Aging is a natural process that almost all living organisms experience (the amazing ones that don’t are the topic for another blog). As the years pass, our bodies undergo a series of changes that can affect our overall health and well-being at many levels. One significant factor that has been gaining attention in recent years is the connection between inflammation and aging. Inflammation, typically a protective response by the immune system, becomes a double-edged sword as we age. This blog aims to delve into the complex interplay between inflammation and aging, shedding light on the mechanisms, implications, and potential interventions to promote healthy aging.
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Pharmacogenomics, the study of how an individual’s genetic makeup influences drug responses, has ushered in a new era of personalized medicine. One of the areas most impacted by pharmacogenomics is within the field of clinical trials. Traditionally, clinical trials followed a one-size-fits-all approach, treating all patients as a homogeneous group. However, with the integration of pharmacogenomics, clinical trials have become more targeted and tailored, enabling researchers to identify subgroups of patients who are more likely to respond positively to specific treatments, and eliminating those at risk of adverse drug reaction.
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Precision Medicine has become a widely used term in recent decades, and one of the most significant advancements supporting its use is the field of pharmacogenomics (PGx). At its core, PGx involves the study of how an individual’s genetic makeup influences their response to medications. This makeup is profiled by looking at the genes that encode the proteins involved in the absorption and metabolism of drugs. Based on these different genetic profiles we can better understand how an individual will respond to a particular therapeutic protocol. By tailoring drug therapies based on a person’s genetic profile, PGx is transforming the landscape of medicine, leading to more personalized, more effective, and safer treatments. In this blog, we will explore how PGx is revolutionizing healthcare and improving patient outcomes.
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Any immunologist will tell you that the immune system is a highly complex network of communication between a diverse array of different cell types. Far from being static, the immune system is in a constant state of flux and responding to the many external challenges and to the homeostatic mechanisms that control it. At the center of this all are cytokines, hormonal messengers that regulate most of the biology of the immune system.
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A companion diagnostic (CDx) is a term used to describe an in vitro assay using advanced molecular or omics technologies that are developed alongside a specific drug to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from that drug. This concept of CDx has been the cornerstone of Precision Medicine- an approach that leverages a patient’s genetic and phenotypic profile to develop tailored therapeutic strategies with maximum safety and efficacy, and minimum risk of adverse reactions or side effects.
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Hepatitis is a general term used to refer to the swelling and inflammation of the liver that can be caused by different factors ranging from viral infections, alcohol consumption, and the use of some medications to a person’s genetics. Certain genetic profiles or immune disorders can also result in what is called autoimmune hepatitis, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the liver. Depending on the underlying cause, hepatitis can be acute with flare-ups that then go away, or chronic, which most frequently manifests with milder symptoms, but which comes with a higher risk of progressing to long-term liver damage and possible liver failure.
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Chronic Lyme disease is a controversial and poorly understood condition that is thought to occur in some patients who have been infected with the bacterium Borrelia Burgdorferi; this Spirochaete is transmitted by ticks to humans and hides out deep within tissues, making its detection in infected patients very challenging…
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Flow cytometry is a powerful technique used to analyze cells based on their surface and intracellular markers that are detected using specific antibodies that bind to these biomarkers. For clinical applications the performance and reproducibility of the analysis are critical. There are therefore key…
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