News at a glance: Protecting a queen, cell therapy for solid tumors, and a UV telescope

CONSERVATION U.S. protects iconic marine snail The queen conch, a large marine snail known for its showy shell and delectable flesh, has been added to the U.S. government’s list of species threatened with extinction. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the species ( Strombus gigas , pictured), which is native to the Caribbean region and grows up to 35 centimeters long, needs protection because populations are sparse, scattered, and heavily overfished. NOAA’s listing decision, issued on 14 February, has no immediate impact but authorizes the agency to ban imports of conch meat, a prospect that many researchers hope will spur other nations to tighten fishing regulations. According to NOAA, many Caribbean nations lack the regulations or resources for enforcement. BIOMEDICINE Cell therapy fights solid tumors Although cell therapies that help the immune system destroy tumors have revolutionized treatment for blood cancers, success in solid tumors such as those of the brain, colon, and pancreas has lagged, in part because it’s hard to kill these malignant cells without also harming healthy tissue. But last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first cell therapy for a solid tumor after a clinical trial showed that 31% of patients with an advanced case of melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer, were helped. The treatment, called Amtagvi and made ...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news