Universitätsspital Basel

Botond Roska and José-Alain Sahel have been awarded the Wolf Prize in Medicine for their pioneering work on restoring vision to blind patients using optogenetic therapy. The Wolf Prize, considered one of the most prestigious international awards, recognizes outstanding achievements in various fields including medicine. Roska, Director at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) and Professor at the University of Basel, and Sahel, Chair of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Chair of IOB's Scientific Advisory Board, have collaborated since 2001. Their work focuses on optogenetic vision restoration, a technique that creates light-sensitive cells using genes derived from algae, to treat degenerative retinal diseases. In 2021, they reported groundbreaking results from an early-stage clinical trial with blind retinitis pigmentosa patients. One patient who completed the full study protocol was able to detect and move objects placed before him within months of treatment. This work, which was done in collaboration with researchers from the Institut de la Vision in Paris, marked the first proof-of-concept for optogenetics in human disease. Despite initial scepticism, Roska and Sahel persevered, recognizing the potential of optogenetics for treating retinal diseases due to its mutation-independent approach and the accessibility of the eye's optical system. The collaboration between Roska, a basic scientist with an MD, and Sahel, an accomplished clinician and expert in translational research, has proven highly complementary. Their work represents a significant milestone in treating blinding conditions affecting millions worldwide, with promising results emerging from ongoing clinical trials. The Wolf Prize in Medicine acknowledges their exceptional contributions to the field of ophthalmology. About IOB At the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), basic researchers and clinicians work hand in hand to advance the understanding of vision and its diseases, and to develop new therapies for vision loss. IOB started its operations in 2018. The institute is constituted as a foundation, granting academic freedom to its scientists. Founding partners are the University Hospital Basel, the University of Basel and Novartis. The Canton of Basel-Stadt has granted the institute substantial financial support. Attachment Jose-Alain Sahel and Botond Roska

When cells become tumor cells, their metabolism changes fundamentally. Researchers have now demonstrated that this change leaves traces that could provide targets for cancer immunotherapies. When cells become tumor cells, their metabolism changes fundamentally. Researchers at the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel have now demonstrated that this change leaves traces that could provide targets for cancer immunotherapies. Cancer cells function in turbo mode: Their metabolism is programmed for rapid proliferation, whereby their genetic material is also constantly copied and translated into proteins. As researchers led by Professor Gennaro De Libero from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel now report, this turbo metabolism leaves traces on the surface of tumor cells that can be read by specific immune cells. The research team's findings have been published in the journal Science Immunology. The immunologists working with De Libero discovered the immune cells in question, known as MR1T cells, around ten years ago. This previously unknown type of T cell can attack and eliminate tumor cells. Since then, the team has been researching these cells as a potential tool for novel immunotherapies against a variety of different types of cancer. Modified DNA and RNA building blocks The team has now been able to decipher exactly how the T cells recognize the degenerated cells: The altered metabolism of the cancer cells produces a certain type of molecule that appears on the surface of these degenerated cells. "These molecules are chemically modified DNA and RNA building blocks that are the result of changes in three important metabolic pathways," explains De Libero. "The fact that cancer cells have a profoundly altered metabolism makes them recognizable to MR1T cells," adds Dr. Lucia Mori, who was involved in the research. In previous work, the researchers had already discovered that these T cells recognize a surface protein found on all cells, known as MR1. It acts as the proverbial silver platter and presents metabolic products from inside the cell on the cell surface so that the immune system can then check to see whether the cell is healthy or not. "Several metabolic pathways are altered in cancer cells. This produces particularly suspicious metabolic products and thus alert the MR1T cells," explains Dr. Alessandro Vacchini, the study's first author. As a next step, the researchers intend to examine in more detail just how these telltale metabolites interact with the MR1T cells. The long-term vision: Within the framework of future therapies, a patient's T cells could be reprogrammed and optimized to recognize and attack these cancer-typical molecules.

Innovative AI Application Improves Cardiac Monitoring and Diagnostic Accuracy BELFAST, Northern Ireland , Jan. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PulseAI, a leader in artificial intelligence healthcare solutions, today announced a significant advancement in consumer device electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. Published in the Cardiovascular Digital Health Journal, the new study titled "Reducing the Burden of Inconclusive Smart-Device Single-lead ECG Tracings via a Novel Artificial Intelligence Algorithm" showcases the impactful role of PulseAI's neural network algorithm in cardiac monitoring. The study was conducted by a team of cardiologists and researchers at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. The results demonstrate that PulseAI's neural network algorithm significantly reduces inconclusive diagnoses from commercially available consumer ECG devices by Apple, Samsung, AliveCor and Fitbit. This innovation enhances the accuracy of atrial fibrillation (AF) detection, a leading precursor to stroke, improving specificity and sensitivity compared to existing algorithms from each device manufacturer. "We assessed the accuracy of smartwatches in a previous study and found a surprisingly high amount of inconclusive ECGs", said Dr. Patrick Badertscher, principal investigator and cardiac electrophysiologist at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland. "This study confirms that the use of AI solutions may be extended to smart-device ECGs rhythm classification. The proposed AI-based algorithm could be valuable to assist physicians with managing the large amount of data in the detection of AF using smart-devices and will likely alleviate the clinical burden represented by the manual review of smart-device ECGs. "This development marks a new era in cardiac healthcare," said Dr. Alan Kennedy, CEO of PulseAI. "Our AI algorithm's ability to provide clear, accurate diagnostic readings from consumer devices will dramatically improve how we monitor and diagnose heart conditions at scale, making cardiac diagnostics more efficient and accessible for patients worldwide." The research highlights the challenge of high rates of inconclusive readings from consumer ECG devices. PulseAI's algorithm offers a reliable, cross-platform solution that integrates seamlessly with various consumer and clinical ECG devices. PulseAI is committed to leveraging AI to enhance healthcare outcomes and patient care. This latest advancement underscores the company's dedication to innovation in digital health. About PulseAI PulseAI is a medical technology company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The company builds AI-enabled software products designed to improve the accuracy, efficiency and scalability of cardiac diagnostics. Developed on a growing database of more than 6 million ECGs from 2 million patients, PulseAI has created a cloud-based platform allowing for easy ECG device integration and scalable deployment of proprietary deep learning algorithms. Media Contact: Alan Kennedy, PulseAI, [email protected] SOURCE PulseAI