Media Monitoring: March 11th – 18th

New national role for former CQC chief inspector

The former chief inspector of hospitals at the Care Quality Commission has been appointed chair of the UK National Screening Committee.
Sir Mike Richards, who ran the Care Quality Commission’s acute inspectorate from 2013 to 2017, will take up the new role later this month for a three-year term
Sir Mike led a review of screening programmes which reported in 2019, following some high-profile failures

Predicting risk of coronary artery disease with a smartphone app

US researchers have created a cutting-edge smartphone app that accurately calculates an individual’s genetic risk for coronary artery disease (CAD)
The smartphone app – called MyGeneRank – inputs a users’ genetic information from the 23andMe genetic testing company, from which it creates a CAD risk score based on the DNA data

Women with genes for endometriosis have higher risk of ovarian cancer

Researchers find odds of having ovarian cancer up to 2.6 times higher for women carrying genetic risk factors for endometriosis
The genetic link was specific to certain kinds of epithelial ovarian cancer – the most common category, which accounts for an estimated 90% of cases

New blood test may accurately detect Alzheimer’s disease

Brain imaging and spinal fluid tests are two of the most common ways scientists detect early signs of Alzheimer’s disease [AD] in people
Now, a blood test developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, has shown promising results in detecting the early signs of AD

Skin biopsy can help identify patients with Parkinson’s disease

The investigators were surprised by the finding that two patients diagnosed with PSP and CBS, respectively, had p-syn skin deposits
The investigators recommend further studies including larger samples of patients to confirm these results. Moreover, in the near future, it could be relevant for the recruitment of patients in clinical trials of potential disease-modifying therapies

New data to help cancer researchers understand COVID-19 impact

Data that shows how COVID-19 impacts people with cancer will help researchers develop new services, tests and treatments, and ultimately save lives
This research initiative is supported by the recent £200 million investment announced by the government
The investment will enable more secure and efficient access to NHS data through trusted research environments and digital clinical trial services

Thames Valley pilot study to check for rare condition

A pilot study that aims to improve the health of newborn babies affected by a rare muscle-wasting condition is being launched
Pregnant women in the Thames Valley can take part in the screening trial to detect spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
By the time they start showing symptoms and receives a diagnosis, most have already lost a significant proportion of their nerve function

Aberdeen’s transformational BioHub secures £2 million Scottish Enterprise investment

The transformational BioHub project to accelerate the growth of pioneering life sciences companies in Aberdeen has received a £2 million funding boost from Scottish Enterprise
BioHub is a £40million investment to double the size of north east Scotland’s high-value life sciences sector. It will be home to spinout, start-up and scaling businesses bringing new drugs, treatments, therapies and technology to market and creating high-skill jobs in the fast-growing industry sector
The life sciences sector is a thriving part of Scotland’s economy, with a turnover of £6.6 billion, employing 40,000 people across over 750 organisations and on target to achieve £8 billion turnover by 2025