Animal experimentation

Depression in cancer patients might be caused by chemotherapy drugs

Study suggests that depression among cancer patients results from chemotherapy drugs, not just the mental distress of a cancer diagnosis.…

Researchers test light-activated analgesia in mice

Light activation of the inactive forms of drugs may offer a powerful strategy for pain control, but further work is needed before it can be used in a clinical setting.…

Peptide found in frog mucus protects against influenza virus

In the search for new drugs to treat cases of flu, scientists have found a unique class of antiviral agent in amphibians.…

Restricting dietary amino acids found to improve survival in cancerous mice

Removing two non-essential amino acids from the diet of mice slows tumour growth and significantly extends survival, according to research published in Nature [1] (online, 19 April 2017). The amino acids, serine and glycine, help to support cancer cell gr…

Folinic acid shows potential for Parkinson’s disease in fruit flies

A folinic acid-enriched diet reduced neuronal degeneration in adult fruit flies compared with those given a normal diet, researchers have discovered…

Researchers create opioid that only activates at pain sites

Opioid-receptor agonist demonstrated similar level of pain relief to fentanyl but without typical side effects associated with opioids.…

Zika candidate vaccine confers durable protection in animal trials

Researchers found that a single dose of their mRNA-based Zika vaccine could protect mice for up to five months.…

Gel-based ‘vasectomy’ could be an effective male contraceptive

Researchers injected 16 adult male monkeys with Vasalgel; their mates did not conceive for the duration of the two-year study.…

Predatory bacterium could fight drug-resistant superbugs

Using Bdellovibrio to control Shigella infection in zebrafish larvae, researchers say this type of living antibiotic could hold potential for tackling antimicrobial resistance.…

Immune stimulation could boost therapeutic HIV vaccine

Combining HIV vaccination with immune stimulation delayed viral rebound in monkeys with simian immunotherapy virus.…