Matt+R.

=__ Genetics: Immunotherapy __=

A new cancer treatment know as immunotherapy is being explored, but unlike other known cancer treatments immunotherapy does not poison the patient with chemicals. Immunotherapy takes out the patients T-cells that their immune system uses to fight off cancer cells, and using something similar to crispr cas9 the T-cells DNA is edited to target and attack a specific protein in cancer cells, after the T-cells are edited and placed back into the patient to fight back against the cancer cells.



Immunotherapy can also be used as a vaccine (in a sense). The T-cells can be edited before a cancerous tumor is found so that when abnormal cell tissue forms the T-cells will be driven to the tumor and attack the cancerous cells when they first form. Other vaccines introduce the body to some form of a virus/germ so that the body can produce anti-bodies and know what to look for so that the body can fight the virus/germ better. The immunotherapy "vaccine" does not expose the patient to cancer cells, but rather tells T-cells what to look for and what to attack.



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= Further reading: = @http://www.immunizebc.ca/facts-on-immunity/how-vaccines-work @http://www.fightcancerwithimmunotherapy.com/ImmunotherapyAndCancer/TypesOfCancerImmunotherapy @https://askabiologist.asu.edu/t-cell

@http://dmm.biologists.org/content/8/4/337
= References: =

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=__ Nervous System: CIP __=

Imagine if you put you hand on a hot stove top, normally you would react and move you hand away in reaction right? Well a select few people are born with a rare disease known as CIP. CIP or Congenital insensitivity to pain is a condition where someone feels no pain whatsoever. This condition is useful for some people who can make a living out of it, like some circus performers will put sharp objects through their cheeks or even put their finger behind their eyeballs without hesitation. For others this condition can be extreme deadly, with their body not being able to tell them when something is damaging them they wont know when to stop/react in deadly situations.



The reason these people feel no pain is because a mutation occurs in the SCN9A gene. This gene provides instructions for one part of a sodium channel that sends "pain" signals directly to the brain. The thought of this is a little strange because all people with CIP can still feel light stimulus; allowing them to feel when the touch or grab something, but when there is too much stimulus their brain cuts off the information line and can no longer feel.



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= References: = https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/congenital-insensitivity-to-pain# http://www.independent.co.uk http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18713585 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hereditary_sensory_and_autonomic_neuropathy

= Further reading: =

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congenital_insensitivity_to_pain#Epidemiology http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/whats-life-people-who-dont-feel-pain