Medical Sccience 2016 the year that was...2017 the Year that can be

1. MEDICAL SCIENCE
2016 THE YEAR THAT WAS …. 2017 THE YEAR THAT CAN BE ……….

2. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine 2016
Yoshinori Ohsumi
"for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy.”
Ohsumi is a cell biologist who was born 1945 in
Fukuoka, Japan.
Using baker's yeast, he studied its cells to identify
genes involved in the process of autophagy. After
determining the genes, Oshumi proceeded to replicate
the autophagy; thus, concluding the process can also be
true to human cells.
Autophagy helps restore "worn-out" parts of the cells
that keeps it at its "tip-top" shape. Its importance to
physiology is surely immeasurable and revolutionary.

3. Zika Virus – Epidemic that causes
Congenital anomaly
Arbo virus
Transmitted primarily
by Aedes mosquitoes.Sexual transmission is
also reported.
Zika virus disease can have symptoms
including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis,
muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache.
These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
There is scientific consensus that Zika virus is
a cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré
syndrome. Links to other neurological
complications are also being investigated.

4. Artificial Pancreas
FDA's approval in September 2016
of Medtronic's (NYSE: MDT) MiniMed 670G,
the world’s first artificial pancreas for type 1
diabetes.
The device, which was approved for those
aged 14 and up, measures a patient's blood
glucose every five minutes.
It uses a sensor with a protruding needle
that's slipped under the skin to measure insulin
levels, while a pump worn on the abdomen
delivers insulin as needed.
This setup could dramatically reduce instances
of hypoglycemia and greatly improve the
quality of life of type 1 diabetics, who no longer
have to constantly check their blood sugar
throughout the day.

5. CRISPR 'Kill' Switch Could Make
Human Gene Editing Safer
The CRISPR-Cas9 complex is a powerful tool in the bacterial immune
defense against invading viruses. When a virus infiltrates a bacterial
cell, the bacteria mobilize a sequence of DNA, called CRISPR,
or ”Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic
Repeats.(CRISPR)"
The DNA consists of short blocks of repeating base pairs separated
by spacer DNA. The bacteria copy and insert the viral DNA sequence
into the CRISPR region and produce two strands of RNA.
This RNA then associates with an enzyme called Cas9, which acts as
a pair of guided scissors, homing in to the target viral DNA and
snipping it out. Finally, the cell repairs the DNA, replacing the deleted
DNA snippet with another replacement piece (supplied by scientists).
Essentially, the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be used as a genetic "find
and replace."
The CRISPR system's ease of use means it could be used for almost
any gene-editing technique. For instance, doctors could one day edit
human immune cells in the lab to recognize cancer cells, and then
inject those cells back into a person as a targeted cancer treatment
CRISPR, or ”Clustered Regularly Interspaced
Short Palindromic Repeats.(CRISPR)"

6. Bia 10-2474 Tragedy
One previously healthy participant in the
phase 1 trial of an investigational analgesic
medication (Bia 10-2474) died and five others
were hospitalized after developing serious
neurologic problems.
The trial was carried out by Biotrial, a clinical
trials company, for the Portuguese
pharmaceutical laboratory Bial.
Bia 10-2474 is a molecule that acts on
the endocannabinoid system and was in
development for treatment of motor disorders,
neurodegenerative disorders, and anxiety
disorders. All trials of the drug have been
suspended.

7. Medical Marijuana
In 2016, more countries legalized the use of
marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes.
Marijuana, or cannabis, is "the most widely
cultivated, produced, trafficked and consumed drug
worldwide," according to the World Drug Report, but
its legality has long been a topic of debate worldwide.
1. Slow the progression
of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s’ diseases
2. Reduce the number and severity of
debilitating epileptic seizures
3. Reduce muscle spasms experienced by those
with multiple sclerosis
4. Kill or limit the growth of cancer cells
5. Provide anxiety relief and reduce nightmares for
those with post-traumatic stress disorder
6. Minimize neurological damage following spinal
cord and traumatic brain injuries

8. Cancer Immunotherapy- CAR-T Therapy
An overactive immune system can lead to excessive
inflammation and development of autoimmune disorders.
The body uses molecules known as immune checkpoints to
control the strength and duration of immune responses,
minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Some tumors produce these same molecules and thereby
suppress the immune response to the tumor.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors release these tumor-induced
brakes on the immune system, unleashing it to attack
malignant tumors and stop their growth. These treatments
are showing promising results in many types of cancer,
including melanoma and lung cancer.
The first FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor,
ipilimumab, blocks the CTLA-4 molecule on T cells, which
leads to a broad enhancement of immune responses,
including attacks on cancer cells. A range of newer drugs
targets a different immune checkpoint protein known as PD-
1. The treatments work by preventing cancer cells from
attaching to the PD-1 protein on immune cells, which leads
to an increased antitumor immune response and generally
(CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR T CELL THERAPY)

9. World's first dengue vaccine
'Dengvaxia' approved in 11
countries
Dengvaxia, world's first vaccine for the deadly
disease dengue has been approved in 11 more
countries.
Sanofi-Pasteur, a unit of French
pharmaceutical company Sanofi, that
manufactures the only approved dengue
vaccine on Tuesday said that the vaccines has
received approval in 14 countries.First approval
was Lyon, France - December 9, 2015
The health authorities of Indonesia, Thailand
and Singapore have granted the approvals for
Dengvaxia. Mexico, the Philippines, Brazil, El
Salvador, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Guatemala,
Peru, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore have
already approved the vaccine.

10. Two persons dead, 37 affected by diphtheria
in Kerala; no shortage of vaccines says govt
The reluctance of a section of a people to
go for vaccination was one of the reasons
for the sudden spurt of the disease
PTI| Tuesday, July 12, 2016 - 14:48

11. 2017 and Beyond- What to expect?

12. Head Transplant
Patient set to undergo the world's first human head
transplant says 'Dr Frankenstein' will reveal details of
the operation next month
Valery Spiridonov will undergo the first ever human
head transplant
The 31-year-old is wheelchair reliant due to a
muscle-wasting disease
Operation will allow him to walk for the first time in
his adult life
His pioneering procedure is expected to take place in
December 2017
His surgeon Dr Sergio Canavero dubbed Dr
Frankenstein.

13. Using the microbiome to prevent,
diagnose and treat disease
Microbes in our bodies — and the chemicals
they emit — interfere with the way food is
digested, medicine is deployed and even how a
disease progresses.
Biotech companies once focused on the
genomic market are pivoting to the potential of
the microbiome to develop new diagnostics,
new therapies and “probiotic” products to
prevent dangerous microbe imbalances.
With the National Microbiome Initiative’s
accelerating research and development, experts
believe 2017 is the year the microbiome
becomes the healthcare industry’s most
promising and lucrative frontier.

14. Liquid biopsies-ct-DNA
Tests known as “liquid biopsies” uncover signs
of actual DNA, or cell-free circulating tumor
DNA (ctDNA), which is shed from a tumor into
the bloodstream. This ctDNA is more than 100
times more abundant in the blood than tumor
cells.
While studies are still underway, annual sales
of this revolutionary cancer test are forecast to
be $10 billion. Several companies are
developing testing kits to hit the market this
year.
Liquid biopsy is being hailed as a flagship
technology of the federal government’s Cancer
Moonshot Initiative. Experts believe it’s only a
matter of time before catching and treating
cancer is as routine as an annual checkup.cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)

15. 3-D visualization and augmented reality
for surgery
Surgeons rely on microscope oculars or other camera
systems to operate. However, they typically depend on their
own eyes and interpretations to execute the most precise
tasks — with their heads down, peripheral vision limited, and
back and neck muscles strained.
This past year, two of the most intricate surgical fields,
neurosurgery and retinal microsurgery, began experimenting
with technology that keeps surgeons’ heads up while
immersing them in a high-resolution, 3-D visual
representation of their subject. These stereoscopic systems
also use data to generate visual templates for surgeons to
execute certain tasks.
Those who have piloted the technology say the added
comfort and visual information will allow surgeons to operate
more efficiently and effectively. Several hospitals will be
adopting these virtual reality tools in 2017.
DaVinCi Intuitive Surgical Systems

16. Bioabsorbable stents
When an artery that supplies blood to the
heart muscle narrows or becomes blocked it’s
often opened with a stent.
The tiny wire mesh tubes are made of metal
and stay in place forever.
What if the stent could just disappear after it’s
done its job? Absorbable stents are already in
use in Europe and recently approved by the
FDA, do exactly that.
The absorbable stents also appear to reduce
chest pain after surgery compared with the
wire option.

17. Fast Healthcare Interoperability
Resources (FHIR)
If there’s one advancement medical experts and the press
seem most excited about, it’s interoperability, or, the ability of
health care information technologies—like a hospital’s digital
systems—to communicate with each other.
For those who have wondered why the billing department
can’t get on the same page as your doctor, this is the
breakthrough for you.
Set to debut in 2017, Fast Healthcare Interoperability
Resources (FHIR) is a kind of tool dedicated to saving money
and lives by improving the speed and efficiency of health
data transferal.
Essentially, instead of transferring entire documents, which
causes a backup, FHIR transfers specific bits of health care
information—a word, a code—from one place (ex: your
doctor) to another (ex: billing). This means health care
workers don’t have to go through tons of extraneous
information to get the data they want, making your
experience faster and your records, more accurate.

18. Automated car safety features
and driverless capabilities.
Seatbelts have saved more lives over the past
50 years
Other car safety features such as child safety
seats and frontal, curtain and side-impact
airbags have saved another large group of
lives in that time.
Starting in 2017, the Government will make it
a law to have back-up cameras in new cars.
 Collision warning systems, adaptive cruise
control, lane assist, and cross-traffic alerts are
some other innovations on the horizon to
further reduce the more car crashes each year.

19. Genomics
Since the completion of the Human Genome
Project, which aimed at the complete mapping
and understanding of all the genes of human
beings, we have been envisioning the era of
personalized medicine in which everyone gets
customized therapy with customized dosages.
The truth is that there are hundreds of
evidence-based applications for personal
genomics, according to the Personalized
Medicine Coalition.
As we move along this path, we will have
more and more opportunities for using DNA
analysis at the patient’s bedside which should
be a must have before actually prescribing
drugs.