Teaching the immune system to attack tumors, spare the body

+ introducing ... your digital twin US Edition - Today's top story: 'Masked' cancer drug stealthily trains immune system to kill tumors while sparing healthy tissues, reducing treatment side effects [View in browser]( US Edition | 1 June 2022 [The Conversation]( Cytokines have gotten something of a bad rap over the years – though a natural part of your immune system, an excess of these proteins has been linked to inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, as well as the “cytokine storm” thought to precipitate severe disease and death from COVID-19. But it is this very potency that makes cytokines a promising cancer treatment. One particular cytokine, IL-12, had undergone clinical trials in people but was shelved due to severe side effects. Postdoctoral researcher Aslan Mansurov and his colleagues at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering found [an elegant solution](: “mask” the cytokine as it travels through the body, then “unmask” it when it reaches the tumor. They explain how the drug is held in check to avoid damaging healthy tissue, but as soon as it encounters cancer cells – no holds are barred. Also today: - [Why stocks in gun-makers go up after mass shootings]( - [Uplifting the voice of slave decedents at Madison’s plantation]( - [How the role of the chaplain has changed over time]( Vivian Lam Assistant Health and Biomedicine Editor Dendritic cells (green) produce cytokines like IL-12, which can train T cells (pink) to attack tumors. Victor Segura Ibarra and Rita Serda/National Cancer Institute via Flickr [‘Masked’ cancer drug stealthily trains immune system to kill tumors while sparing healthy tissues, reducing treatment side effects]( Aslan Mansurov, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering One promising cancer treatment has been in the works for decades, but severe side effects have kept it out of the clinic. A reengineered version may offer a way to safely harness its potent effects. Economy + Business - [Firearm stocks spike after mass shootings as investors dismiss the chance of tightening gun laws]( Brad Greenwood, George Mason University The share price of gun-makers Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger both jumped after the Uvalde massacre. In the past, gun-makers were punished after a shooting, but things have changed. Politics + Society - [Modern-day struggle at James Madison’s plantation Montpelier to include the descendants’ voices of the enslaved]( Stephen P. Hanna, University of Mary Washington; Amy Potter, Georgia Southern University; Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee Once owned by James Madison, the Montpelier plantation remains a model for presenting a full depiction of the life of the former president as well as the lives of those he enslaved. Science + Technology - [What are digital twins? A pair of computer modeling experts explain]( Amlan Ganguly, Rochester Institute of Technology; Nalini Venkatasubramanian, University of California, Irvine A digital twin is to a computer model as live video is to a still photo. These virtual replicas can be used to understand and make predictions about a wide range of complex systems, including people. Education - [More student or faculty diversity on campus leads to lower racial gaps in graduation rates]( Nicholas A. Bowman, University of Iowa Students of color graduate at higher rates when they go to colleges where there are larger portions of the student body and faculty who are also of color. Ethics + Religion - [Shavuot: A Jewish holiday of renewing commitment to God]( Alan Avery-Peck, College of the Holy Cross The Jewish festival of Shavuot dates back to biblical times, but its significance has changed over the centuries. - [How the role and visibility of chaplains changed over the past century]( Wendy Cadge, Brandeis University; Michael Skaggs, Brandeis University Chaplaincy emerged as a professional field in the mid-20th century. In the years since, their roles have evolved and they have also come to include many diverse religious traditions. Trending on site - [One family’s photo album includes images of a vacation, a wedding anniversary and the lynching of a Black man in Texas]( - [If plastic comes from oil and gas, which come originally from plants, why isn’t it biodegradable?]( - [6 charts show key role firearms makers play in America’s gun culture]( Today's graphic [A chart breaking down the categories of hurricanes from 1972 to 2021. The three categories are major hurricanes (category 3-5), hurricanes and named tropical storms.]( From the story, [The Wall of Wind can blow away buildings at Category 5 hurricane strength to help engineers design safer homes – but even that isn’t powerful enough]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? 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