2015 brought important scientific discoveries in the field of medicine.
Here are the top 10 according to Alberto Mantovani, Scientific Director of Humanitas and Professor at Humanitas University.
- Immunotherapy against cancer: the microenvironment surrounding the cancer cells is important because when its cells are “corrupted”, the immune defenses are turned off; reactivating the defenses with immunotherapy helps the patient to react to the tumor.
- Vaccine against Ebola.
- Trabectedin, an active principle affecting not just the tumor cells, but also the “corrupted” cells mentioned at point 1.
- Confirmed safety of the measles vaccine.
- Antimalarial principle (2015 Nobel Prize for Medicine to Dr. Youyou Tu).
- The study of the microbiome, which includes all the viruses, bacteria and fungi that live inside us and is able to educate our immune system.
- Advances in the understanding of the autoimmune diseases.
- A combination of two antivirals (sofosbuvir-velpatasvir) against hepatitis C that would reduce the liver cancer risk of 70%.
- The power of monoclonal antibodies (antibodies binding target molecules): a strong reduction in cholesterol levels has been observed by blocking a liver receptor with a monoclonal antibody.
- The memory of innate immunity: certain infections leave a sign in the innate immune system and make it more susceptible to subsequent infections.
Do you want to know more? Read the full interview on Corriere.
Source: “Extra”, special dossier of “Corriere della Sera”.
