Tricking the brain to cure it
Glioblastoma is the most common type of brain tumor among adults. It grows fast, spreads quickly and there is currently no cure. This is partly due to the blood-brain barrier - unlike blood vessels elsewhere in the body the brain has a tightly packed layer of cells that line vessels to protect against circulating toxins or pathogens that could cause brain infections.
This barrier also blocks treatment that would work elsewhere in the body, reaching tumors. Emma Keeling speaks to Professor Maria Castro, who has developed a therapy that smuggles a drug into the brain, breaching the blood-brain barrier, to deliver an immune response that kills tumor cells.
Making plant-based beef taste like the real thing
Our appetite for beef is driving global deforestation. In the Amazon alone, thousands of hectares are felled or burnt each year to create grazing land for cattle. But convincing a meat-eater to switch to plant-based foods is a tough sell – however, U.S scientists may have found a taste-driven solution.
Mark Niu is in northern California, where scientists are attempting to grow beef in a laboratory that tastes just as good as conventional beef. One big hurdle is that it's an astronomically expensive process. But this startup is looking to use its technology to dramatically reduce costs.