Bulletins - Sci-Tech Bulletin

Anti-BCMA CAR-T Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Anti-BCMA CAR-T Therapy Shows Promise for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell are increasingly being engineered to target specific antigens expressed by B-cell subsets, demonstrating enhanced tissue penetration and prolonged B-cell depletion across various autoimmune diseases. In a study of anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy in five patients with multiple sclerosis, the treatment demonstrated a favourable early safety profile, with 80% of patients experiencing only grade 1 cytokine release syndrome, while severe cytopenia occurred within 40 days of treatment. Furthermore, Clinical evaluations displayed CAR-T cells in blood, bone marrow, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), accompanied by plasma-cell depletion across these compartments.

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CRISPR-Cas Technology in Cheese Industry

How CRISPR-Cas Technology Is Transforming the Cheese Industry?

CRISPR-Cas systems have become important tools for strengthening lactic acid bacteria used in cheese production. Evidence summarized from Streptococcus thermophilus demonstrates that CRISPR spacer acquisition can generate phage-resistant bacterial mutants without adversely affecting technological properties. Sequential phage exposure can broaden resistance, while CRISPR array analysis can support bacterial strain genotyping. The endogenous CRISPR systems can also be repurposed for genome editing in LAB. However, dairy phages can evolve CRISPR escape mutations and anti-CRISPR proteins, creating an ongoing evolutionary challenge. Future applications should therefore combine CRISPR-Cas with complementary defence systems and continuous monitoring of dairy phage populations.

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Using CRISPR as a tool to identify Alzheimer’s Genes and Epigenetic Changes

CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology now can move Alzheimer’s disease research from genetic association toward functional validation. Studies highlight that CRISPR can be used to correct PSEN2 and PSEN1 mutations, investigate APP processing, and model APOE4-associated cellular changes in human iPSC-derived brain cells. As, found, APOE4 is linked to impaired Aβ clearance in astrocytes and microglia and increased Aβ42 secretion in neurons. Findings identify CRISPRi, CRISPRa and targeted DNA methylation editing as promising tools for investigating Alzheimer’s-associated epigenetic variation. Thus, CRISPR offers practical opportunities for disease modelling, causal-variant validation, drug discovery and high-throughput functional genomics, while significant technical limitations remain.

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CRISPR-GPT Is Changing AI-Powered Gene Editing

The study demonstrates CRISPR-GPT as an AI co-pilot capable of supporting gene-editing research from experimental planning through analysis. Using a 288-case Gene-editing bench, human-expert evaluations and wet-lab demonstrations, researchers found strong performance across planning, delivery selection, guide-RNA design and scientific Q&A. GPT-4o-powered CRISPR-GPT achieved above 0.99 accuracy, precision, recall and F1 in planning tasks. Its Q&A system outperformed GPT-4o in accuracy, reasoning and conciseness. Two beginner researchers successfully completed AI-guided gene-editing experiments, including multigene knockout and gene activation. The findings suggest potential benefits for research efficiency, reproducibility and accessibility, while emphasizing human oversight, safety and privacy.

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CRISPR Gene Editing Reveals New Targets for Powerful CAR-NK Cancer Therapy

Five genome-wide CRISPR screens were used to identify genetic regulators of antitumor activity and resistance to tumor-microenvironment stress, in primary human NK cells. Screening 19,281 genes under repeated tumor exposure, TGF-β, acidity and hypoxia identified MED12, ARIH2 and CCNC as key targets. Their knockout enhanced NK-cell and CAR-NK-cell cytotoxicity against treatment-resistant cancers while ARIH2/CCNC dual knockout improved metabolic fitness, activation, cytokine responses and cytotoxic-cell expansion. In pancreatic cancer and myeloma mouse models, edited CAR-NK cells showed improved tumor infiltration, reduced tumor burden and prolonged survival, supporting the development of next-generation, gene-edited CAR-NK therapies.

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How CASGEVY Uses CRISPR to Fight Sickle Cell Disease?

CASGEVY is as a major advancement in sickle cell disease treatment and the first FDA-approved CRISPR/Cas9 gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). By editing the erythroid-specific enhancer region of BCL11A in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, the therapy reduces BCL11A expression, increases fetal hemoglobin (HbF), and is associated with fewer vaso-occlusive events. The potential practical benefits of CASGEVY include reduced reliance on recurrent transfusions and avoidance of some transplant-related complications, potentially improving quality of life. However, further research warrants long-term safety, off-target effects, mosaicism, cost, equitable access, and ethical governance of genome-editing technologies.

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High-Efficiency Microalgae Cultivation Meets Urban Design: The Promise of Carbon-Capturing Fountains

Microalgae-enhanced fountain landscapes offer a promising, multifunctional strategy for urban carbon neutrality. By retrofitting existing fountains with thin-layer fountain photobioreactors, cities could combine CO₂ capture, high-density microalgae cultivation, biomass production, landscape improvement, and public carbon education within existing infrastructure. Reported evidence shows that thin-layer fountain systems can achieve biomass densities of 4.86 g/L, while variable-frequency mixing increased productivity by 9.34–40.93% and reduced mixing energy consumption by 27.73%. Studies also propose the use of algal culture broth as liquid biofertilizer, creating circular urban resource loops. However, further validation of net carbon balance, energy efficiency, biomass utilization, and long-term operation is required.

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Decoding Cancer Treatment Outcomes with Explainable AI and Multimodal Real-World Data

Explainable artificial intelligence (xAI) combined with multimodal real-world data can improve personalized cancer outcome prediction. Using 350 clinical, laboratory, imaging, treatment, genetic and patient-specific variables from 15,726 patients across 38 solid cancer types, deep-learning models predicted overall survival and time to next treatment more accurately than conventional prognostic scores. xAI identified 114 key markers accounting for 90% of the model’s decision process and uncovered 1,373 prognostic interactions. Important factors included CRP, fT3, ECOG performance status, M stage and LDH. External validation in 3,288 lung cancer patients demonstrated strong reproducibility, supporting potential clinical decision-making applications.

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Personalized RNA Neoantigen Vaccine Stimulate Powerful T-Cell Responses in Pancreatic Cancer

Autogene Cevumeran, an individualized uridine mRNA–lipoplex nanoparticle vaccine, was developed to target pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In a phase I clinical study, the vaccine was found to be feasible, tolerable, and capable of generating strong antitumor immune responses in patients with surgically resected PDAC. Among vaccinated patients, 50% developed high-magnitude, neoantigen-specific T-cell responses, including functional CD8+ T cells that persisted for up to two years and re-expanded after a booster dose. Importantly, responders experienced longer recurrence-free survival, supporting further investigation of autogene cevumeran as a strategy to delay pancreatic cancer recurrence.

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Millets as a Dietary Supplement During Chemotherapy: Supporting Digestive and Immune Health

Millets may have potential as an adjunct dietary strategy for managing chemotherapy-induced side effects. The fibre, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and phytochemicals in millets may support digestive health, bowel function, energy, immunity, bone health and metabolic control. Evidences suggests possible benefits for mucositis, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue, immune function, osteoporosis, diabetes and cardiovascular health. Experimental studies also indicate anticancer and antioxidant properties in certain millet components, suggesting millets as complementary dietary supplement in standard cancer treatment and individualized nutritional care.

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