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10 JUNE 2016 Inhalation RESPIRATORY MEDICINE NEWS New asthma biomarkers could ease detection HERSHEY, PA—According to Newswise, researchers at Penn State College of Medicine have found t h a t p e o p l e w i t h a s t h m a h a v e microRNAs (miRNAs) in their blood, which could lead to the first diagnostic blood test for asthma and more targeted treatments. Dr. Faoud Ishmael and colleagues pre- viously showed miRNAs in the lungs and blood can be asthma bio- markers and may regulate proteins involved in allergic inflammation. Their new study examined miR- NAs in the blood of 79 people, including asthmatics, people with nasal allergies but no asthma, and people with no nasal allergies or asthma. Focusing on 30 miRNAs, they found different expression pat- terns among the three groups that enabled them to predict with 91 percent accuracy whether a person had asthma. Within asthmatics, there were two main clusters of miRNA expression that correlated with different levels of eosinophils. They plan to further investigate dif- ferent miRNAs in asthma and inhi- bition of those molecules. They are also working to validate the diag- nostic value of miRNA testing for asthma in a larger group of people. Their goal is having a blood test for asthma in the next five years. Videogamers asked to develop new TB test PALO ALTO, CA—The Wall Street Journal and (US) National Public Radio report that a new version of the web-based video game Eterna, devel- oped by Stanford University bio- chemist Rhiju Das and bioinformati- cian Purvesh Khatri, is enlisting videogamers to help develop a new test for tuberculosis (TB). The disease is currently difficult to diagnose and requires several tests to identify the active form. Yet a set of three genes can readily distinguish active TB from latent TB or other diseases. The goal of the new game is to design a molecule of RNA that can respond to the three types of genetic material in a blood sample and then change shape and glow brightly when levels are high enough to indicate a TB infec- tion is active. Introduced in 2011, Eterna has more than 100,000 play- ers and teaches people RNA design principles as they solve puzzles. RNA designs voted on by players are syn- thesized in a Stanford biochemistry lab, then used to help players design more complex molecules in subse- quent puzzles. The TB game is the first with a goal of treating a specific disease. It is available at www. eternagame.org. Approximately 1.2 million people in 140 countries are playing research games online, identi- fying protein structures, mapping neural connections and improving computer design using quantum mechanics. They also have produced approximately a dozen peer-reviewed scientific papers. Typically, players do not have scientific expertise but are "intrigued by the chance to make a useful contribution to research in their spare time." With the aging of the global population, it is expected that pharmaceutical manufacturers will begin developing new inhaled medical devices with a focus on the special needs of the older patient group. This webinar will focus on all the major forms of inhaled products and discuss factors that developers and manufacturers should consider when developing new inhalers for these patients. Can't attend? Please register in advance to watch the webinar and Q&A session online for up to 30 days after the event. Professional development hours are frequently available. The 2016 Inhalation Annual Webinar FREE Challenges Associated with Delivering Inhaled Medications to the Older Patient: Considerations for Developers and Manufacturers When Designing Inhaled Devices Presented by: Dr. Jolyon Mitchell Jolyon Mitchell Inhaler Consulting Services, Inc. Guest Moderator: Dr. David Cipolla Aradigm Corporation Sponsored by MSP Corporation September 27, 2016 12:00 PM (Noon) – 1:30 PM ET To register: event.netbriefings.com/event/inhalation/Live/Sep27/register.html