MUST READS

A February 1, 2016 New York Times article highlighted a group of scientists’ efforts to tackle healthy aging. According to the article, “He and fellow researchers, who call themselves “geroscientists,” are hardly hucksters hawking magic elixirs to extend life. Rather, they are university scientists joined together by the American Federation for Aging Research to promote a new approach to healthier aging, which may — or may not — be accompanied by a longer life. They plan to test one or more substances that have already been studied in animals, and which show initial promise in people, in hopes of finding one that will keep more of us healthier longer…The project represents a radical departure from ordinary drug studies that test treatments for single diseases. However, the group, spearheaded by Dr. Barzilai, said the Food and Drug Administration has endorsed their idea to test a single substance for effectiveness against a range of ailments.”

A January 29, 2016 The Washington Post opinion piece by Vinay Prasad underscored the need to invest in basic science to achieve a true “moonshot” to advance new treatments for cancer and Alzheimer’s. According to the article, “But the fundamental problem with a moonshot — a surge of concentrated effort to tackle a single problem — aimed at cancer is that it does not fit the way that medical progress occurs. Scientific discovery is hard to predict, and breakthroughs occur in serendipitous and unexpected ways, arising from diverse disciplines. A serious moonshot would require funding science broadly, consistently and in steadily increasing amounts. This money would go to cancer biology research, but also to physiology, molecular biology, genetics, physics, chemistry, social science, clinical trials, supportive care and on and on. The way in which we will ultimately make progress in fighting cancer, and for that matter Alzheimer’s disease, and emphysema, and mental illness, will likely surprise even the most farsighted experts, and may have surprisingly diverse origins. Such science is not just the best way to improve human health but also the only way. A commitment to funding science generally, and not just fad projects or treatments, in times of both budget surplus and shortfall, would be a true moonshot for the United States. Sadly, this is the one moonshot no one in politics seems to have the courage to fight for.” Vinay Prasad, a cancer researcher and assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University, is co-author of the 2015 book “Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives.”

A January 31, 2016 Review-Journal article highlighted the efforts of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to develop a global clinical trial network, “where masses of potential participants could be quickly referred to the trials that best suit them.” 

A January 30, 2016 AlzForum article reported on new ways to assess human memory in clinical trials. According to the article, “Scientists in the lab of Steve Finkbeiner, University of California, San Francisco, are attempting to bridge the species gap with a new human equivalent of the Morris water maze…She created a computer game in which the player hunts for a treasure chest by navigating a car through a virtual field with a steering wheel and gas pedal. The player starts from a different location each time, and uses extra-maze cues to find the target, testing their allocentric navigation.”

INTERESTING READS FROM AROUND THE WEB

MedScape: Why Cognitive Training and Brain Games Will not Prevent or Forestall Dementia

The Miami Herald: State must make Alzheimer’s a priority

NewsMedical: Scientific breakthrough could contribute to early diagnosis of osteoporosis, Alzheimer's

AlzForum: Will Death in French Drug Trial Lead to Tighter Phase 1 Rules?