For gene therapy to work well, therapeutic molecules need to be efficiently delivered to the correct locations in the body—a job commonly given to adeno-associated viruses (AAV).

To improve the AAV’s ability to deliver therapeutics specifically to the lungs and airway, Mass General Brigham researchers developed and applied a new version, called AAV.CPP.16, that can be administered with a nasal spray. In preclinical models, the innovative tool outperformed previous versions by more effectively targeting the airway and lungs and showing promise for respiratory and lung gene therapy. Results are published in Cell Reports Medicine.  

A new study from UBC Okanagan says students appear to be using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) responsibly, and as a way to speed up tasks, not just boost their grades.

Dr. Meaghan MacNutt, who teaches professional ethics in the UBCO School of Health and Exercise Sciences (HES), recently published a study in Advances in Physiology Education. Published this month, the paper—titled Reflective writing assignments in the era of GenAI: student behaviour and attitudes suggest utility, not futility—contradicts common concerns about student use of AI.

A leading cardiovascular disease researcher from Simon Fraser University is ringing the alarm on universal recommendations intended to improve heart health around the globe.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, with 80 per cent of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. However, international heart-health guidelines are primarily based on research from high-income countries and often overlook upstream causes of CVD, says Scott Lear, a health sciences professor at SFU and the Pfizer/Heart & Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Prevention Research.

“The world extends beyond high-income countries when we think about universal recommendations like 75 minutes of exercise each week or getting five servings of fruit and vegetables every day,” says Lear, the lead author of a new review examining the impact of social, environmental, and policy factors on cardiovascular disease globally.