it is in fact one, continuous organ. Find source
US scientists fear new restrictions on fetal-tissue research
The US government should restrict or eliminate support for research that uses human fetal tissue obtained from abortions because it is of little use to medicine, a special panel of the US House of Representatives said on 3 January. Find source
Nanoparticles awaken immune cells to fight cancer
Tiny nanoparticles, far smaller than the width of a human hair, might help the body’s own immune system fight tumors, a new study shows. In experiments with mice, the nanoparticle-based therapy not only wiped out the original targeted breast cancer tumors, but metastases in other parts of the body as well. Find source
Researchers have created an antibiotic spider silk that heals wounds
After five years of work, scientists in the UK have found a way to create synthetic spider silk that's loaded with antibiotic properties, and could help deliver drugs and close open wounds with a decreased risk of infection. Find source
Using fat to help wounds heal without scars
Doctors have found a way to manipulate wounds to heal as regenerated skin rather than scar tissue. The method involves transforming the most common type of cells found in wounds into fat cells. Find source
