New Therapy for Glioblastoma, DAVE Tools and More…

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The Latest in Cancer Research:

  • Researchers have patented a mobile device that can detect tumor cells in the blood. The device appears to be very effective in monitoring, treating and diagnosing cancer. Read more on this development in Scientific Reports.
  • According to lead researchers at Northwestern University, early studies have demonstrated a potential new therapy for treating glioblastoma that involves using lipid polymer based nanoparticles to deliver molecules to the tumors. For more, see Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • An international team led by scientists at the University of Montreal has identified a key new mechanism that regulates the ability of T-cells of the immune system to react against foreign antigens and cancer. Read more on this discovery in Nature Communications.
  • The National Cancer Institute Genomic Data Commons has officially launched DAVE: Data Analysis, Visualization, and Exploration. DAVE will allow users to interact with data and promote the cancer genomics knowledge base. See DAVE tools for more.

Epistemonikos Database

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As the evidence based information landscape continues to expand at an unprecedented rate, it is not surprising that there is now even a place for systematic reviews of systematic reviews in the literature to support more streamlined clinical decision-making.  To better navigate this expanding landscape, some new “meta” search tools have been developed, including one called Epistemonikos.

Epistemonikos offers a Google-like search box, as well as an advanced search option, and can be search using terms from multiple languages. Epistemonikos is an openly-available database that “gathers information from multiple sources of systematic reviews, broad syntheses of reviews and structured summaries”. Included among its sources are: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Pubmed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, LILACS, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health Technology Assessment Database, Campbell Library, JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, EPPI-Centre Evidence Library, and SUPPORT Summaries. Continue reading →

Tips to Avoid “Row Rage” and Other Valuable Lessons Shared by an Accomplished Explorer, Scientist, and Bestselling Author

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Towards the end of May, I attended the Medical Library Association’s annual meeting in Seattle, Washington. The conference’s tagline was Dream, Dare, Do and the John P. McGovern Award lecturer, Julie Angus, successfully did exactly that.  She made these three words come alive with her talk, “Rowing Across the Atlantic: Strategies to Reach Your Goals.”

As the opening keynote speaker, Julie shared her amazing experience of rowing from Portugal to Costa Rica with her then boyfriend (now her husband). Each day presented unique situations. They encountered strong winds and huge waves (even a hurricane) as they completed a 10,000 KM journey in five months.  Her talk was inspiring as she wove her tale of adventure. She also shared strategies to overcome challenges that often each of us face. She spoke about navigating the ups and downs, taking baby steps, and the importance of teamwork.  One of my takeaways was her five tips to avoid “row rage”: Continue reading →