Category Archives: Integrative Medicine

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OMICS. 2021 May;25(5):279-284. doi: 10.1089/omi.2021.0038.

ABSTRACT

This expert review offers an analysis of the global governance of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is not only a health crisis but also a crisis of global governance. For example, the nation states in dealing with the crises of the pandemic have turned inwards, toward native and national solutions, and therefore away from the much-needed global cooperation to respond to the pandemic. This is an important concern for systems medicine and integrative biology in both normative and instrumental sense. Moreover, if we are to pandemic-proof the planet and the life science innovation ecosystem, new ways of understanding global governance are called for. This article examines the ways in which national governments have reacted to the crises triggered and embodied by the COVID-19 pandemic, surfaces the different approaches and conflicts between scientific experts and policy makers, and reveals the failure of science and politics. I analyze the uneven and disjointed way Western democratic governments have responded to the crisis and the way unchecked normative values and ideas have influenced the pandemic policy and prevented effective measures to contain the pandemic. Finally, the complex relationships between politics, knowledge, science, and governments are explored and clarified, and the way the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the long-standing tensions between technocracy and democracy. In conclusion, it is time to think critically and reflexively for all knowledge actors in systems science and innovate both planetary health and its global governance.

PMID:33961517 | DOI:10.1089/omi.2021.0038

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COVID-19 Is a Crisis in Planetary Health and Politics of Expertise: Time to Think Critically and Innovate Both - DocWire News

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Flare Therapeutics, a biotechnology company targeting transcription factors to discover precision medicines for cancer and other diseases, today announced its launch and Series A financing of $82 million. The Series A was led by Third Rock Ventures with significant support by Boxer Capital, Nextech Invest, Casdin Capital, Invus Financial Advisors and Eventide Asset Management. Flare is targeting transcription factors through switch sites newly identified druggable regions that control predictable and profound changes in gene expression as a fundamentally new way to discover novel small molecule medicines to treat the multitude of diseases driven by transcription factor dysregulation.

We created Flare to pursue the mission of conquering transcription factors which have been one of the most sought-after targets of drug developers based on the central role they play in cancer and other diseases, said Abbie Celniker, PhD, interim chief executive officer of Flare and partner at Third Rock Ventures. The outstanding scientific team and co-founders we have brought together have already made strong progress to show how the unique biochemistry of the switch site serves as key targets for transcription factor regulation, translating into powerful biology and a new path for life-changing medicines for patients.

Flares switch-site based drug discovery approach has resulted in an emerging pipeline of drug programs targeting transcription factor dysregulation and mutations that are known to be pivotal drivers of cancer. The Series A will support Flares further advancement of its lead program in precision oncology toward the clinic. In addition, the company will continue to build its unique engine and proprietary assays to discover small molecules that target transcription factors at switch sites.

Over the past decade, there has been a constant flow of scientific discoveries showing evermore pointedly how transcription factors play a central role in diseases, notably cancer. Yet, transcription factors have continued to be elusive for finding targetable sites for drug discovery, with less than 1% of transcription factors successfully targeted for medicines, said Fraydoon Rastinejad, PhD, professor of biochemistry and structural biology, University of Oxford, and a scientific co-founder of Flare. Flares team and innovative approach are well positioned to realize the enormous potential of targeting transcription factors as a gateway to many new medicines.

Flares new drug discovery paradigm for targeting transcription factors is based on a broader understanding of the cooperative communication and allosteric interaction among the elements of the transcriptional molecular complex, which is distinct from the historically narrow focus on individual transcription factor domains in isolation. Seminal work by Flares scientific co-founders recently elucidated molecular mechanisms for targeting transcription factors, showing the way for Flares drug discovery team to recognize the broad potential to generalize these principles to the switch site as a focal point for drugging transcription factors in a new way.

I am excited to join the Flare team in testing our abilities to discover new, first-of-class medicines that act by modulating gene expression. Maturation of the fields of human genetics and the biochemistry of gene regulation now point us towards opportunities for therapeutic intervention using conventional, small molecule drugs, stated Steven McKnight, PhD, professor at the University of Texas, Southwestern, and a scientific co-founder of Flare.

World class team of drug developers and transcription factor experts

The Flare team has made rapid progress from recognizing and understanding switch site biochemistry to advancing several drug programs around genetically and biologically validated transcription factor targets for cancer, said Robert Sims, PhD, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Flare. Our early focus is on precision oncology based on the clear role that transcription factors play in cancer, and we look forward to expanding our future drug discovery in other areas such as neurology, rare genetic disorders, immunology and inflammation.

The Flare team brings together experienced biotechnology leaders with decades of industry expertise and deep scientific, drug discovery and development skills. Company leaders include Abbie Celniker, PhD, interim chief executive officer; James Audia, PhD, distinguished scientist; Lorence Kim, MD, interim chief operating officer; Jeanette Kohlbrenner, interim chief people officer; and Robert Sims, PhD, chief scientific officer.

Scientific co-founders and advisors of Flare include world-renowned experts with decades of experience understanding the biology and structure of transcription factors.

About Transcription Factors

Transcription factors (TFs) are DNA-binding proteins that can activate or repress DNA transcription and, therefore, control gene expression. There are up to 1600 TFs in the human genome and approximately 10% of genes encode TFs, making TFs one of the largest families of regulatory proteins. 1 Transcription factors generally perform their functions while in multi-protein complexes with interconnected biochemical activity. TF mutations are drivers of many diseases, including one-third of oncogenes in cancer and one-fifth of haploinsufficiency genetic diseases.2, 3 Despite their central role in diseases, fewer than 1% of TFs have been successfully targeted for therapeutics because conventional rules for drug design do not apply to transcription factors.

About Flare Therapeutics

Flare Therapeutics is a biotechnology company opening up a new therapeutic space with a novel approach to decipher the biology of transcription factors to develop small molecule medicines. Based on insights from the seminal work of its scientific founders, Flares team has uncovered switch sites, druggable regions that are key targets for transcription factor regulation to address mutations that cause disease. Our drug discovery to target switch sites has rapidly advanced, resulting in an emerging pipeline of drug programs that address well-validated transcription factors, initially focused on precision oncology with future potential in neurology, rare genetic disorders, immunology and inflammation. Flare Therapeutics was launched in 2021 and is backed by founding investor Third Rock Ventures, Boxer Capital, Nextech Invest, Casdin Capital, Invus Financial Advisors and Eventide Asset Management. For more information, please visit http://www.flaretx.com.

1 The Human Transcription Factors, Cell, 172(4), 650-665, Feb 2018.

2 COSMIC tier 1 oncogene list, Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer, v92, Aug 2020.

3 V. T. Dang, V.T., et. al., Identification of human haploinsufficient genes and their genomic proximity to segmental duplications. Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 16, 13501357, June 2008.

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Flare Therapeutics Launches with $82 Million Series A Financing to Advance Precision Oncology Pipeline based on Novel Drug Discovery Approach for...

Heidi Klum appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live Tuesday, and, just ahead of the June 1 premiere of Americas Got Talent, revealed the craziest act shes seen as a judge on the show. For those familiar with AGT, this may not come as a surprise.

What's the craziest act that you've seen in your years on AGT? Kimmel asked. So many crazy ones, Klum replied. Number one, the regurgitator. Did you guys know you have to look him up, he's absolutely amazing.

Stevie Starr, the regurgitator Klum was referring to, sometimes put on truly stomach-turning performances in which hed swallow objects and manipulate them in different ways before regurgitating them. On one occasion, Starr appeared to screw a nut onto a bolt inside his stomach. Another time, he borrowed jewelry from Klum.

He took my diamond ring, swallowed it, swallowed a locket, a key. And inside of his stomach, put my ring in the locket, locked it and regurgitated it all back up, Klum said. He does the weirdest things.

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Heidi Klum on the craziest 'Americas Got Talent' act shes ever seen: 'He does the weirdest things' - Yahoo Canada Shine On

FRAMINGHAM, MADr. Sailaja Reddy, MD is a mother, wife, physician, author, and professional chef. Through her decades of professional medical experience as a primary care physician, Dr. Reddy became convinced that the doctors of the future are the patients themselves.

After 25 years of practicing traditional internal medicine, Dr. Reddy founded a Functional Medicine practice in Framingham, MA. Functional Medicine is a patient-centered, evidence-based medicine, which identifies the underlying root causes of illnesses through advanced diagnostic testing and addresses these ailments via custom-tailored treatment plans for each patient.

When designing a treatment plan for a patient, their unique genetic makeup is considered along with both internal (mind, body, and spirit) and external (physical and social environment) factors that can influence efficacy. Dr. Reddys functional medicine specialty is GI-related conditions.

On March 6, Dr. Reddy will be honored as one of the 20 Outstanding Women of 2021 during the 18th Annual Woman of the Year Awards ceremony to be held virtually this year. To buy a ticket, please click here.

She graduated from S.V. Medical College in Tirupati, India and completed her residency at St. Elizabeths Hospital, a Tufts University program. Dr. Reddy has received advanced training in Functional Medicine, Obesity Medicine, Integrative Medicine and Culinary Medicine. She is a certified physician through the Institute of Functional Medicine. She has also attended lifestyle modification courses at Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Reddy regularly conducts health workshops and health & fitness social media challenges that have a global reach. Her YouTube channel on healthy cooking has over 4,000 subscribers, and her official Facebook page has over 90,000 followers. She has self-published several articles on her websites (Drsaila.com and RootHealthMD.com) and is the author of several eBooks on weight loss, including Whittling Away Your Waist and Ultimate Guide for Intermittent Fasting.

Q/A with Dr. Reddy:

INDIA New England News: Please tell our readers about your work and what you enjoy most about it?

Dr. Sailaja Reddy: Im a functional and integrative medicine physician. Functional medicine is a new paradigm of healthcare, that focuses on identifying the underlying root causes of disease, rather than solely addressing isolated set of symptoms. For me, its very rewarding to see a patients happy face when they notice their ailments improve through a plan I created for them, when up to that point that they could not find answers anywhere else.

INE: If youre engaged with any charity or non-profit, please tell us why this group and what do you do for them?

SR: My goal is to provide online health education to young female students and their teachers in underserved regions of India.

INE: What are your hobbies and interests?

SR:Traveling Ive visited several spiritual landmarks around the globe, have had the opportunity to bask in and appreciate the different cultures in dozens of countries. As a nature-lover, I believe exploring the world should be seen as life-experience.

I Enjoy photography and creating video content for my YouTube and social media channels.

Daily Yoga and Meditation.

Cooking I enjoy learning to curate healthy dishes from different cultures. I believe cooking is a universal act that brings everyone together.

INE: In what way you feel you have most positively influenced or served the local community and your company/organization and professional field?

SR: I have a passion for helping people regain their health and wellbeing via Functional medicine, revolutionary approach to patient-centered healthcare, empowers patients to take control of their own health.

INE: Your rare talent?

SR: I take pride in my ability to make probiotic homemade foods that are traditional relics passed down for generations.

INE: Your favorite books?

SR: Autobiography of Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda; Breath by James Nestor.

INE: Your favorite quotes?

SR: Dont go where the path leads, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who inspires you the most I am most inspired by people who have exhibited the will and determination to overcome extreme adversity. People who have overcome immense obstacles motivate me to persevere in my battles with smaller daily challenges.

INE: Who inspires you the most?

SR: Service and passion- I strive to make positive contributions to my community and the people around me through my service and passion for health. I find a sense of fulfillment in sharing my services with others in a way that is beneficial to their lives.

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Dr. Sailaja Reddy: A Functional and Integrative Medicine Physician, Focused on Identifying the Underlying Root Causes of Disease - India New England

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The globalcomplementary and alternative medicine marketsize is expected to reach USD 404.66 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.03% from 2021 to 2028. The market has witnessed a significant expansion in its consumer base in recent years owing to the benefits and philosophies that have the potential to attract customers.

The core philosophies of alternative medicine practices and complementary therapies include high preference to natural products as compared to synthetic ones, avoiding implementation of quick-fix type therapies, ensuring sufficient duration is given for healing, the onset of any illness is attributed to body-imbalance, the body has the ability to heal itself, the whole patient has to be treated and not just a specific diseased body part, and gentle therapies have to be administered before the harsh ones.

Key suggestions from the report:

Read 140 page research report with ToC on "Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Intervention (Botanicals, Mind Healing, Body Healing, External Energy, Sensory Healing), By Distribution Method, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028'' at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/complementary-alternative-medicine-market

The most commonly administered and popular complementary therapies include Alexander technique, acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reiki, naturopathy, and yoga. Profitable business expansion strategies are being adopted by not only market participants but also by medical settings to ensure effective marketing and promotion of alternative medicine therapies.

Yoga, mind, and body-oriented traditional medicines are expected to gain significant traction in the coming years. Expanding applications of yoga and mind healing across chronic ailments, such as cancer, diabetes, COVID-19, and cardiovascular diseases, are set to contribute to the growth of the mind healing intervention segment.

More than half of physicians based in office set-ups in the U.S. have recommended at least one complementary health intervention to their patients, as reported by a survey published in January 2020. Additionally, a large number of female physicians integrate alternative medicine approaches, whereas male physicians most commonly recommend osteopathic manipulation and chiropractic treatment interventions. An increase in the number of such surveys is expected to enable physicians, consumers, and medical schools to gain a better understanding of the potential differences in complementary and alternative medicine use.

Companies are initiating strategic product developments to sustain the market competition. For instance, in July 2019, Colombia Nutritional launched a new process solution having a multi-phase onboarding feature designed for the efficient online launch of the latest products. The key objective of this strategic product development was to maintain minimum order quantity (MOQ) that would further improve the quality of service provided.

Grand View Research has segmented the global complementary and alternative medicine market on the basis of intervention, distribution method, and region:

List of Key Players of Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market

Find more research reports on Pharmaceuticals Industry, by Grand View Research:

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, Inc.Phone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519Email: [emailprotected]Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.comFollow Us: LinkedIn| Twitter

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.

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Complementary And Alternative Medicine Market Size Worth $404.66 Billion By 2028: Grand View Research, Inc. - PRNewswire

Most people will notice a use-by or sell-by date listed on their vitamin or supplement packaging. While this date can give consumers an idea of when it's time to replace their product, it's not exactly an expiration date like the kind you see on food or other perishable items.

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require vitamin supplements to have expiration dates," ophthalmologist Brian Boxer Wachler, M.D., tells mbg. Most companies go through tests to determine how long it will take for their vitamins to lose potency, and that's usually the date you'll see listed.

"Loss of potency can then translate to decreased efficacy or effectiveness,"says Javeed Siddiqui, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer at TeleMed2U.

Are there side effects of taking expired vitamins?

According to Lewis, vitamins generally don't go "bad," the way spoiled milk will. In other words, there are no direct side effects from taking vitamins or supplements past their listed use-by date. Since they're less potent, though, you may not get the necessary health benefits needed from the product.

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You're Probably Storing Your Vitamins Wrong: Try This MD-Approved Technique - mindbodygreen.com