Microbeam Radiation Therapy Bio-Dosimetry Enhanced by Novel Radiosensitiser Combinations in the Treatment of Brain Cancer.

: Brain cancer is notoriously resistant to traditional treatments, including radiotherapy. Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), arrays of ultra-fast synchrotron X-ray beams tens of micrometres wide (called peaks) and spaced hundreds of micrometres apart (valleys), is an effective alternative to conventional treatments. MRT's advantage is that normal tissues can be spared from harm whilst maintaining tumour control.

The Impact of Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation Therapy Combined With Broad Beam in a Preclinical Breast Cancer Model.

Purpose: Both local tumor control and distant metastasis are important indicators of the efficacy of radiation therapy treatment. Synchrotron microbeam radiation therapy (MRT), spatially fractionated radiation delivered at ultrahigh dose rates, shows remarkable normal tissue sparing with excellent local control in some models. Some MRT regimens trigger an antitumor immune response that contributes not only to the local but also to systemic treatment efficacy.

Guardians at the Gate: Optimization of Small Molecule Entry Inhibitors of Ebola and Marburg Viruses.

Ebola and Marburg (EBOV and MARV) filoviral infections lead to fatal hemorrhagic fevers and have caused over 30 outbreaks in the last 50 years. Currently, there are no FDA-approved small molecule therapeutics for effectively treating filoviral diseases. To address this unmet medical need, we have conducted a systematic structural optimization of an early lead compound, -(4-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-4-(morpholinomethyl)benzamide (), borne from our previously reported hit-to-lead effort.

Evidence for an Adaptive, Large-Scale Range Shift in a Long-Distance Terrestrial Migrant.

Long-distance migrations are a striking, and strikingly successful, adaptation for highly mobile terrestrial animals in seasonal environments. However, it remains an open question whether migratory animals are more resilient or less resilient to rapidly changing environments. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which animals adapt or modify their migrations are poorly understood.