medical laboratory technology

medical laboratory technology biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, hematology, serology, microbiology

13/11/2025

Serotonin producing human microbiota identified!

Serotonin is best known as a neurotransmitter in the brain, but over 90 percent of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut, where it controls bowel movements via the enteric nervous system, sometimes called the "gut-brain".

Previous research has shown that the bacteria in the gut, the gut microbiota, affects how much serotonin is produced by the host, but until now it has been unclear whether gut bacteria themselves can form biologically active serotonin.

In the current study, published in the journal Cell Reports, the researchers have identified two bacteria that together can produce serotonin: Limosilactobacillus mucosae and Ligilactobacillus ruminis.

When the bacteria were introduced into germ-free mice with serotonin deficiency, the levels of serotonin in the gut increased, as did the density of nerve cells in the colon. The bacteria also normalized the intestinal transit time.

“It is incredibly fascinating how the gut bacteria can produce bioactive signaling molecules that affect health”, says one of the leading authors of the study.

The researchers were also able to see that people with IBS had lower levels of one of the bacteria (L. mucosae) in their stool compared to healthy individuals, and that this bacterium also has the enzyme required for serotonin production.

https://sciencemission.com/Serotonin-producing-human-microbiota-identified

08/11/2025
Evolution of Human
08/11/2025

Evolution of Human

08/11/2025
08/11/2025

A personalized mRNA cancer vaccine shows promise in keeping pancreatic cancer from coming back. In a small clinical trial, eight out of 16 patients mounted a strong immune response, and most of those responders remained cancer-free for more than three years. That’s a striking improvement for a disease with a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent.

Unlike standard vaccines that prevent infections, this cancer vaccine is given after diagnosis. Doctors first remove the tumor, analyze its genetic mutations, and design an mRNA vaccine tailored to each patient’s cancer “red flags.” The vaccine trains immune cells, especially T cells, to recognize and attack any lingering or returning cancer cells.

Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat because it’s often diagnosed late and resists most therapies. But this approach may provide long-term immune surveillance, with T cells acting like guard dogs patrolling the body. Researchers caution that the vaccine didn’t work for everyone, but the results challenge long-standing doubts about whether the immune system can be trained against pancreatic cancer.

If larger trials confirm these findings, mRNA vaccines could become a powerful addition to cancer immunotherapy, potentially changing outcomes for one of the deadliest cancers.

Research Paper 📄
PMID: 39972124

08/11/2025

For the first time, a man with Type 1 diabetes has begun producing his own insulin again after receiving gene-edited pancreatic cells. The procedure, led by scientists at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, used a revolutionary CRISPR-based technique to reprogram donor cells to function like the body’s natural insulin-producing beta cells.

After the transplant, the patient’s insulin levels began rising steadily — allowing him to reduce or even eliminate insulin injections entirely. Even more incredible, his blood sugar levels stayed stable without any episodes of hypoglycemia.

This breakthrough proves that cellular reprogramming and gene editing can restore critical biological functions once thought lost forever. Researchers believe that within a decade, diabetes management could move from lifelong injections to a one-time cell therapy, freeing millions from daily treatment.

03/11/2025
03/11/2025

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