Publication highlights

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) mimic early embryos and can become any cell type, making them a powerful tool to study development and disease. However, most existing cell lines aren't suited to study sex differences. In collaboration with AstraZeneca, Turner lab researchers Ruta Meleckyte and Wazeer Varsally addressed this by creating new iPSCs with either XX (female) or XY (male) sex chromosomes. All other chromosomes were identical, so any differences observed can be linked to sex. These openly available iPSCs will enable more accurate modelling of sex-specific biology and may help in developing better, more personalised treatments in the future.

Tuberculosis is most commonly thought of an encountered as a lung disease. However it may also enter the brain to cause meningitis (TBM) which causes death or disability in approximately 50% of those affected and kills approximately 78200 adults every year. Antibiotic treatment is based on that used for lung disease which overlooks important differences in the ability of drugs to reach the brain. TBM has a profound inflammatory component which also requires treatment, yet only steroid have shown benefit. There is now an active pipeline of new anti-TB drugs, and the increasing availability of better and more specific anti-inflammatory therapies could bring a a new era of improved TBM treatment and outcomes. Yet, to date, TBM studies have been relatively few, progress is slow, and a new approach is required. In this article the views of a global consortium of TBM researchers are articulated towards a coordinated, definitive way ahead via globally conducted clinical trials of novel drugs and regimens to advance treatment and improve outcomes from this life-threatening infection.