Nobel Prize spotlights the promise of cancer immunotherapy

The Nobel Prize in medicine this week went to two researchers credited with opening up an exciting avenue of cancer treatment – immunotherapy – where the body’s natural disease-fighting agents can be unleashed to fight cancer cells. In simple terms, the prizewinning researchers discovered ways to take the foot off “brakes” in the immune system.…

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Plot thickens in story of gut’s connection to health

When it comes to the mysteries of human biology, the gut is a universe all its own. Our microbiota (often called microbiomes) are host to trillions of bacteria, fungi and other microbes – good, bad and yet to be determined. As unique as fingerprints, our microbiota can yield insights about our overall health. Three new microbiota studies…

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Fresh blood samples from clinic to out-of-state lab. Every day, in a two-hour window.

September Specimen Spotlight There are two ways for research organizations to procure human biospecimens, broadly speaking: Order them from existing inventories. Have them collected explicitly for the task at hand. We offer both. Although our iSpecimen Marketplace is optimized for procurement from existing inventories around the world, we often arrange prospective custom collection of new biospecimens…

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Sunlight shrinks fat cells, says new research

For many of us, spring means laboring to shed winter weight and doing penance for rich holiday food and drink and “forgetting” to exercise. A new study, however, suggests winter weight gain may in part be beyond our control – and rather a function of winter’s sunlight deficit. The study found that sunlight can shrink…

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January Specimen Spotlight: prospectively collecting ovarian tumor tissue for longitudinal study

Although you can learn a lot from cancerous tissue, you can learn even more when you have patient data to put the biology in context. That’s why one iSpecimen client, a U.S. cancer research and diagnostic company, recently ordered longitudinal patient information from iSpecimen to complement its request for ovarian cancer tissue specimens. The company…

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Catching up with Chris Ianelli, founder of iSpecimen

Our CEO, Chris Ianelli, MD, PhD, was recently interviewed by Precision Medicine World Conference (PMWC), where he will be speaking in January 2018, about the power of the iSpecimen Marketplace in redefining the way human biospecimens are procured. PMWC attracts recognized authorities and experts across healthcare and biotechnology sectors, and we are very excited for…

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Peanut allergy research yields promising results

Peanuts terrify a skyrocketing number of kids and adults who are plagued by allergies that can close the throat and prevent breathing. New research offers potential relief even as allergies are on the rise. Private insurance claims for anaphylactic peanut reactions – severe shock that can narrow the airway – soared by 445 percent from…

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June Specimen Spotlight: improving early detection of Lyme disease

Lyme disease, a tick-borne infection diagnosed in roughly 330,000 Americans every year, becomes a heightened concern in June and July, especially for people in the Northeast and upper Midwest, where the disease is concentrated. Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics, however, usually means a rapid and complete recovery. Our June Specimen Spotlight features a set of…

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May is national cancer research month

May is National Cancer Research Month, which recognizes the importance of cancer research and the contributions of researchers, physician-scientists, survivors, and patient advocates in the quest to conquer cancer. The heroic effort does not wane on May 31, however: research and development of new diagnostics and treatments – and the ultimate quest for a cure…

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