Antibiotic medicine, mitochondrial medicine, cancer medicine: three stories so good we couldn’t leave out any: and a deeper question for you

Three stories we saw this morning were so compelling that it was impossible to choose just one to showcase. Each was so novel, so rich, that they raised a deeper question: where do you stop? We could have spent hours digging into any of them. Instead, we’ll let you decide for yourselves, gentle readers, as we present each in turn — and return to that last question at the end.

Ancient Antibiotic Resistance

Our first story is a tour‑de‑force article in New Scientist by Joni Wildman. You may have already seen recent media reports about dormant bacteria in ancient sediments showing signs of antibiotic resistance. Well, Joni has the definitive deep dive for anyone who wants to understand what this really means. You’ll encounter plasmids, the resistome, and even how these discoveries might help us identify the antibiotics of the future. Her article is behind a paywall, but worth it — you get the rest of the magazine too. How ancient superbugs could help us fight antibiotic resistance | New Scientist

Joni’s article is behind a paywall, but worth it, as you’ll get the rest of the mag too

How ancient superbugs could help us fight antibiotic resistance | New Scientist

Mitochondrial Transfer? Confession: before we read this excellent article by Blake Forman for Technology Networks, we didn’t know very much about mitochondrial disease(actually our basic mitochondriology was a bit weak too) But it seems that some healthy cells may be able to donate their mitochondria, those busy little subcellular power stations, to neighbours with less healthy ones. What’s more, there are promising signs that this discovery may be translatable into practicable therapies, as Blake outlines in this extremely learned article.

https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/healthy-cells-donate-mitochondria-in-potential-treatment-for-mitochondrial-disease-416832?fbclid=IwY2xjawUodV9leH

Infections and Cancer Well, this story by Zoe Hardy of the Mail really had to go in: a new study claims that on e in eight cancers may be caused by a previous infection. No, we weren’t expecting that one either. But Zoe’s sources (International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lancet Oncology) are impeccable, their data wide and deep, and the conclusions faintly unsettling. The usual suspects are in there-HPV, Hepatitis virus, EBV and of course poor public health and sanitation. Naturally more vaccination programmes would help-but that’s becoming an uphill battle in many places these days, isn’t it? Once more, read the article and judge for yourselves:

One in eight cancers are linked to infections, new study finds, including a common stomach bug linked to bowel cancer | Daily Mail Online

All of which leads us to our main point. Each of these stories begged more reading, more digging into the data and more pondering. But in the part of the universe where we live at least there are only 24 hours in any one day, and only seven of those days in your average week. So: where do you stop? Read too much on mitochondria and you won’t have any time for green aviation technology or research on cocktails. But skim over everything and we guarantee you’ll understand none of it. It’s a conundrum which we have never satisfactorily solved. How do you do it. Gentle reader? We’d love to know.

#superbugs #antibiotics #microbiology #joni Wildman #mitochondrial disease #cell biology #inherited disorders #blake forman #cancer #infection #vaccination #zoe hardy #public health

CAR‑T gets a serious rival — and that’s good news

Long‑serving LSS readers will know the admiration we’ve expressed for CAR‑T therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T‑cells) and the extraordinary advances it has brought to cancer treatment. So it was a genuine surprise this morning when our researchers stumbled upon a credible alternative approach — spotted first via the excellent science feed of Hashem Al‑Ghaili.

The substance in question is GTB‑5550, a tri‑specific natural‑killer‑cell engager developed by GT Biopharma. According to Al‑Ghaili’s summary, GTB‑5550 anchors to a specific protein on the cancer cell, binds to an activating receptor on the patient’s natural‑killer (NK) cells to form an immunological bridge, and delivers an immune‑signalling protein that drives those NK cells to multiply and sustain their attack.

The underlying science is real and verifiable: GT Biopharma has FDA clearance for Phase 1 trials, and the National Cancer Institute lists an active study in advanced solid tumours. Readers can consult the company’s announcement at [3].

What caught our eye, however, was Al‑Ghaili’s shrewd observation that this line of attack offers a potential alternative — or at least a practicable complement — to the often intricate and labour‑intensive CAR‑T process. LSS has always championed redundant capacity over just‑in‑time efficiency: think bacteriophages alongside antibiotics, quantum computing alongside AI, and now, perhaps, NK‑cell engagers alongside CAR‑T.

We just didn’t expect CAR‑T to acquire a rival quite so soon.

[1] CAR T cell – Wikipedia

[2] https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNaturePage/posts/pfbid0YtDt88h5ryQi482butNALJQQ2parbD1YsQsFRUdZp

[3] GT Biopharma, Inc. (2026). GT Biopharma Announces Potential New Indication for GTB-5550, a B7-H3-Targeted Natural Killer (NK) Cell Engager, for Multiple Myeloma. GlobeNewswire.

# Hashem Al‑Ghaili #CAR-T #GTB 5550 #cancer #immunology #medicine #health #GT Biopharma #FDA

New therapy for ALS: Medical RNA comes of age

One of the things about reading Nature Briefing: they always seem put you au fait with the cutting-edge medical techniques, and the science that drives them, a little way ahead of the mainstream. Which is why we are showcasing their story First for Gene Targeting RNA therapy, not just because it’s interesting in itself, but because it is a beautiful illustration of the progress in RNA based medicine, even since we started this humble little blog six years ago. First, here’s their snippet

An RNA therapy for rare forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has shown promising results in the first person to receive it. He experienced improved symptoms and continued to work as a physician a year after starting treatment. Antisense oligonucleotide therapy uses short strands of genetic material to target RNA produced by a faulty gene called CHCHD10. Roughly 5–10% of people with ALS have a known genetic mutation, and antisense oligonucleotide therapies could someday benefit them and others with neurodegenerative diseases caused by rare mutations.

Nature | 7 min read

Now, we admit CHCHD10 is a rare mutation, apparently occurring in less than one per cent of ALS cases. There are many other genes involved among the different types of ALS, and, who knows, maybe some epigenetic and environmental factors as well. But to raise that is to be like a man who has won the lottery complaining that the prize didn’t come gift wrapped in Harvey Nicholls wrapping paper. Because, gentle readers-this is a start and a magnificent one. Better still, it’s part of a much bigger story of RNA based medicine advancing on many fronts. Readers will recall how the sudden arrival of RNA vaccines suddenly lifted the world from its COVID-19 based Slough of Despond in 2021. But astute readers will recall that even before COVID, RNA‑based drugs were quietly succeeding: briefly, we will cite Patisiran , ansiRNA therapy for hereditary amyloidosis;Nusinersen — antisense therapy for spinal muscular atrophy; and Givosiran, and inclisiran — RNA drugs for metabolic and cardiovascular conditions; and then let you go off to do your own reading. Yet this in turn is but part of an even bigger picture, a new frontier if you like, of therapies which we hope might deliver RNA constructs to reduce toxic proteins in motor neurons, use antisense or siRNA to knock down mutant SOD1, C9orf72, or other ALS‑linked genes, and even exploit improved delivery systems (lipid nanoparticles, viral vectors) that can finally reach neural tissue. But time will answer many of these questions

And our takeaway? It’s our usual . Using science, and its simple but effective tools of evidence and reason will always make you feel better. So if you start tinkering with basic research and its funding, you do so at your peril.

#RNA #RNA therapy #ALS #medicine #health #COVID 19 # # CHCHD10 #gene therapy #neurodegenerative diseases

GutSee Health: pioneering therapies may help conserve precious antibiotics

Whatever else we write about, the problem of microbial antibiotic resistance, is still the raison d’etre of our humble little blog. So while we’re always on the look-out for stories about new antibiotics, new phage techniques, what have you, we sometimes cast our net a bit wider. To bring you news of techniques which, while currently aimed at other problems, offer us the hope that they may one day be relevant to the fight against antibiotic resistance. That thereby potentially help us eke out existing stocks of antibiotics, and maybe even buy us time to develop a few more. Morever, when the pioneer is one of those brave new companies we laud so often, then we are all the more eager. So today we are showcasing the work of UK based GutSee Health. Not because they currently work to replace antibiotics per se: but because they represent a way forward which we think one day might.[1]

At present Gutsee are working on treatments to contend with such intractable problems as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. At present these disorders are not primarily treated with antibiotics. But if you examine their website, you will discover the formidable expertise they are developing in applied Artificial Intelligence, microbiome engineering, and phage technologies. Techniques not to replace antibiotics: but to potentially reduce the need for them, thereby conserving them for another day. Look at this from their website, with special attention to the bit which we have emphasised:

…… we are building sophisticated machine learning models to decode phage–bacteria interactions and predict therapeutic responses. This enables us to design targeted interventions that remove harmful or pro-inflammatory microbes—whether in the gut or in wounds*—while preserving healthy ecosystems.

*our emphasis

Wounds, gentle readers. You know that’s where the danger of antibiotic resistance is real: and you know why. Industrial or military wounds are notoriously vulnerable to infection, and antibiotics have long been essential in managing them. But every surgical intervention is really the imposition of a wound, albeit in a good cause, whether to cure appendicitis, deliver a baby by caesarean, transplant a heart-or carry out another of the myriad medical processes which make our lives sustainable at all. We need every possible alternative we have to address these problems, because time is growing short. It is our prediction that the work of GutSee, and many heroic pioneers like them may have a very large role to play. We wish them every possible success.

Coda We couldn’t help thinking that the above is an advertisement for a high education, high pay economy with all the public infrastructure needed to support those things. But that’s for another sort of blog on another day.

# microbial antibiotic resistance #phage #AI #start up #Gutsee #irritable bowel syndrome #health #medicine #sugery #wounds

Nano particles offer ever more hope on antibiotics(we update an old blog)

Veteran readers will immediately recall our 2024 offering (LSS 17 2 24) in which we hailed the use of silica nanoparticles to deliver the antibiotic ceftadizine to patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD). Well, the world of nanoparticles and antibiotic resistance has not let the grass grow under its feet since that early date. For today we are proud to present no less than four(count ‘em, folks-four!) new developments which will bring a glimmer of hope to all of us interested in avoiding a catastrophic hyperpandemic unleashed by drug resistant microorganisms. Obviously we can’t go into exquisite detail gentle readers, but humbly hope that the following will whet your appetite for further reading along the lise we have indicated:

1. Nanoparticles delivering CRISPR

Nano particles are used to deliver CRISPR Cas engineered entities to knock out resistance generating genes in the target bacterium, such as blaNDM (New Delhi metallo‑β‑lactamase) as well as…..no, that’ll be more than enough gene names for today. But you get the picture.

Reference: Innovative approaches to combat antibiotic resistance: integrating CRISPR/Cas9 and nanoparticles against biofilm‑driven infections. BMC Medicine, Springer Nature.

2. Nanoparticles as Catalytic killers In effect the nanoparticles act as “nanozymes”, artificial enzymes in effect which release reactive species of oxygen molecules and knock out the bacteria directly. From delivery system to weapon system in one fell swoop!

Reference: Antimicrobial Nanozymes: Structure–Activity‑Guided Design, Synergy, and Applications. Research, Volume 9 (2026), ScienceDirect.

3. Biofilm‑penetrating LNPs

Fans of the COVID 19 pandemic will recall the development of Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to help the mRNA vaccines penetrate biofilm and deliver their loads at the point of maximum effect. Now it is being adapted for the world of antibiotic resistance. Another crossover where progress in one area helps in another, we think!

Reference: CRISPR‑based antimicrobials and nanomotor technologies for drug‑resistant biofilms. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, March 2026, ScienceDirect.

4. Hybrid nanoparticles (metal + polymer) overcoming efflux and membrane barriers

Always and forever, those pesky gram negative bacteria and their sturdy drug resistant membranes, what a fight they have put up! But now researchers have astutely combined membrane‑disrupting metals such as silver and copper with controlled‑release polymer shells, allowing antibiotics to slip past Gram‑negative outer membranes that previously blocked them

Reference: Antimicrobial Nanozymes: Structure–Activity‑Guided Design, Synergy, and Applications. Research, Volume 9 (2026), ScienceDirect.

We know you like us to keep you updated, good readers, Surelyb this is enough for one day?

#nanoparicles #COPD #antibiotic resistance #genes #CRISPR #health #medicine #metals #lipids #membranes

Intismeran:First successful Phase 3 trial for Personalised Vaccines

A 200X photomicrograph magnification of a direct by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Vaccines have been the most successful tool in public health for over 150 years. But up to now they have been generic: each one is raised and designed against a specific disease-such as rabies, smallpox and more recently malaria. A new class of vaccine changes that logic entirely. These are individualised neoantigen vaccines, built from the unique mutations in each patient’s tumour. Today we highlight the first positive Phase 3 results for one of these, as reported by the BBC’s Joe McFadden. [1]

Intismeran is constructed from the mutational “fingerprint” of each patient’s melanoma — a bespoke mRNA vaccine rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all jab. In the Phase 3 INTerpath‑001 trial, jointly run by Merck and Moderna, 1,137 patients with completely resected stage IIB–IV melanoma were randomised to receive either Keytruda (Merck’s anti‑PD‑1 therapy) alone or Keytruda plus Intismeran.[2] [3] This is how Joe summarises the early results:

Early results show this new jab extended the length of time these patients were cancer free, but it’s unclear for how long, according to an announcement by the two firms.

Encouraging, we say: hats off to the companies and scientists involved. As for the wider reaction from the scientific community, it is positive indeed, but we’ll leave it to Joe to tell you about that

At this point we invoke our two favourite LSS tropes: caution and caveat. This is an early-days report: the work must now jump all the usual hoops of peer review, regulatory approval scaling and much more before any kind of routine clinical applications are possible. But there are many reasons to be optimistic, not just about Intismeran, but also certain wider preoccupations of ours. Firstly: some of the best research is done by that happy, hard to define network of companies, research institutes and académe, which has done so much to transform the human condition since the nineteenth century. Secondly, genetic engineering, which we follow avidly here, is in its infancy-this is quite different to our regular antibiotics theme, isn’t it? But most of all, if you want life to really get better, stop believing in what you want to believe and start believing in the scientific method.

[1] Vaccine breakthrough stops cancer returning in trial – BBC News

[2] Merck and Moderna Announce Phase 3 INTerpath-001 Trial of Intismeran Autogene Plus KEYTRUDA® Met Endpoints of Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS) and Distant Metastasis-Free Survival (DMFS) in Patients With Completely Resected Stage IIB-IV Melanoma

[3] Merck-Moderna cancer vax slows recurrence in ph. 3 trial

# Intismeran # Keytruda #melanoma #vaccine #mRNA #health #medicine #cancer #reseach #peer review

ULEZ success suggests progress works-sometimes

Remember the waves of fury and anger that swept over certain sections of the population when the London ULEZ zone was introduced.? Among many acts of lawlessness, cameras and signs were smashed and street calming flower planters torn up, all to a cascade of spittle-flecked rage online and in certain popular news outlets. For those not au fait with every aspect of London news, ULEZ is a set of mayoral restrictions on the more lethal forms of traffic pollution, such as nitrous oxides and PM _2.5 particles which was introduced in part in 2019 before subsequent extensions in 2021 and 2023.

Now news comes, from Smitha Mundasad of the BBC,[1] of the remarkable health benefits which have already accrued in the short time since the new scheme’s introduction. A five year study of 3400 children(that’s good numbers, folks) comparing London to Luton(less polluted, but with same mix) revealed

Scientists say they have been “stunned” by how quickly young children’s lungs began to recover and grow after …….. after the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in 2019 reduced emissions

Being good journalism, based on good science, Smitha points out that other factors must be considered as well. Of course: coping with complexity is what marks out this blog and its readers. But we know the ULEZ achievement to be remarkable nevertheless. And how much cleaner central London is looking these days![2]

Which brings us back to those on the other side who do not really do complexity. Their thought is fast, their opinion quickly formed, their conclusions firm. In this they reminded us of opponents of other episodes of social change: smoking bans in pubs leap to mind. But then we also recalled the angry opposition to seat belts; drink driving laws; clean air acts, child labour restrictions, slavery eradication…..all the way back to the same sort of people who opposed the abolition of gladiatorial games and beast hunting in Ancient Rome. Someone always sees the downside, don’t they?

Perhaps the common thread linking our opponents is not lack of education or indeed intelligence. Perhaps it is that they have made a bet that terrible things only happen to other people : so why should they care? This attitude may work for a while until it is applied to dealing with truly all encompassing phenomena such as antibiotic resistance , disease pandemics and global warming. At which point terrible things will happen to them too.

[1]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1l1r1zne1ro?at_link_origin=BBCNews&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_ptr_name=twitter&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign_type=owned

[2]Health risks related to air pollution by transport categories and vehicle types: Comparison by mortality indicators – ScienceDirect

#ULEZ #clean air #traffic pollution #health #london #diesel #particulates #lung #slavery #gladiators #smoking #antibiotic resistance #global warming #pandemics

Are you missing out on red light? A lightbulb moment for Graham Lawton and the New Scientist

It’s a funny thing to be a progressive. We ‘re always prey to the Law of Unintended Consequences. For example, we rack our brains to replace all those nasty energy intensive incandescent bulbs with lovely low energy LEDs . And suddenly there’s a new problem. Is the new light from the LEDs missing something the old incandescents were giving us for free? Something that might, just might, have been good us?

Now we take this problem seriously because it is brought to us by no less than Graham Lawton of the New Scientist, a sure guarantee of intellectual probity. Quite rightly the magazine keeps Graham and all its top writers behind a pay wall, so once again we beg you to either take a sub, or buy the magazine. But the essence of Graham’s article is that the old incandescent lights, for all their dreadful shortcomings. were throwing out long wavelength infrared light, a bit more like the natural light you find when you go outdoors. Graham presents intriguing evidence that these wavelengths stimulate mitochondria to produce energy-carrying ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which production facilitates any number of health benefits, But you’ll have to read his article to find out what those are! Not only do the new LEDs chop out most of that infrared; but the new types of window glass actually reduce its natural ingress further. If you are sitting indoors under the dominance of blue‑weighted indoor light (from computer screens for example) you may be missing out on something rather good.

So how do we as Whigs, progressives, rationalists or whatever you want to call us, take all this? Intelligent readers will already see the other side jumping up and down with glee “See-orl dem (expletive deleted) sointissstss tryin ter cure (expletive deleted) global warmin’ wiv dem crap new bulbs, only making fings worse etc etc” In the same spirit as they disparage initiatives such as renewable energy technologies or health initiatives such as the London ULEZ zone (see next blog) Well, let’s concentrate on the rationalist word Rationalists know the world to be infinitely complex, not reducible to tabloid newspaper soundbites. Naturally every new initiative will have a cost benefit ratio(only children believe in pure unalloyed good) The new LED’s have undoubtedly brought immense benefits Only a pub philosopher would be dim enough to throw them away. But we know the tools of reason and evidence will deal with this problem as it did with the other one. That is what differentiates us.

[1] The shock revelation that light bulbs are wrecking your metabolism | New Scientist

#incandescent bulbs #LED #energy #sustainability #red light #infra red #health #medicine #lighting #ATP

Incurable cancers-don’t pick and choose your Science

Over the years we’ve enjoyed bringing you good‑news cancer stories. Only a fraction of what’s available in the wider media, of course, but we try to showcase the ones that matter. And we think you will agree, gentle readers, that the overall direction of travel has been encouraging. Immunotherapy, CAR‑T, genomic sequencing — these are just a few of the leaps and bounds of the last decade. Compared with the situation in 1996, or even 1966 when tobacco was almost de rigueur, you might reasonably feel a measure of satisfaction.

Except, of course, for the truly intractable and life‑wasting tumours that still hover over all our lives. Poised and ready to strike, like a swarm of sinister angels from hell.

Our personal list might include Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), pancreatic adenocarcinoma, glioblastoma, and certain forms of ovarian and liver cancer. This handy list from ScienceDirect offers an excellent jumping‑off point for anyone who wants to learn more. [1] At which point the Reflective Reader might conclude: “More research to be done.” And there’s the rub, as Shakespeare would have it.

For over those same ten years we have drifted into an age when Science, Research and Investigation are increasingly at a discount rather than a premium. Attacks on climate science, vaccination, and epidemiology are nothing new — but they have increased in fury and frequency, and have afforded licence to dispute the findings of any reasonable and learned experts. Recall the vitriol poured on economists who challenged the latest popular fads in constitutional or economic matters, or sociologists who advocate a more rational approach to any number of issues around crime, the family and poverty. For a broader survey of these attacks on the physical sciences in general, see this link to The Skeptical Inquirer.[2], although for the sociological and economic tropes we have alluded to you’ll have to look elsewhere.

But it is not the specific assaults on rationality that matter so much as the intellectual climate they create. Facts are selected, conclusions jumped to, and the passion is for triumph rather than knowledge. Research is a human, social phenomenon, and it is as sensitive to the social trends around it as winds are to a warming climate. Some people may feel they gain by refusing to reason. But they will pay a long price in untreatable cancers, incurable epidemics, and broken economies.

How to remind them they still have time to make a choice?

[1] The 10 deadliest cancers, and why there’s no cure | Live Science

[2] The Disturbing Attacks on Science | Skeptical Inquirer

# Triple Negative Breast Cancer # glioblastoma # CAR-T # alcohol # cannabis #health #medicine #Climate Science

More good news on designer phages-and why we think they’ll work

Last week, with the help of our doughty researchers, we published a small piece describing how Artificial Intelligence is being employed to design new generations of bacteriophages, some of which might be used to target antibiotic‑resistant bacteria (LSS 8.8.26). Hopeful, certainly — but intelligent readers will ask the old question: what’s the chance any of this will work anytime soon?

Well, you’ll be glad to know that human‑modified bacteriophages have already been in action, and successfully too, since the far‑off days of 2024. They weren’t using AI to design the phages then, merely modifying them using another LSS favourite: CRISPR‑Cas9 gene editing.

Our first trope concerns a report in The Lancet Microbe, a long but reasonably readable paper describing a safety and tolerability trial of SNIPR001 — a combination of four CRISPR–Cas‑equipped bacteriophages — in healthy human volunteers. Results were encouraging:

“SNIPR001 was safe and well tolerated in healthy participants, with signals suggesting targeted activity against E. coli, despite the absence of a statistically significant effect.”

Our second trope comes from the excellent Michael Le Page of New Scientist, who reports on the clinical use of the same SNIPR technology — not a trial in healthy volunteers, but in an actual patient. His piece, CRISPR‑armed phages help treat severe superbug infection, is unfortunately behind a paywall, but worth crossing. It tells the story of a 65‑year‑old man in California with a severe, antibiotic‑resistant E. coli infection whose condition markedly improved after receiving these engineered phages. The lesson is clear: artificially-modified phages can work.

Now, nobody is claiming miracle cures — not the authors of the paper, nor Michael, nor ourselves. But all of us, in our different ways, are pointing to extremely encouraging signs. And remember our original point: all of the above took place, before our famous AI‑designed bacteriophages have even gone into trial. What possibilities might open up when they are fully deployed?

[1] Safety, recovery, and pharmacodynamics of CRISPR–Cas therapeutic SNIPR001: a phase 1, randomised, double-blind, first-in-human, dose-escalation study – The Lancet Microbe

[2] CRISPR-armed phages help treat severe superbug infection | New Scientist

# Artificial Intelligence # bacteriophages # SNIPR001 # CRISPR‑Cas9 #antibiotic resistance #bacteria #microbiology #medicine #health