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BRAF is an oncogene that encodinges a serine-threonine kinase (B-Raf kinase) important in regulating cell growth and differentiation. Spontaneous mutations in the BRAF gene allow cells to continuously divide, leading to the development of cancer. A substitution of glutamic acid for valine at amino acid number 600 (designated V600E) accounts for 90% of BRAF mutations and is a driver of many cancers. The V600E mutation is present in ~3% of all cancer cases, representing a patient population of 540,000 patients per year.

Computer and imaging technologies led to the development of digital pathology and the capture and storage of pathological specimens as digitally formatted images. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital pathology, such as in three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, requires analyses of high volumes of data. This results in increased demands for processing and acquisition of digital images of pathology samples. Increased usage cannot be met by the time-consuming, manual, and laborious methods currently used.

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a breakthrough form of cancer immunotherapy that utilizes autologous, antitumor T cells to attack tumors through recognition of tumor-specific mutations, or neoantigens. A major hurdle in the development of ACT is the exhausted phenotype exhibited by many neoantigen-specific T cells, which limits their efficacy and prevents a sustained immune response. 

Vaccines have become one of the most important tools in the fight against cancers and infectious diseases. However, some vaccines have shown limitations due to their high cost and low immune responses. To overcome these limitations, bacteriophages were proposed for the development of more cost-effective, immunogenic vaccines. Phages have shown a strong ability to activate induced and adaptive immune systems. The genome of these viral particles can be engineered, and their surface proteins can be exploited for antigen display.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of human viruses known to cause various malignancies. Of the group, HPV-16 is the most prevalent strain – an estimated 90% of adults have been exposed. HPV-16 is also the strain most commonly associated with malignancy, causing the vast majority of cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers. Currently, HPV-positive malignancies non-responsive to surgery or radiation are incurable and poorly palliated by existing systemic therapies. Thus, an alternative therapeutic approach for HPV-positive malignancies is needed. 

Millions of patients in the United States are afflicted by a host of bone diseases caused by osteoclast (specialized calls arising from the macrophage/monocyte lineage) dysfunction. Diseases include Paget’s disease, osteoporosis, fibrous dysplasia and osteolytic bone metastasis. The current standard of care for these diseases uses broad-spectrum therapies that either coat the skeletal system or inhibit osteoclast development in an effort to modulate osteoclastogenesis.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of human viruses known to cause various malignancies. Of the group, HPV-16 is the most prevalent strain – an estimated 90% of adults have been exposed. HPV-16 is also the strain most commonly associated with malignancy, causing the vast majority of cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile cancers. Currently, HPV-positive malignancies non-responsive to surgery or radiation are incurable and poorly palliated by existing systemic therapies. Thus, an alternative therapeutic approach for HPV-positive malignancies is needed. 

Measuring and mapping nervous tissue microstructure noninvasively is a long sought-after goal in neuroscience. Several neuropathologies – such as cancer and stroke – are associated with changes in tissue microstructure. Changes in material properties, such as stiffness, represent a sensitive measure of

The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide public health crisis with over 440 million confirmed cases and 6.0 million deaths as of March 2022. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While there are several vaccines available for COVID-19, there are few therapeutics available that specifically target SARS-CoV-2. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is less understood than SARS-CoV-2. MERS-CoV patients have a 65% long-term survival rate, according the World Health Organization (WHO).