Discovery's Edge Summer Issue

Friday, July 25, 2008

"Building a Breast Cancer Vaccine"
Sandra Gendler, Ph.D., has studied a large molecule, inside and out, for 25 years. Now she plans to go after it with a new vaccine to be studied in clinical trials at Mayo Clinic's three campuses.

"Stalling Biomotors to Paralyze and Kill Cancer Cells"
Cell migration is one way that cancer spreads. Controlling migration is the goal. Mayo researchers are trying to do that by stalling the means of intracellular transportation.

"Searching for the Killer's Fingerprints: The Genomics of Brain Cancer"
What does "Sleeping Beauty" have to do with brain tumors? Mayo is teaming with the University of Minnesota on a quest that is far from a fairy tale.

"Barrett's Esophagus: Advances in Prevention and Treatment"
Esophageal cancer can be stopped. Photodynamic ablation is just one therapy innovation bringing options to patients at Mayo Clinic.

"Exploring Kidney's Black Box to Diagnose Hypertension — Before it's Too Late"
High blood pressure can cause a cascade of health problems. One particularly hard-to-treat type has its origins in the kidney, where Mayo researchers are focusing their efforts.

"The Diabetes Debates: What are its Origins?"
Why do some people have diabetes while others, despite weight problems and other risks, never develop it? Mayo — long a leader in treating the disease — is looking at genetic causes.

"Combining IGFs: Can We Reverse Osteoporosis?"
Insulin-like growth factors or IGFs. They grow bone. New bone. Mayo wants to harness this to turn back time and restore bone loss from the ravages of osteoporosis.

"Aging and Cancer: Can you have one without the other?"
Age increases cancer risk, but fewer treatments work well on older populations. Mayo immunologists are seeking ways to tailor treatment to individuals and their age.

Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's online research magazine, highlights stories of leading medical investigators. Many features cover ongoing projects long before they reach the journals. Science writers and medical reporters seeking story ideas will want to check out the articles, which span a wide range of conditions and feature visuals they can use in their own publications.

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To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.