Outline

The gut is not the only part of the human body that hosts an important microbiome. The surface of the skin is home to a sprawling and complex microbial ecosystem, which interacts with the immune system and influences dermatological health.

The skin supports a diverse community of microorganisms that train and support the immune system, and fend off pathogenic threats.

Brachytherapy is an established treatment for prostate cancer with much to recommend it, but its use is declining as clinicians opt for flashier therapies.

People with prostate cancer currently have several treatment options available to them. But one of the oldest, brachytherapy, is losing popularity with physicians. Without action, the skills needed to perform this effective therapy could be lost.

With the patents on many biological drugs soon to expire, the biosimilars revolution is about to shift into top gear.

Some of the most effective modern drugs are complex biological molecules. As their patents expire, drug developers are fashioning copycat versions that could make such therapies cheaper and more broadly available.

Once thought to be irreversible, cirrhosis of the liver now seems treatable — and drug development is proceeding apace.

Many long-term diseases of the liver lead to scarring, or fibrosis, that restricts the organ’s functions. Evidence that fibrosis can regress has spurred the search for therapies that suppress scar-tissue formation to restore liver health.

Existing treatments bring only temporary relief to people with ulcerative colitis, a common form of inflammatory bowel disease. Insights into the immunobiology of the condition are driving the development of therapies that could lead to prolonged periods of remission.

Existing treatments for debilitating gut inflammation can offer only temporary relief. An array of potential therapies look set to unlock lasting remission.

Damage to the retina has so far proved irreversible, but stem-cell therapies could hold the key to restoring sight.

The ways in which lost vision might be restored are coming into focus as researchers move closer to recreating the eye’s most complex structure — the retina — in the laboratory.

The spinal cord rarely repairs itself when damaged, but ways of encouraging nerves to regrow are on the horizon.

At present, there is no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord or to restore lost function. But regenerative therapies in the initial stages of clinical testing are offering hope.

Fractures that fail to heal properly often cause long-term disability, but new cell-based therapies may help.

A bone fracture that fails to heal after initial treatment can lead to prolonged disability. Regenerative therapies might help to restart the bone-healing process, getting the people affected back in action.

Increased levels of obesity are driving an epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Understanding, diagnosing and treating this progressive condition are now priorities.

A progressive and potentially life-threatening condition previously associated with alcoholism is becoming more common — even in non-drinkers.

Can regenerative medicine help to avoid leg amputation in patients with critical limb ischaemia?

Many people with critical limb ischaemia have no option but to have the affected limb amputated. Can regenerative medicine offer an alternative?