In my Form and Function feature, I talked about the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cells. New research is focusing on the mitochondrial function and how that can help point the way to new treatments.Mitochondria dysfunction when cancer is present, and until recently it was believed to be the result of the cancer. Dr. Michelakis, a professor in the University of Alberta Department of Medicine, researched whether the function could be restored. He found that the function of mitochondria could be restored by DCA, which restores a critical enzyme.
He found that when the mitochondrial function is restored, it resulted in a significant decrease in tumor growth. Read more about this amazing discovery at the University of Alberta website. I am always so excited when I read about new discoveries and the research being done to try to cure cancer. I believe it can be done. It is just so sad though, when you read about this discovery and in the same article read about the fact that this researcher will have problems to secure funding, because DCA can not be patented. Wow, I hope the world is not really that brutal. I hope that he will get funding, because this is a promising development in the fight against cancer, and because it could cure cancer or at least give us new treatments. I hope.
