One of the biggest advancements ever made in cancer treatment is CAR T-cell therapy (chimeric antigen receptor). This cancer treatment modifies immune cells called T-cells by removing them from the patient’s body, inserting gene receptors, and then returning them to the patient’s bloodstream. To make the treatment less risky, researchers developed a safety system called VIPER (Versatile ProtEase Regulatable) cells, in which the engineered immune cells can be switched on and off when necessary. VIPER cells make it possible to stop cells from activating before patients experience severe side effects. Read full article here
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Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here