Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

The study, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Biomedicine and Prevention at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Tor Vergata University Hospital, underscores the relevance of polygenic risk scores (PRS) in risk stratification for patients with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. MADRID, Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veritas Genetics, in collaboration with the Department of Biomedicine and Prevention at the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Tor Vergata University Hospital, has published the results of an innovative pilot study demonstrating the importance of polygenic risk scores (PRS) in identifying and managing women with a high risk of developing breast cancer. This groundbreaking study, led by Professor Giuseppe Novelli from the University of Tor Vergata in collaboration with key members of Veritas' medical-scientific team (Dr. Vincenzo Cirigliano, Dr. Luis Izquierdo, Giuliana Longo, and Bibiana Palao), suggests that PRS, combined with the assessment of known pathogenic variants, can provide a more accurate risk evaluation for both carriers and non-carriers of mutations in genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and ATM. Key Findings of the Study The study, published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine, evaluated women with a family history of breast cancer, demonstrating that PRS significantly improves the accuracy of individual risk prediction. This is particularly relevant for women who are non-carriers of pathogenic variants in susceptibility genes. For carriers of mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2, PRS offers a complementary approach that helps refine personalized management and prevention strategies. According to Dr. Izquierdo, Chief Medical Officer at Veritas, "This study reaffirms the clinical value of genomic tools in personalizing preventive medicine. The use of PRS, along with traditional genetic evaluation, allows healthcare professionals to offer more precise and tailored care to the individual needs of each patient, ultimately improving long-term outcomes." An Essential Tool for Personalized Medicine PRS has the potential to transform how cancer risk is assessed and managed in patients with a family history of the disease. Dr. Izquierdo, added: "Polygenic risk scoring not only provides a deeper evaluation of genetic risk but also redefines how we understand cancer susceptibility in families with a history of the disease. This tool is key to the future of personalized medicine and the proactive management of complex conditions like breast cancer." About Veritas Genetics Veritas Genetic leads the implementation of advanced genomic solutions, focusing on preventive and personalized medicine. Through partnerships with top-tier academic institutions, Veritas continues to drive innovation aimed at improving health and well-being. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Astrophysicists outline the links between atmospheric oxygen and the potential rise of advanced technology on distant planets. In the quest to understand the potential for life beyond Earth, researchers are widening their search to encompass not only biological markers, but also technological ones. While astrobiologists have long recognized the importance of oxygen for life as we know it, oxygen could also be a key to unlocking advanced technology on a planetary scale. In a new study published in Nature Astronomy, Adam Frank, the Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester and the author of The Little Book of Aliens (Harper, 2023), and Amedeo Balbi, an associate professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, outline the links between atmospheric oxygen and the potential rise of advanced technology on distant planets. "We are ready to find signatures of life on alien worlds," Frank says. "But how do the conditions on a planet tell us about the possibilities for intelligent, technology-producing life?" "In our paper, we explore whether any atmospheric composition would be compatible with the presence of advanced technology," Balbi says. "We found that the atmospheric requirements may be quite stringent." Igniting cosmic technospheres Frank and Balbi posit that, beyond its necessity for respiration and metabolism in multicellular organisms, oxygen is crucial to developing fire -- and fire is a hallmark of a technological civilization. They delve into the concept of "technospheres," expansive realms of advanced technology that emit telltale signs -- called "technosignatures" -- of extraterrestrial intelligence. On Earth, the development of technology demanded easy access to open-air combustion -- the process at the heart of fire, in which something is burned by combining a fuel and an oxidant, usually oxygen. Whether it's cooking, forging metals for structures, crafting materials for homes, or harnessing energy through burning fuels, combustion has been the driving force behind industrial societies. Tracing back through Earth's history, the researchers found that the controlled use of fire and the subsequent metallurgical advancements were only possible when oxygen levels in the atmosphere reached or exceeded 18 percent. This means that only planets with significant oxygen concentrations will be capable of developing advanced technospheres, and, therefore, leaving detectable technosignatures. The oxygen bottleneck The levels of oxygen required to biologically sustain complex life and intelligence are not as high as the levels necessary for technology, so while a species might be able to emerge in a world without oxygen, it will not be able to become a technological species, according to the researchers. "You might be able to get biology -- you might even be able to get intelligent creatures -- in a world that doesn't have oxygen," Frank says, "but without a ready source of fire, you're never going to develop higher technology because higher technology requires fuel and melting." Enter the "oxygen bottleneck," a term coined by the researchers to describe the critical threshold that separates worlds capable of fostering technological civilizations from those that fall short. That is, oxygen levels are a bottleneck that impedes the emergence of advanced technology. "The presence of high degrees of oxygen in the atmosphere is like a bottleneck you have to get through in order to have a technological species," Frank says. "You can have everything else work out, but if you don't have oxygen in the atmosphere, you're not going to have a technological species." Targeting extraterrestrial hotspots The research, which addresses a previously unexplored facet in the cosmic pursuit of intelligent life, underscores the need to prioritize planets with high oxygen levels when searching for extraterrestrial technosignatures. "Targeting planets with high oxygen levels should be prioritized because the presence or absence of high oxygen levels in exoplanet atmospheres could be a major clue in finding potential technosignatures," Frank says. "The implications of discovering intelligent, technological life on another planet would be huge," adds Balbi. "Therefore, we need to be extremely cautious in interpreting possible detections. Our study suggests that we should be skeptical of potential technosignatures from a planet with insufficient atmospheric oxygen." This work was funded in part by a grant from NASA.

PHOENIX--( BUSINESS WIRE )--The Arizona bioscience startups representing the 10 th cohort of the Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program are developing innovative products and devices to better treat cancer, improve mental health, provide long-lasting refrigeration of blood and medicine, and more efficiently and safely move patients. The six early-stage firms competitively selected for the 2023 program include two companies each from Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tucson. Over the next year, the program participants will receive $30,000 in funding, a personalized learning plan with other support services facilitated by the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio), and invitations to exclusive gatherings of Arizona bioscience and policy leaders as well as convenings with fellow entrepreneurs. “These companies are developing cutting-edge diagnostics and treatments—for someone suffering from cancer to social isolation—which are critical to our physical and mental health,” said Tammy McLeod, Flinn Foundation president and CEO. “A record 48 firms applied for our program this year—a testament to Arizona’s vibrant bioscience startup culture.” The 2023 Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program participants are: Delta Development Team (Tucson) Delta Development Team is a developer of ruggedized refrigeration systems, specializing in military applications. The Tucson-based company leveraged the knowledge and wisdom of military medical personnel to design its Autonomous Portable Refrigeration Unit, which provides days of use from one battery charge and is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, so medical-care teams can take it with them no matter where their skills are needed. EMR Data Cloud (Scottsdale) Located in Scottsdale, EMR Data Cloud offers a platform for clinical genetic testing with electronic medical record (EMR) integration. Users can order genomic panels and other laboratory tests with just a few clicks on its platform. The company’s lab-integration technology bridges the gap between health care providers and diagnostic laboratories and quickly transfers information, including clinical notes, family history, medication lists, and insurance information in seconds. Reference Medicine (Phoenix) This Phoenix-based company’s mission is to become a one-stop shop for oncology biospecimens, enabling researchers to easily get specimens they need, at half the cost, to build cancer diagnostics. The company will address the gap in the oncology biospecimen market by combining partnerships with accredited teams worldwide with an innovative approach to specimen formatting. Its approach ensures that each set of specimens is fully utilized and creates a variety of formats, enabling the company to connect an individual donation to a diverse group of diagnostic research teams—increasing supply of critical specimens while driving down the cost for researchers. Televeda (Phoenix) Televeda is a mental-health platform used by public-health and community-based organizations to combat social isolation for vulnerable populations. The platform incorporates robust accessibility designs including a proprietary live-streaming user interface, an administration dashboard for CBOs to source content, hybrid-event management for broadcasting, data-reporting, and white-labeling. The Phoenix-based company helps streamline operations, saving clients 15-25 hours and $2,000-4,000 a month while improving their community-outreach metrics. The Patient Company (Scottsdale) The Patient Company is reimagining how patients are moved, starting with lateral patient transfer—moving a patient from one flat surface to another. The process currently takes a median of 22 minutes and is the second-leading cause of injury for health care employees. The Scottsdale-based company has developed SimPull™, a device that can be operated by a single clinical staff member, allowing for safe, efficient, and effective lateral transfer of patients, while decreasing the transfer time to 2 minutes. TheraCea Pharma (Tucson) Tucson-based TheraCea Pharma addresses the greatest challenge in the emerging $145 billion cancer immunotherapy market by providing clinical diagnostic products for patient selection and therapy guidance. TheraCea detects immunotherapy biomarkers using PET imaging. The company has developed a set of diagnostic agents that allow oncologists and pharmaceutical companies to select the right segment of patients who will be responsive to specific immunotherapy drugs. The Flinn Foundation program attracted applicants from across the state. The six firms were selected following a two-stage review process, including virtual interviews with more than a dozen finalists. The $30,000 in funding support each company receives is administered by AZBio , a trade association that promotes Arizona’s bioscience sector. Each participant receives a one-year membership to both AZBio and Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee , which includes about 135 leaders from the public and private sectors in science, health care, business, academia, and policy who guide Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap . The Flinn Foundation has competitively selected 60 Arizona companies and provided $1.78 million in funding support since the inception of the program in 2014. To learn more about the Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program and the selected firms, visit flinn.org/entrepreneur .