Longevity Drug Interactions
I take about a dozen different pills for longevity. There is some evidence behind each of them, but what we really don’t know is how they interact.
Category: Immunology
Researchers carefully protect dangerous pathogens – but how secure are all their data?
Even the most physically secure research lab could be the site of a devastating data security breach.
Hacking Mosquitos to Cure Dengue
An Australian group led by Scott O’Neill at Monash University has infected mosquitoes with bacteria that prevent the dengue viruses from taking up residence in the mosquito.
Artificial Intelligence as a Supplement to the Human Immune System
The human immune system is a protective force honed by millions of years of evolution to provide a broad, yet thorough opposition to entities that harm the human body.
Video Friday: DARPA Biology is Technology Conference #DARPABiT
Full video of DARPA’s amazing Biology is Technology event in Silicon Valley.
Molecules in the Blood that Signal Self-Destruction
My theme the last few weeks has been the signals that trigger the body’s self-destruction with age. The easiest to target are molecules that circulate in the blood. Last week, I covered a few that decrease in blood concentration as we age, and that cripple our defenses. This week, I’ll talk about signals that increase as we age, and that activate self-destruction. There are two principal mechanisms of active self-destruction: inflammation and apoptosis=cell suicide. Both mechanisms are important to the healthy functioning of the body. Inflammation is our first defense against invading pathogens. Apoptosis elimnates diseased and cancerous cells before they can become a problem. But in old age, both are co-opted for self-destruction. Healthy tissues in the body are destroyed by apoptosis, and inflammation leads to arterial damage and heart disease, DNA damage and cancer.
The blood signals, too, are have helpful roles earlier in life, but turn traitorous with age.