Research
Mutated botulinum neurotoxin B: A stronger player in the Botox world?
Famously associated with smoothing out wrinkles, botulinum toxin — better known as Botox — has been in use for 40 years now. Initially approved as a treatment for crossed eyes and then facial wrinkles, its on- and off-label uses today extend to urinary incontinence, migraines, perspiration, spasticity and even depression. But the diffusion of the ... Read More about Mutated botulinum neurotoxin B: A stronger player in the Botox world?
Research
Seeking a way to keep organs young
The wear and tear of life takes a cumulative toll on our bodies. Our organs gradually stiffen through fibrosis, which is a process that deposits tough collagen in our body tissue. Fibrosis happens little by little, each time we experience illness or injury. Eventually, this causes our health to decline. “As we age, we typically accumulate ... Read More about Seeking a way to keep organs young
Research
Optic nerve regeneration: One approach doesn’t fit all
Getting a damaged optic nerve to regenerate is vital to restoring vision in people blinded through nerve trauma or disease. A variety of growth-promoting factors have been shown to help the optic nerve’s retinal ganglion cells regenerate their axons, but we are still far from restoring vision. A new study on optic nerve regeneration, published ... Read More about Optic nerve regeneration: One approach doesn’t fit all
Patient Stories
Whatever it takes: Fighting for Michael
Michael stood at the top of the hill, staring down at the glittering white snow. The prospect of skiing to the bottom was scary — on previous trips, he’d refused to try, worried that he would fall. But this time was different. He was ready to take a chance. Attempting to balance without using poles, ... Read More about Whatever it takes: Fighting for Michael
Research
Precision drug delivery systems could ‘trigger’ an age of nanomedicine
What if we could deliver biocompatible nanoparticles into the body and then activate them to release drugs exactly where they are needed, without causing side effects elsewhere? Scientists like Daniel Kohane, MD, PhD, of Boston Children’s Hospital, are developing nanoscale drug delivery systems to do just that, using a variety of materials and triggers that ... Read More about Precision drug delivery systems could ‘trigger’ an age of nanomedicine
Research
Medical milestone: Making blood stem cells in the lab
Pluripotent stem cells can make virtually every cell type in the body. But until now, one type has remained elusive: blood stem cells, the source of our entire complement of blood cells. Since human embryonic stem cells (ES cells) were isolated in 1998, scientists have tried to get them to make blood stem cells. In ... Read More about Medical milestone: Making blood stem cells in the lab
Patient Stories
A dream deferred but not denied by ACL tear
The dream of playing college soccer was within reach. Emily had been working on her game since she was four years old, and at 16 was now co-captain of both her high school and club teams. Colleges were taking note. Just three games into club season, Emily was on the field in North Carolina, running ... Read More about A dream deferred but not denied by ACL tear
Clinical Care
GALLERY: Custom-built ‘trainers’ help clinicians master procedures
Walking into the SIMPeds Engineering Studio, a few blocks from Boston Children’s Hospital, the first thing you notice is body parts — high-fidelity replicas of human anatomy in various sizes. Some are in a glass display case, while others are laid out in various states of assembly, from a lone finger to the complete abdominal cavity of ... Read More about GALLERY: Custom-built ‘trainers’ help clinicians master procedures
Research
Culture shock: Why poliovirus had to live before it could die
Today, stories of polio may seem like echoes from far-away history to those born after 1979, the year that polio was eradicated in the U.S. Since then, it has been customary for children to receive four doses of the polio vaccine to protect them from ever contracting the terrifying disease also known as “infantile paralysis.” Polio, however, still afflicts people in ... Read More about Culture shock: Why poliovirus had to live before it could die
Research
Could fecal transplants heal Crohn’s and colitis in children? Two trials are set to find out
Could an exciting potential treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) be found in the gastrointestinal tract itself? That’s the theory behind a pair of new studies by Stacy A. Kahn, MD, which will investigate the potential role of fecal microbial transplant (FMT) in the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in children. In IBD, the ... Read More about Could fecal transplants heal Crohn’s and colitis in children? Two trials are set to find out