March 1, 2024
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosis in the United States, excluding skin cancers, according to the American Cancer Society, with more than 150,000 new cases of colon or rectal cancer being estimated for 2024. While the increased number of people receiving screenings has reduced overall colorectal cancer incidence, early onset colorectal cancer cases have continued to climb. Patricia Wolf, assistant professor in Purdue University’s Department of Nutrition Science, is working to reduce this statistic, particularly for marginalized and underserved communities. With a recent $917,000 grant from the American Cancer Society, Wolf is exploring how the metabolism of cysteine, a protein in the diet, interacts with the gut microbiome, or the microorganisms that make up the human digestive tract, to influence colorectal cancer incidence.
NUTRITION SCIENCE RESEARCHER EXPLORES COLORECTAL CANCER DISPARITIES THROUGH DIET, GUT MICROBIOME RESEARCH
March 1, 2024
Severe heterogeneity within glioblastoma has spurred the notion that disrupting the interplay between multiple elements on immunosuppression is at the core of meaningful anti-tumor responses. T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) and its glioblastoma-associated antigen, CD155, form a highly immunosuppressive axis in glioblastoma and other solid tumors, yet targeting of TIGIT, a functionally heterogeneous receptor on tumor-infiltrating immune cells, has largely been ineffective as monotherapy, suggesting that disruption of its inhibitory network might be necessary for measurable responses.
synNotch-programmed iPSC-derived NK cells usurp TIGIT and CD73 activities for glioblastoma therapy
February 29, 2024
Amplified Sciences, a clinical-stage life sciences diagnostic company that licenses Purdue University innovations, has received $108,000 in two investments from the Flywheel Fund to develop its tests for early, more accurate detection of challenging diseases, starting with pancreatic cancer.
Amplified Sciences receives $108K Flywheel Fund investment to develop pancreatic cancer diagnostics
February 29, 2024
West Lafayette-based life sciences startup Amplified Sciences has secured more funding to further develop its pancreatic cancer diagnostic platform. The company has received two investments totaling $108,000 from the Flywheel Fund, which provides capital for early-stage and high-potential startups in Indiana. Amplified Sciences’ platform uses patented dyes that can detect biomarkers in a small amount of pancreatic cyst fluid. It is based on the work of Dr. Jo Davisson, a professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology at Purdue University.
February 29, 2024
Lowe syndrome is a rare, incurable multisystem disorder that causes anomalies in the eye, nervous system, and kidneys. Researchers at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, are in the process of testing 2 drugs previously approved by the FDA to treat Lowe syndrome, and the early results are showing promise. R. Claudio Aguilar, PhD, a Purdue University researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences, developed this patented therapeutic strategy for the disease that involves repurposing of rapamycin and statins that may be able to reverse the symptoms of the syndrome and provide patients with a higher quality of life.
Potential treatments for Lowe Syndrome with previously FDA-approved therapies
February 29, 2024
A Dual Approach to a Complex Disorder - The strategy, detailed in a recent announcement from Purdue University, leverages the unexpected potential of rapamycin and statins—drugs initially approved for entirely different purposes. Rapamycin, known as an anti-tumor drug and for its role in preventing organ rejection, and statins, commonly associated with cholesterol management, have shown promising results in reversing symptoms of Lowe syndrome. This innovative approach targets specific biochemical pathways implicated in the disorder, with early tests revealing patient cells beginning to behave as normal.
Pioneering Hope: Purdue University's Breakthrough in Lowe Syndrome Treatmen
February 28, 2024
Purdue University researchers have developed a patented therapeutic strategy for Lowe syndrome, an incurable and rare genetic disorder, by repurposing two drugs previously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other conditions. R. Claudio Aguilar created the treatment method, which has the potential to reverse the symptoms of Lowe syndrome and offer patients a higher quality of life. Aguilar is a professor of biological sciences in Purdue’s College of Science, a Showalter Faculty Scholar, and a faculty member of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research and the Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery.
Purdue researchers test previously approved FDA drugs to treat Lowe syndrome
February 26, 2024
Although the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends universal hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for all individuals 18-79 years of age, findings from a recent study suggest providers may still be basing their recommendations on patient risk factors and overlooking screening in patients perceived to be at average-risk of infection.
Providers May Be Overlooking Average-Risk Patients for HCV Screening
February 22, 2024
The Midwest Microbiome Symposium is making its return to Purdue University’s Beck Agricultural Center May 13-15. Originated and hosted by Purdue Applied Microbiome Sciences (PAMS), this three-day seminar will unravel the latest developments in the field of microbiome research.
Purdue Applied Microbiome Sciences to host 2024 Midwest Microbiome Symposium
February 22, 2024
The gut microbiome interacts with the loss of female sex hormones to exacerbate metabolic disease, including weight gain, fat in the liver and the expression of genes linked with inflammation, researchers found in a new rodent study.
Mice study suggests metabolic diseases may be driven by gut microbiome, loss of ovarian hormones
