A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant breakthrough in biotechnology that could revolutionise treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. The team has developed a novel tool called RNA Segment Editing (RSE), which functions like a ‘cut-and-patch’ tool for RNA. This innovative approach allows scientists to precisely remove or replace faulty segments of genetic messages within living cells without permanently changing a person’s DNA. The findings pave the way for a new generation of reversible, targeted therapies for neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington’s disease. The study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

A research team from the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has developed a novel combination therapy that significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with FLT3 gene mutations. The study found that the combined use of the FLT3 inhibitor Quizartinib and the protein synthesis inhibitor Omacetaxine Mepesuccinate (collectively termed QUIZOM) effectively suppresses the growth of cancer cells and activates the patient’s immune system, achieving a composite complete remission (CRc) rate of about 83% while reducing the risk of relapse.

Professor Kathryn Cheah, Emeritus Chair Professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been elected as a Foreign Member of Academia Europaea (Academy of Europe). This prestigious international honour recognises Professor Cheah’s lifelong dedication to the field of biomedical sciences and her transformative contributions to the understanding of developmental genetics.

New research led by UNSW found a simple, community-led intervention can significantly reduce psychological distress among refugees living in prolonged uncertainty.

Chile’s complementary set of policies targeting food products high in fat, salt and sugar plausibly reduces the risk of school age children being overweight or having obesity, finds a study published in The Lancet.

As the Andes hantavirus draws international attention, a breakthrough from The University of Texas Medical Branch offers new hope. Single-dose mRNA vaccines are showing remarkable protection in preclinical studies.

A new study led by UCLA Health physician-scientists suggests that subtle changes in heart structure and function may signal an increased risk for developing certain cancers years later.

Blood lead levels in young children in the United States declined in the last decade, but state data reveal that children of color and children from low-wealth families are still exposed to higher levels of lead, according to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health. No level of lead in children’s blood is safe.