© 2019 New Atlas

Karolinska Institutet

  • A potential new organ that plays a role in pain detection has been discovered
    Biology
    Newly discovered sensory "organ" may play a painful role
    You may think that we’ve got a good handle on the organs in the body by now, but it turns out that the final count is surprisingly contentious. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden claim to have discovered a new sensory organ in the skin that’s involved in pain detection and response.
  • New types of neurons have been found in the auditory system
    Biology
    Discovery of new neurons in the ear could lead to treatments for tinnitus
    A team of Swedish researchers have discovered three new types of neurons, which help carry auditory signals from the ear to the brain and may hold the secrets to treating hearing disorders like tinnitus.
  • New research suggests that the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique could increase the risk of cancer in edited cells
    Medical
    Major research reveals CRISPR gene-editing could increase cancer risk in cells
    Two new studies are raising concerns that the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system could trigger an increased cancer risk in cells. With human trials using the technique starting this year, the scientists behind these new studies urge researchers to be aware of this cancer-driving mechanism.
  • Applying the patch takes about five minutes
    Medical
    Light-cured bone patch may replace plates and screws
    ​Dental resin composites may be used to fill cavities in teeth, but when it comes to surgically fixing broken bones, metal plates and screws are still standard. That may not be the case for much longer, though, if a new dental-inspired adhesive bone patch enters use.
  • A new technique is claimed to accurately indicate a person's biological age, as opposed to their chronological age
    Health & Wellbeing
    New test developed to determine your biological age
    An international study appears to have created a test that can determine the biological age of a patient's body. The research could have a broad range of applications, including dementia research and improving organ donation success rates.
  • The tests took place in the Quest airlock (Photo: ESA/NASA)
    Space
    ISS astronauts use airlock to test lungs
    The airlock of the ISS was turned into a laboratory last week. In a station with as much space as a 747, that may seem a bit odd, but its purpose was part of a study of the lungs of space travelers by monitoring the effects of one the astronauts' most surprising hazards: dust.
  • Researchers have identified a naturally occurring molecule that helps to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (Image: Shutterstock)
    Medical
    Natural molecule found to slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease
    The latest cause for hope in the fight against Alzheimer's disease involves a naturally occurring molecule that researchers have found can serve as an inhibitor, intervening to halt progress of the disease during its formative stages.
  • A microscope image of some of the regenerated esophageal tissue
    Medical
    Rats receive lab-grown esophagi
    Ordinarily, when patients require a total or partial replacement of their esophagus, tissue from their own stomach or intestine is used. Now, however, scientists have come a step closer to being able to grow a new esophagus from the patient's own stem cells.