Archive for Tom Ulrich
Taking life with hemophilia one day at a time
Hemophilia has always been part of Kayla Klein’s life. Her father, David, had the condition. Her son, Robbie, has it too. For years, though, Kayla has also surrounded herself with the right people — people who know hemophilia and who have helped her and her husband Joel create a life where the condition isn’t something ... Read More about Taking life with hemophilia one day at a time
Safety trial of algal anesthetic kicks off
Two years ago, we told the story of the quest of Charles Berde, MD, PhD, of Boston Children’s Division of Pain Medicine, to turn an algal toxin called neosaxitoxin into a long-lasting local anesthetic. At that time, Berde—together with Alberto Rodríguez-Navarro, MD, from Padre Hurtado Hospital in Santiago, Chile, and a Chilean company called Proteus SA—already knew that ... Read More about Safety trial of algal anesthetic kicks off
A first for CRISPR: Cutting genes in blood stem cells
CRISPR — a gene editing technology that lets researchers make precise mutations, deletions and even replacements in genomic DNA — is all the rage among genomic researchers right now. First discovered as a kind of genomic immune memory in bacteria, labs around the world are trying to leverage the technology for diseases ranging from malaria ... Read More about A first for CRISPR: Cutting genes in blood stem cells
Science seen: A “wheel of death” for bacteria
The innate immune system acts like a border patrol for the body, picking up bacteria and other invading pathogens using molecular sensors. One key player is the inflammasome, a multi-protein complex depicted here through cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Using structural biology tools like cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography, the Wu lab in Boston Children’s Hospital’s Program in Cellular and Molecular ... Read More about Science seen: A “wheel of death” for bacteria
How our neutrophils might sabotage wound healing in diabetes
When you get a cut or a scrape, your body jumps into action, mobilizing a complicated array of cells and factors to stem bleeding, keep the wound bacteria-free and launch the healing process. For most of us, that process is complete in a couple of weeks. But for many people with type 1 and type ... Read More about How our neutrophils might sabotage wound healing in diabetes
A simpler way to measure complex biochemical interactions
Life teems with interactions. Proteins bind. Bonds form between atoms, and break. Enzymes cut. Drugs attach to cell receptors. DNA hybridizes. Those interactions make the processes of life work, and capturing them has led to many medical advances. “Determining which molecules interact, and measuring the strength of these interactions is fundamental for many areas of ... Read More about A simpler way to measure complex biochemical interactions
Gene therapy gets in the ring with another disease
Seeing that his mother, Kadriye, wasn’t looking, Emir Seyrek got an impish grin on his face, the kind only a two-year-old can have. He quietly dumped his bowl of dry cereal out on his bed and, with another quick look towards his mother, proceeded to pulverize the flakes to dust with his toy truck. The ... Read More about Gene therapy gets in the ring with another disease
cTAKES: Turning clinical notes into knowledge
My mother often says that my handwriting is so bad I should have been a doctor. Luckily, digital systems like electronic medical records (EMRs) and computerized pharmacy ordering systems have largely taken the legibility factor out of medicine, especially when it comes to doctors’ and nurses’ notes. Those notes—attached to millions of patient records—have the ... Read More about cTAKES: Turning clinical notes into knowledge
Safety trial of algal anesthetic kicks off
Two years ago, we told the story of the quest of Charles Berde, MD, PhD, of Boston Children’s Division of Pain Medicine, to turn an algal toxin called neosaxitoxin into a long-lasting local anesthetic. At that time, Berde—together with Alberto Rodríguez-Navarro, MD, from Padre Hurtado Hospital in Santiago, Chile, and a Chilean company called Proteus ... Read More about Safety trial of algal anesthetic kicks off
Catching platelets with NETs: Neutrophils and deep vein thrombosis
Sea cucumbers have an unusual way of defending themselves. When threatened, they ensnare their foes with sticky threads. Some even expel their own internal organs to repel attackers. Immune system cells called neutrophils sometimes do much the same: When confronted with bacteria, they unravel and shoot out their chromatin—the tightly wound mix of DNA and proteins that ... Read More about Catching platelets with NETs: Neutrophils and deep vein thrombosis