- 2014
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Press releases - 13.01.2014
Leukemia: mode of action of a targeted treatment clarified
The mechanism of senescence – or premature cell ageing – can have an anticancer effect. This new work, conducted by Hugues de Thé and his team (Paris Diderot University/ Inserm/ CNRS/ AP-HP), was published in Nature Medicine on 12 January 2014.
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Press releases - 10.01.2014
Parkinson’s disease: an immense step forward thanks to gene therapy
A French and English team (AP-HP, Inserm, UPEC, CEA/Mircen, Oxford Biomedica, Cambridge University) has conducted a clinical phase 1/2 gene therapy study among patients suffering from an evolved form of Parkinson’s disease. Fifteen patients were able to benefit from this new treatment, which involves injecting a vector expressing the genes of three enzymes that are essential for the biosynthesis of dopamine, which is lacking in Parkinson’s disease. Thanks to this therapy certain cells in the brain begin to produce and secrete dopamine again. In all the patients, the motor symptoms of the disease were improved for up to 12 months after administration of the treatment. After a period of four years, this study is at this stage demonstrating innocuousness and tolerance of the lentiviral vector used for the first time in human beings. This study was coordinated by Prof. Stéphane Palfi, head of neurosurgery at Henri-Mondor Hospital (AP-HP) within the framework of the neurolocomotor research cluster directed by Prof. Césaro.
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Press releases - 09.01.2014
How fiber prevents diabetes and obesity
French-Swedish team including researchers from CNRS, Inserm and the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (Unité Inserm 855 “Nutrition et Cerveau”) has succeeded in elucidating this mechanism, which involves the intestinal flora and the ability of the intestine to produce glucose between meals.
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Press releases - 09.01.2014
A good outcome for the CHILD-INNOVAC project: successful test in humans of a nasal vaccine against pertussis
The CHILD-INNOVAC European research programme, coordinated by Inserm, has enabled the development of an innovative vaccine that can be administered intranasally, to combat pertussis, which has shown a resurgence in developed countries in recent years. The research consortium, headed by Camille Locht, Director of the Centre for Infection and Immunity of Lille (a joint Unit involving Inserm, CNRS, Institut Pasteur de Lille and University of Lille Nord de France), today published promising results from Phase I clinical trials of the vaccine in human subjects in the online journal PLOS ONE.
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What's on? - 09.01.2014
Best wishes 2014
Throughout the year, the press office filmed Inserm researchers talking about their discoveries in the simplest possible terms. The short “making of” below shows that this was not always easy. Enjoy the bloopers of 2013! We at the Inserm press office hope that these 2 minutes will make you smile as much as they did […]
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Press releases - 02.01.2014
Molecule discovered that protects the brain from cannabis intoxication
Two INSERM research teams led by Pier Vincenzo Piazza and Giovanni Marsicano (INSERM Unit 862 “Neurocentre Magendie” in Bordeaux) recently discovered that pregnenolone, a molecule produced by the brain, acts as a natural defence mechanism against the harmful effects of cannabis in animals.
- 2013
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News in brief - 17.12.2013
Escaping the adverse effects of morphine
Despite its beneficial effects against pain, morphine use is accompanied by adverse effects such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, and potential dependence on the drug. A research team led by Alain Eschalier, Director of Inserm Unit 1107, Neuro-Dol, in Clermont Ferrand, has just shown that it is possible to separate these two types of […]
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Press releases - 13.12.2013
A prime target for the development of anti-inflammatories
For the first time, scientists from the Institut Pasteur and Inserm have demonstrated the key role played by a particular molecule in intestinal infection.
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What's on? - 12.12.2013
Alcohol and research meeting : what is addiction?
4th Meeting-Debate with support groups for people in difficulty with alcohol Are people “addicts” when they are dependent, or is the opposite true? Or are both words totally interchangeable? What is there in common between addiction-dependency on alcohol and dependency-addiction to gambling? The day will be centred around 3 main panel sessions : From alcoholism […]
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Press releases - 09.12.2013
EUCelLEX Project: assessment of the social issues raised by the use of regenerative medicine in Europe
The European EUCelLEX Project (Cell-based regenerative medicine: new challenges for EU legislation and governance), coordinated by Inserm for a three-year period, funding to the tune of €500,000 from the European Union.