Photo by Daniel Dan on Unsplash In many medical conditions, biological markers, also known as biomarkers, are commonly used to describe quantifiable biological indicators that can be measured reproducibly and objectively. It comprises a wide range of objective indicators, including molecules, genes, or physical traits that can objectively represent normal biological processes or responses to therapy. Defining a Biomarker For an indicator to be used as a biomarker, its perfor

In the 1970s, controlling an artificial limb with thoughts was pure science fiction. Shows like The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman inspired dreams of superhuman bionics, but even visionary scientists saw such technology as centuries away. Today, that fantasy is becoming clinical reality—transforming lives for people with limb loss. From Fiction to Function For decades, the main hurdle for intuitive prosthetics was the nervous system, not mechanics. The brain

By Kat Pachas, BSN, RN It’s 3 p.m., and you’re at your desk, fighting to stay awake as the afternoon slump hits. You ask yourself, “ Why am I always so tired ?” You’re not alone in this. Many people deal with ongoing fatigue and low energy. One possible reason is mitochondrial dysfunction (Filler et al., 2014). Mitochondria make most of the energy your body needs, so if they aren’t working well, your cells can’t produce enough energy, even if you get plenty of sleep (NCBI Bo

The blood pressure monitors at your GP surgery. The insulin pen used at home. The app tracking your heart rhythm. We trust these medical devices without a second thought, but few of us know what it actually takes for one to be approved for use. Step 1: The Idea and Early Design Medical devices play a fundamental role in modern healthcare, supporting the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and treatment of disease, as recognised by the European Commission [1]. Development typic

The Surprising Plant Origins of Common Medicines: Roots, Branches, and Pain Relief

Natural Killer cells are part of the body’s innate immune system. Think of them as fast-acting armed guards—they’re the body’s first responders to threat. Scientists are working on turning these cells into something more akin to trained assassins. Numerous and diverse studies are being conducted around the world to use them against cancer. (1, 11) NK cells got their name in 1975 when Swedish researchers discovered them in mice. What made them unique was their ability to quick

The body’s timekeeping system Our bodies have an internal timekeeping system referred to as the circadian clock . It runs on roughly a 24‑hour cycle and helps coordinate almost everything we do: when we feel sleepy or alert, how we process food, how our hormones rise and fall, and even when our cells repair damage. At the centre of this system is a small region in the brain that responds to light and acts as a master clock. But over the past decade (or more) scientists discov

In modern healthcare, cleanliness is more than a best practice it is a norm. From hand hygiene campaigns to hospital-wide protocols for sterilization, infection control has saved many lives. Yet as medicine continues to push toward higher levels of sterility, but there is a quieter concern: could over-sanitization itself be creating new risks for patients? This question challenges long held assumptions about how cleanliness, immunity, and microbial exposure affect healthcare

Introduction In the vast landscape of autoimmune diseases, a significant proportion are driven by pathogenic Immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies. These antibodies attack the body's own tissues, leading to debilitating conditions such as generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Traditional treatments, such as broad immunosuppression or plasma exchange, are often indis

Modern Medicine and Solid Organ Transplant For people with failing organs such as hearts, kidneys, livers, or lungs, solid organ transplantation can represent the difference between life and death. What was once seen as experimental medicine is now one of the most powerful tools in modern healthcare. According to a major scientific journal review, an astounding 41,354 solid organ transplants were performed in the United States alone in 2021, showing how widely this life-savi

The urea cycle detoxifies ammonia by converting it to urea, with arginase-1 catalyzing the final step: hydrolysis of arginine to urea and ornithine. Argininemia (arginase-1 deficiency) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in ARG1 that markedly reduce enzyme activity. Loss of arginase function limits nitrogen excretion, leading to progressive hyperargininemia, accumulation of neurotoxic guanidino compounds, and variable hyperammonemia. Unlike pr

In clinical medicine, it’s easy to assume that if two patients receive the same diagnosis and the same prescription, their outcomes should look similar. In reality, that’s rarely the case. Some patients respond immediately to treatment, while others see little benefit or experience unexpected side effects. While genetics and lifestyle are often cited as explanations, another factor is gaining attention for its quiet but also very significant role: the gut microbiome. The gut

By Stephen Beesley What is Cell and Gene Therapy? Cell and gene therapy (CGT) are advanced medical approaches that can treat a variety of diseases that derive from an underlying genetic dysfunction (could be either DNA or RNA). Gene therapy delivers genetic material (DNA or RNA) into a patient’s cells to correct or compensate for faulty genes, often using viral vectors such as adeno-associated virus (AAV) and lipid nanoparticles (LNP). This kind of therapy aims for a one-and

Image obtained from https://advancedfunctionalmedicine.com.au/biofilms/ Why do some wounds heal quickly while others linger for months or even years? Why do they persist despite careful cleaning, changing of dressings and maybe even several courses of antibiotics? Slower healing wounds are linked to conditions like diabetes, poor circulation and ageing, where the body can’t repair itself as well. When these underlying problems persist, wounds can become stuck in a non-hea

For years, families have asked the same question: Is there any way to detect Alzheimer’s disease early—before memory loss begins? Until recently, the answer was complicated. Doctors relied on brain scans, spinal taps, or waiting for symptoms to appear. None of these options were simple, affordable, or widely available. But a growing body of research is pointing to a major shift in how we may identify Alzheimer’s in its earliest, silent stage. A new analysis led by Dr. Michael

Image generated using Adobe Firefly What is a control? If you've ever read a news article or seen an advertisement about a new medication, you may have heard of placebo-controlled trials . A placebo-controlled trial is used to prove that a new medication or treatment is better at treating a target condition than nothing. The placebo is similar to the drug (e.g. a tablet or infusion) so that trial participants and doctors don't know if patients are receiving the drug or "suga

Introduction Imagine a cancer treatment designed entirely for you, built using the exact mutations inside your tumor, and created with the goal of training your immune system to eliminate every trace of cancer cells that remain after surgery or therapy. This idea once sounded like science fiction. Today, it’s becoming reality.Ultra-personalized cancer vaccines are emerging as one of the most exciting developments in precision medicine, offering a new way to harness our immune

Migraines are a complex neurological disorder that is characterized by debilitating symptoms, which may include throbbing head pain, visual disturbances (aura), nausea, and heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Unlike regular headaches, migraines involve specific nerve pathways and regions of the brain. Biomedical engineering is pioneering in a new era of migraine care by introducing innovative tools and techniques that fundamentally change how these conditions are under

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the islet cells (insulin producing cells) of the pancreas. This results in the body producing very little to no insulin, the horomone necessary for cells to absorb glucose from the bloodstream for energy. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the blood, which, if not properly regulated, can lead to serious health problems and life-threatening complications. However, r

What is the Scientific Method? You may not remember the science classes you took in school, but those classes probably introduced you to the scientific method. If you entered a science fair, you almost certainly used the scientific method to formulate a question and hypothesis, design experiments to test the hypothesis, and reach conclusions about your question. In those early learning contexts, the scientific method is straightforward and easy to follow. In more advanced s