Early Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer Proven More Cost-Effective Than Subsequent Treatment of Advanced Disease
Applying expensive diagnostic methods in clinical practice will ultimately cost society 5 to 10 times less than the expenditures associated with late-stage cancer treatment, including subsequent disability pensions and sick leave payments—these are the findings from a study conducted by researchers at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences Marina Kolosnitsyna and Anastasia Vladimirskaya in collaboration with colleagues at EVOGEN, a medical genetic laboratory, and the Department of Health of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The study results have been published in Social Aspects of Population Health.
Scientists Discover Cause of Metastasis Formation in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
An international team of researchers including scientists at the HSE Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology has identified factors which can increase the aggressiveness of tumours in patients with colorectal cancer. An isoform of CD44 protein has been found to play a pivotal role in the development of metastases. The study findings have been published in Molecular Oncology.
Scientists Have Developed a Model of Malignant Prostate Tumour and Used It to Test Drug Efficacy
Researchers from HSE University and the Russian Ministry of Health National Medical Research Radiological Centre have successfully generated a three-dimensional laboratory model of prostate cancer and used the model for testing an anti-tumour drug. In the future, this approach has the potential to significantly enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment for patients. The study’s findings have been published in Cancer Urology.
Nanai and Chukchi Found Intolerant to 'Mushroom Sugar'
A team of researchers from HSE University, the RAS Research Centre for Medical Genetics, and the Moscow State University Institute of Anthropology have examined the impact of the human genotype on the production of trehalase, an enzyme responsible for metabolising 'mushroom sugar'. The researchers examined 1,068 DNA samples collected from inhabitants of northern and Arctic regions of Russia and found that the overall risk of trehalase deficiency in certain indigenous northern populations can be as high as 60–70%. The paper has been published in Problems of Nutrition.
Conserved microRNAs and Flipons Shape Gene Expression
An international team, including researchers of the HSE Faculty of Computer Science, has discovered a new mechanism of gene regulation in which microRNA assumes a central role. These non-coding molecules influence the DNA regions within genes that govern embryonic development. The study contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the diverse genetic programs found in complex multicellular organisms. The paper has been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Research Finds Genes Associated with Most Aggressive Kidney Cancer
HSE researchers have found genes characteristic of the most aggressive subtype of clear cell renal carcinoma. Having studied data on tumour samples from 456 patients, Grigory Puzanov, research fellow at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science International Laboratory of Bioinformatics, identified cancer subtypes associated with either a favourable or unfavourable course of the disease. The paper is published in Scientific Reports.
Microfluidic Chip Used to Test Drug Toxicity
A team including HSE researchers has developed a way to use microfluidic chips to assess the toxic effects of drugs on humans. This device will help identify and minimise the side effects of drugs during the preclinical trial stage and reduce the need for animal experiments. The study is published in Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine.
Biologists Figure Out How Stem Cells Turn Into Other Types of Cells at Molecular Level
An international team of researchers including biologists from HSE University has developed a method that helps obtain information on changes in protein expression and properties during cells’ transition from one state to another. One of the most interesting transitions is the transformation of cells from undifferentiated stem cells to differentiated cells of various organs and tissues. The paper was published in Nature Communications.
Hormones Can Help Brain Recover after Injury
An international team of researchers including Alexander Tonevitsky, Professor at HSE’s Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, found that pituitary hormones may produce different effects on the left and right sides of the body following a traumatic brain injury. These differences can accelerate the development of motor disorders. Researchers are trying to determine whether treatment that blocks the corresponding hormones can counteract these effects. The results of the study were published in the journal eLife.
Researchers Find Therapeutic Targets to Fight SARS-CoV-2
Researchers from HSE University have developed new approaches for regulating the expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 enzymes, which play a crucial role in cell infection with SARS-CoV-2. The scholars discovered that small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) molecules are capable of performing a targeted decrease in ACE2 and TMPRSS2. The results of the study have been published in PLOS ONE journal.