Biomarkers

Three new prostate cancer biomarkers have been identified that improve the visibility of cancer cells used by pathologists to grade the disease’s severity, which could help determine which patients require urgent treatment and those who don’t.

Researchers have used nanowires to ‘catch-and-release’ DNA in urine, enabling them to detect mutations that signify the presence of a brain tumor. Their method may one day mean that invasive tissue biopsies are no longer required.

Researchers have identified biomarker proteins in genetically predisposed children that predict the autoimmunity that leads to type 1 diabetes months before symptoms appear. The discovery could lead to earlier detection and treatment of the disease.

Preeclampsia is a potentially deadly condition amongst pregnant women, but the condition can be difficult to diagnose. Now, Australian researchers have developed a quick, accurate new test using nanoparticle-based technology and novel biomarkers.

It is difficult to determine whether cognitive decline is caused by vascular problems or dementia. New research has now identified a biomarker associated with the vascular causes of cognitive impairment that may assist with differentiating the two.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms generally appear in the first two years of a child’s life. A new study has found that toddlers’ visual attention to geometric images is a reliable biomarker for the early identification of autism.

Harvard scientists have investigated why we age, and how we could stop it. In tests in mice, the team showed that epigenetic “software glitches” drive the symptoms of aging – and a system reboot can reverse them, potentially extending lifespan.

Although there are now a number of skin-worn sensors which identify metabolites in sweat, the technology is limited in what it can detect, plus the sensors often aren't reusable. A new one, however, utilizes a "molecularly imprinted polymer" to be much more useful.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is one of leading causes of infant death and a team of researchers in Australia have now identified the first blood biomarker linked to brain arousal that could potentially be used to identify infants most at risk.

Urine analysis may indeed be a valuable source of information on a patient's health, but arranging for samples to be taken and analyzed can be time-consuming. A new sensor could help, by allowing diapers to do the job on an ongoing basis.

Cancer treatments have better outcomes if the disease is caught early. A new Oxford study demonstrates an experimental blood test that shows promise in detecting a variety of cancers in patients, and even whether or not they’ve spread.

Glioblastoma is a brain cancer that can be aggressive and, unfortunately, tricky to diagnose without a biopsy. But a new noninvasive method, tested in mice and pigs, could one day diagnose the disease with ultrasound pulses and a basic blood test.