New Year = New Weapons Against Disease.
January 22, 2019 by Staff
Filed under Health, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) You don’t need us to tell you that medical advancements are coming to the fore all the time. Thanks to technology, we now have a better understanding of the human body than even the greatest minds in medical history. And, as a result of our ever-changing discoveries, research is ongoing at a rapid rate.
Few of us understand what goes on behind the closed doors of a medical laboratory. We have only a brief understanding of the test tubes, pipette filters, and magnifying techniques used. What we do know is that the results which come out of labs like these have the power to change our lives. Those elusive experiments lead to breakthroughs which can keep us live longer than ever. They’re the weapons in the war against disease, and they’re an arsenal we all hold dear to our hearts.
Even though it’s only early doors, 2019 is already proving to be a top year for weapon development within the industry. In fact, some of the medical breakthroughs coming to the fore this year set us in a better position to win the battle against disease than ever before. To prove the point, we’re going to look at a few developments you should keep an eye out for as the year progresses.
Advances in immunotherapy for cancer treatments
When it comes to new developments, those around cancer are often given highest regard. That’s because this remains an impossible disease to treat or cure. In 2019, though, we can expect to see significant advances in immunotherapy for cancer treatments. Admittedly, immunotherapy isn’t anything new, but there are new approaches to this treatment on the horizon. That’s thanks to life-changing new approaches using concepts like joint therapy and engineered T-cells. The hope is that we could soon see immunotherapy which can treat any tumor profile. So, watch that space.
Stem cell treatments for diabetes type 1
Cancer isn’t the only disease under attack from our scientists this year. Type 1 diabetes is also quaking in its boots. That’s thanks to new stem cell treatments which look set to aid the production of insulin. This is something those with type 1 diabetes are unable to do, hence the need to inject insulin on a regular basis. University of Copenhagen scientists now believe that the immature cells in the diabetic pancreas can now be developed into islet cells which could produce insulin. Thus, type 1 diabetes could lose a great deal of the power it currently holds.
Genome-specific medication
Since the sequencing of the human genome way back in 2000, scientists have been working towards genome-specific medications. These would be unique to each individual and could increase the chances of effective treatment for all manner of diseases. These years of struggle look set to come to an end in 2019. Experts expect to see the first genome-specific medications out in the real world. It’s the stuff of futuristic films, and it’ll be coming to a screen new you soon. Or, that’s the hope, anyway.
Staff Writer; Laura Ford