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As science continues to be our lifeline against a global pandemic, while also facing critique from political voices, it's the perfect moment to reflect on all the remarkable contributions science has made in recent years.
From groundbreaking discoveries that could subtly improve our everyday lives to life-saving cures for diseases that have plagued humanity, scientists are relentlessly working towards a brighter future.
8. mRNA Vaccines
While many are familiar with the fact that DNA is the genetic blueprint within our cells, the function of mRNA might not be as widely understood. DNA carries the essential instructions that guide our cells in producing the proteins necessary for our body’s functions. Given DNA's critical role, it is crucial that the single copy we have in each cell remains intact and undamaged.
To safeguard against damage, our cells create multiple copies of the relevant DNA sections needed to produce proteins. These copies, known as mRNA, serve as the temporary instructions for protein synthesis. If any of these copies become damaged, they are simply discarded.
Building on this concept, scientists have devised a method to utilize mRNA for creating a new form of vaccine. Viruses typically invade human cells by injecting their DNA, which hijacks our cellular machinery to produce viral proteins.
Traditional vaccines work by introducing whole inactivated viruses or virus fragments into the body. This helps train our immune system to recognize and generate antibodies against the virus.
A new vaccine currently undergoing clinical trials does away with the need for actual viruses. Instead, the Moderna vaccine targets the COVID-19 virus by injecting a small mRNA segment that instructs our cells to produce a spike protein found on the virus's surface. When our cells generate this protein, our immune system identifies and attacks it by producing antibodies, offering us immunity similar to what would occur through direct exposure to the virus.
This approach has significantly streamlined the vaccine development process, which typically spans over a decade. In just slightly more than two months, Moderna went from the initial planning stage to the first clinical trial of its vaccine. If successful, this vaccine could be the key to ending the coronavirus pandemic.
7. Prostheses Controlled by the Mind
In 2016, a collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and the University of Chicago made a remarkable breakthrough. Nathan Copeland, who was paralyzed from the chest down following a car accident in 2004, was given an extraordinary gift. Now, he can not only feel but also control a prosthetic limb using just his thoughts.
This groundbreaking achievement was made possible by implanting electrodes in the regions of Copeland’s brain that manage movement and touch sensations. When Copeland thinks about moving his arm, the electrodes interpret the neural signals from his brain to control the robotic arm. Similarly, when something touches the prosthetic hand, sensors transmit electrical signals that stimulate Copeland’s brain, enabling him to feel the sensation of touch.
The National Institutes of Health is investing a total of $7 million into continued research by Pitt, UPMC, and Chicago.
6. Gaining Insights into Autism
Researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto have made a significant breakthrough by examining the DNA of autistic children alongside their parents' DNA. They have identified regions within the DNA known as tandem repeats, which are sequences that are repeated multiple times.
These Toronto scientists found that autistic children tend to have double or even triple the number of tandem repeats found in their parents. The greater the number of these repeats, the more they disrupt the function of the associated gene. In children with autism, these repeats have been identified in genes that affect brain function.
By uncovering this unusual phenomenon, scientists may have discovered a potential new method for diagnosing autism. Moreover, this provides a clearer insight into the underlying causes of autism, opening the door to the development of new treatments. Some researchers also speculate that a similar tandem repeat expansion could be responsible for conditions like epilepsy and schizophrenia.
5. Potential Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease
In the brain, the tau protein plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of neurons by holding their axons together. Neurons, or nerve cells, transmit signals along their axons, enabling us to experience sensations such as touch.
In Alzheimer's disease, tau proteins become tangled inside the nerve axons, hindering the transmission of signals and disrupting brain function. Additionally, the accumulation of another protein, beta-amyloid, forms clumps between neurons, further impairing their ability to function properly.
In 2019, NeuroEM Therapeutics, Inc. tested a wearable cap that emits electromagnetic waves through the brain, aiming to break down the protein buildups associated with Alzheimer's. The first clinical trial, involving eight patients, showed that seven of them experienced some restoration of cognitive function. Larger studies are currently being conducted to verify these findings.
Independent labs replicated similar experiments in mice, and found that exposure to electromagnetic waves led to improvements in cognitive function. Though it’s still early for this treatment, it holds potential for those battling Alzheimer’s. To date, Alzheimer’s medications have only been able to slow the disease’s progression slightly, making the pursuit of new treatment methods especially exciting.
4. The Quest for Universal Flu Vaccines
We must receive flu shots every year because flu virus strains mutate annually. These vaccines target the head of a protein on the flu virus, known as HA, to stimulate an immune response.
The issue arises because the HA head frequently changes due to rapid mutations. This requires us to get new flu shots every year to protect against the updated HA head.
This challenge may soon be overcome. It turns out that the stem of the HA protein, which supports the head, remains stable and doesn’t change much across flu strains.
Scientists at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center have developed a new vaccine that has just entered clinical trials. This vaccine targets the stem of the HA protein rather than the head. If successful, it could offer immunity to most flu strains for a much longer period. While it may take some time to determine its effectiveness, it represents a significant step toward creating a universal one-time flu shot.
3. The Search for a Cure for Ebola
While the world is currently grappling with a new coronavirus pandemic, it wasn’t long ago that fears centered on Ebola. This deadly virus begins with symptoms like fever and chills, and can eventually lead to severe bleeding and organ failure.
This often-lethal disease has been studied extensively for years. In 2019, a clinical trial revealed a new drug therapy that reduced the death rate from 75% (in the absence of treatment) to 29% with the new therapy. When administered early, the death rate plummeted to just 6%.
The drug developed by Regeneron is a blend of antibodies produced by our immune system to fight off infections. These antibodies are specifically designed to target and neutralize the Ebola virus.
Creating antibodies in a lab is challenging since they need to function in the human body without being destroyed by the immune system. Furthermore, the Ebola virus can mutate and change its shape, which is why the treatment involves a combination of different antibodies. This promising therapy is still being tested and could soon become a crucial lifesaving intervention.
2. Microbes That Consume Metal
For many years, scientists and engineers have been intrigued by the accumulation of manganese oxide on the ocean floor and its tendency to build up in water pipes. Caltech scientist Jared Leadbeater helped answer some of these mysteries after leaving glassware with manganese carbonate soaking in his sink while he was away on a work trip.
Upon his return, Leadbeater discovered that the manganese carbonate, usually a cream color, had transformed into black manganese oxide. He then repeated the experiment with both sterilized and unsterilized jars, finding that only the unsterilized ones had turned black. This indicated that a microbe was responsible for the reaction.
Further analysis led Leadbeater and his team to identify two microbes. These bacteria were able to consume manganese electrons to generate their own energy, leaving manganese oxide as a byproduct.
This discovery marks the first time that microbes capable of using manganese as an energy source have been found. It may offer new insights into how manganese, a common element, may have played a crucial role in the planet's evolutionary history.
1. The Discovery of the Medusavirus
A recently identified virus from a Japanese hot spring has been named the 'Medusavirus,' after the mythical Medusa, who could turn anyone who gazed into her eyes to stone. Likewise, the Medusavirus turns its amoeba hosts into a stone-like state by taking control of their cellular machinery.
Fortunately, this virus does not affect humans. However, it does possess a unique set of proteins called histones, which are typically used to package DNA in the nuclei of cells. Since viruses lack nuclei, the Medusavirus is an exception to the rule.
Scientists believe this discovery may shed light on the origins of eukaryotic life. Eukaryotes are cells with nuclei, like those that form our bodies. When viruses infect their host cells, they often leave a genetic imprint on the surviving host’s DNA. Additionally, the virus may acquire DNA sequences from the host, leading to a co-evolution between the two.
Understanding how the Medusavirus acquired these histone proteins may provide valuable clues about the evolution of early cells into the complex, modern cells we see today.
