Research Features – Issue 145: DNA tangles, a quick jab, and the future of mental health

In our most recent issue of Research Features, we showcase the work being done by researchers around the world. We highlight the important – and expanding – role of nurses in HIV Test&Treat clinics in Ukraine, explore the lessons learned during the legalisation of cannabis in the US, and discover the possibility of using light instead of petrochemical sources to create chemicals we use in our daily lives.

In British research, Brigid Bowen, founder of Compassionate Mental Health, talks about the organisation’s mission to ‘radically change the way we talk about mental illness’, while in Canada work is underway to understand the function of DNA ‘tangles’, also known as GD-quadruplexes. And while we might all be guilty of putting off a routine check-up or vaccination, recent research reveals that a quick jab could reduce the strain on our healthcare system.

Research Features speaks to the founder of Compassionate Mental Health, Brigid Bowen, about the organisation and its mission to catalyse system reform, as well as discussing mental health stigma and treatments for mental health.

Compassionate Mental Health: Radically connecting minds for mental health

With a health system that is already under pressure from the growing demand for services, mental illness is one of the biggest challenges we’re currently facing. In light of this, Brigid Bowen aims to radically change the way we think, talk about, and treat mental health, by working closely with the NHS to deliver training and support.

High Hopes: The rocky road to cannabis legislation in the US

Cannabis and cannabinoids are a profitable industry, but legalising these products has been a long, and often controversial, process. In this recent research looking at the history of cannabis, we ask the question: what lessons can be learned from the experience in the US?

Test&Treat Clinic in Odesa, Ukraine.

Expanding the role of nurses in HIV care in Ukraine

Managing HIV infections is a complex task, but could be supported by expanding the scope of nurses in clinics such as Test&Treat – an HIV clinic in Odesa, Ukraine. The Test&Treat clinic allows for nursing staff’s skills and abilities to be used to their full advantage, providing improved care for HIV patients in Eastern Europe.

G4-quadruplexes: How tangled knots of DNA help regulate and protect our genes

Researchers are working to understand how DNA regulates and protects itself by forming tangled knots, which could help scientists develop drugs to target cancer or chronic viruses. By exploring these mysterious tangled knots and their associated proteins, researchers can build on their knowledge of DNA regulation.

Making copper shine: Photochemistry with tailor-made compounds

The current process for making chemicals involves energy-intensive, environmentally damaging petrochemical sources. However, one researcher is designing novel molecules that can trigger chemical synthesis by using only light, which would mean a far greener and more sustainable method of synthesising chemicals.

A quick jab: How the flu vaccine could save you a hospital visit

Many diseases can be prevented by a simple vaccination, but recent research shows that avoiding your annual vaccinations may have bigger consequences than just coming down with the flu. Getting vaccinated against infectious diseases could reduce the number of all-cause hospitalisations, and decrease the severity of other illnesses.

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