Natalia Barrera is a medical student studying DNA structure and genes. She discusses three recent studies that could help improve medical treatment and diagnosis. The first study found that analyzing certain genes could distinguish between viral and bacterial infections, helping doctors determine if antibiotics are needed. However, the test currently has only 55% accuracy and takes 4-6 hours for results. The second study identified 172 combinations of tumor suppressor genes and drugs that were effective against human cancer cells, which could provide more treatment options for precision medicine. The third study discusses how improving diagnosis through these new tests could help reduce antibiotic overuse and resistance while giving patients greater treatment options and life expectancy for cancer.

1. NATALIA BARRERA
CUESTA
M E D I C I N E S T U D E N T
DNA structure
and genes

4. Many diseases have a genetic
component and all cancers have a
genetic alteration.
Research on the composition of DNA, its
structure, interactions between genes,
mutations, will help us to better
understand and treat many diseases.

5. New Blood Test Could Determine
Whether a Patient Needs
Antibiotics

6. Treatment? Is it viral or bacterial
infection? They can give the same
symptoms, for example in the upper
respiratory system, both, viral and
bacterial infections produce
• Fever
•General discomfort
•Sore throat
• Loss of appetite
And for the doctor is very important
distinguish between viral or bacterial
infection to give the correct treatment.

7. The researchers found that 7 human
genes respond differently if the
infection is viral o bacterial, which is a
potential project to help the doctor to
arrive at an accurate diagnosis.

8. It’s neccesary to do more research
because the accuracy in viral infections
is only 55% and because blood test
takes too long, 4 to 6 hours and it
means much time to begin a treatment
in case of sepsis

9. I think this new strategy of use genes that
help distinguish viral of bacterial infection,
is of great importance for medical practice
because it gives more accurate diagnosis
and we avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics
and likewise prevent the increased bacterial
resistance to antibiotics.

10. Researchers ID cancer gene-drug
combinations ripe for precision
medicine
Cancers are given by a genetic disorder
where there are genes that do not let
apoptosis or genes that stimulate cell
reproduction

11. today therapies for treat cancer are
very limited and also many drugs for
cancer are very toxic

12. T h e r e s e a r c h e r s u s e d t u m o r
suppressor genes with a mutation,
other genes and drugs and made
169,000 interactions, 172 of those
combinations were useful in killing
human cancer cells.

13. Researchers put their investigation
freely to doctors, scientists and
oncologists in the world so they had
more tools for treat and cure the
cancer.

14. I think this research is amazing. Cancer is one of
the most frequent cause of death because the
treatments are not effective for everyone even when
two persons suffer the same cancer, finding greater
number of combinations of genes to treat cancer
help to solve the problem and there were many
alternatives to treat any cancer, preventing many
deaths.

15. MEDICAL
UTILITY

16. The improvement
of the blood test
will help to reduce
antibiotic resistance

17. We can give several
options of treatment
for a patient with
cancer, increasing life
expectancy

18. There would be
greater security
to give a
diagnosis

19. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• University of California - San Diego. (2016, July 21).
Researchers ID cancer gene-drug combinations
ripe for precision medicine: Yeast, human cells and
bioinformatics help develop one-two punch
approach to personalized cancer therapy.
ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 7, 2016 from
w w w . s c i e n c e d a i l y . c o m / r e l e a s e s /
2016/07/160721142801.htm
• Miller, S. G. (06 de Julio de 2016). Live Science.
Recovered of 02 de Agosto de 2016, de New Blood
Test Could Determine Whether a Patient Needs
Antibiotics: http://www.livescience.com/55302-
blood-test-viral-bacterial-infection.html

20. ¡THANK
YOU!