Therapy Research Research Articles

Simulation and experimental benchmarking of a proton pencil beam scanning nozzle model for development of MR-integrated proton therapy.

MR-integrated proton therapy is under development. It consists of the unique challenge of integrating a proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) beam line nozzle with an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The magnetic interaction between these two components is deemed high risk as the MR images can be degraded if there is cross-talk during beam delivery and imageacquisition. To create and benchmark a self-consistent proton PBS nozzle model for empowering the next stages of MR-integrated proton therapy development, namely exploring and de-risking complete integrated prototype system designs including magnetic shielding of the PBS nozzle. Magnetic field (COMSOL ) and radiation transport (Geant4) models of a proton PBS nozzle located at OncoRay (Dresden, Germany) were developed according to the manufacturers specifications. Geant4 simulations of the PBS process were performed by using magnetic field data generated by the COMSOL simulations. In total 315 spots were simulated which consisted of a scan pattern with 5cm spot spacings and for proton energies of 70, 100, 150, 200, and 220MeV. Analysis of the simulated deflection at the beam isocenter plane was performed to determine the self-consistency of the model. The magnetic fringe field from a sub selection of 24 of the 315 spot simulations were directly compared with high precision magnetometer measurements. These focused on the maximum scanning setting of 20cm beam deflection as generated from the second scanning magnet in the PBS for a proton beam energy of 220MeV. Locations along the beam line central axis (CAX) were measured at beam isocenter and downstream of 22, 47, 72, 97, and 122cm. Horizontal off-axis positions were measured at 22cm downstream of isocenter ( 50, 100, and 150cm from CAX). The proton PBS simulations had good spatial agreement to the theoretical values in all 315 spots examined at the beam line isocenter plane (0-2.9mm differences or within 1.5% of the local spot deflection amount). Careful analysis of the experimental measurements were able to isolate the changes in magnetic fields due solely to the scanning magnet contribution, and showed 1.9 1.2 -9.4 1.2 changes over the range of measurement locations. Direct comparison with the equivalent simulations matched within the measurement apparatus and setup uncertainty in all but one measurementpoint. For the first time a robust, accurate and self-consistent model of a proton PBS nozzle assembly has been created and successfully benchmarked for the purposes of advancing MR-integrated proton therapy research. The model will enable confidence in further simulation based work on fully integrated designs including MRI scanners and PBS nozzle magnetic shielding in order to de-risk and realize the full potential of MR-integrated proton therapy.

Progress and trends in photodynamic therapy research in oral science: A bibliometric analysis

BackgroundPhotodynamic therapy is garnering increasing attention in oral science. Despite its promising potential, further exploration is warranted to delve into the research paradigms and evolving trends within oral science. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of photodynamic therapy in oral science (PDTOS), investigating research landscapes, identifying key contributors, analyzing collaborative networks, pinpointing emerging research directions, and exploring factors influencing high citations. MethodsResearch and review articles in PDTOS were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database up to December 31, 2023. The R package "bibliometrix" and VOSviewer were utilized for visualizing collaboration networks and keyword co-occurrence, alongside trend analysis. Negative binomial regression was used to model factors affecting citation counts. ResultsA total of 2784 articles with significant international collaboration (23.14 %) were analyzed. Brazil, China, the USA, Iran, and Italy led in publications, with predominant USA-European collaborations. The University of Sao Paulo in Brazil was the most published institution in the field. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy was the core journal in the field and has the highest number of publications. The main research fields included photodynamic therapy, antibacterial and anticancer treatment, management, and peri‑implant periodontitis, with a recent focus on peri‑implantitis. Factors such as international cooperation, funding, article age, type, author count, and references significantly influenced citations. ConclusionsThis research provided valuable insights into PDTOS trends and knowledge structures. These findings underscored a significant increase in the number of PDTOS publications, urging strengthened international cooperation. Emerging research has focused on peri‑implantitis and nano-photosensitizer materials. Authors should consider various citation-related factors in their research endeavors.

A multifunctional nanoplatform for chemotherapy and nanocatalytic synergistic cancer therapy achieved by amplified lipid peroxidation

Traditional cancer chemotherapy suffers from low efficacy and severe side effects, limiting its use as a first-line treatment. To address this issue, we investigated a novel way to induce lipid peroxidation (LPO), which plays an essential role in ferroptosis and may be useful against cancer cells and tumors. In this study, a pH-responsive synergistic cancer therapy nanoplatform was prepared using CaCO3 co-loaded with oleanolic acid (OA) and lipoxygenase (LOX), resulting in the formation OLCaP NP. This nanoplatform exhibited good drug release properties in an acidic tumor environment owing to the presence of CaCO3. As a result of acidic stimulation at tumor sites, the OLCaP NP released OA and LOX. OA, a chemotherapeutic drug with anticancer activity, is already known to promote the apoptosis of cancer cells, and LOX is a natural enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, leading to the accumulation of lipid peroxides and promoting the apoptosis of cancer cells. More importantly, OA upregulated the expression of acyl-coenzyme A synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), which promoted enzyme-mediated LPO. Based on our combined chemotherapy and nanocatalytic therapy, the OLCaP NP not only had remarkable antitumor ability but also upregulated ACSL4 expression, allowing further amplification of LPO to inhibit tumor growth. These findings demonstrate the potential of this nanoplatform to enhance the therapeutic efficacy against tumors by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting lipid metabolism, highlighting its clinical potential for improved cancer treatment. Statement of significanceThis study presents a novel nanoplatform that combines oleanolic acid (OA), a chemotherapeutic drug, and lipoxygenase (LOX), which oxidizes polyunsaturated fatty acids to trigger apoptosis, for targeted cancer therapy. Unlike traditional treatments, our nanoplatform exhibits pH-responsive drug release, specifically in acidic tumor environments. This innovation enhances the therapeutic effects of OA and LOX, upregulating acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 expression and amplifying lipid peroxidation to promote tumor cell apoptosis. Our findings significantly advance the existing literature by demonstrating a synergistic approach that combines chemotherapy and nanocatalytic therapy. The scientific impact of this work lies in its potential to improve cancer treatment efficacy and specificity, offering a promising strategy for clinical applications and future research in cancer therapy.

Highly efficient and specific regulation of gene expression using enhanced CRISPR-Cas12f system.

The recently developed CRISPR activator (CRISPRa) system uses a CRISPR-Cas effector-based transcriptional activator to effectively control the expression of target genes without causing DNA damage. However, existing CRISPRa systems based on Cas9/Cas12a necessitate improvement in terms of efficacy and accuracy due to limitations associated with the CRISPR-Cas module itself. To overcome these limitations and effectively and accurately regulate gene expression, we developed an efficient CRISPRa system based on the small CRISPR-Cas effector Candidatus Woesearchaeota Cas12f (CWCas12f). By engineering the CRISPR-Cas module, linking activation domains, and using various combinations of linkers and nuclear localization signal sequences, the optimized eCWCas12f-VPR system enabled effective and target-specific regulation of gene expression compared with that using the existing CRISPRa system. The eCWCas12f-VPR system developed in this study has substantial potential for controlling the transcription of endogenous genes in living organisms and serves as a foundation for future gene therapy and biological research.

FLASH Radiotherapy: Mechanisms of Biological Effects and the Therapeutic Potential in Cancer.

Radiotherapy is an important treatment for many unresectable advanced malignant tumors, and radiotherapy-associated inflammatory reactions to radiation and other toxic side effects are significant reasons which reduce the quality of life and survival of patients. FLASH-radiotherapy (FLASH-RT), a prominent topic in recent radiation therapy research, is an ultra-high dose rate treatment known for significantly reducing therapy time while effectively targeting tumors. This approach minimizes radiation side effects on at-risk organs and maximally protects surrounding healthy tissues. Despite decades of preclinical exploration and some notable achievements, the mechanisms behind FLASH effects remain debated. Standardization is still required for the type of FLASH-RT rays and dose patterns. This review addresses the current state of FLASH-RT research, summarizing the biological mechanisms behind the FLASH effect. Additionally, it examines the impact of FLASH-RT on immune cells, cytokines, and the tumor immune microenvironment. Lastly, this review will discuss beam characteristics, potential clinical applications, and the relevance and applicability of FLASH-RT in treating advanced cancers.

Problem Solving in Dance/Movement Therapy Research: Developing an Intervention Protocol for Adults Living with Treatment Resistant Depression

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) research requires creative and innovative thinking; this paper includes two parts demonstrating this. Part one describes and delves into the creative problem solving process undertaken over 2.5 years. Four main steps were followed towards developing an intervention session plan for a first-of-its-kind DMT study in treatment resistant depression: (i) Examining pre-existing knowledge: Reviewing insights gained from clinical practice and formal literature. (ii) Assessing the need for preliminary studies: This step demonstrates how to determine and navigate the potential need for preliminary studies in novel research. (iii) Integrating existing and new research: I discuss Watson’s (Watson, Sociological Research Online 25:66–83, 2020) braiding technique and how it may help integrate insights from steps one and two. (iv) Reviewing outputs: This includes examining the developed session plan by conducting a fidelity and biases check. Each step presents reflective questions that ultimately contributed towards protocol development. The questions listed may also be a beneficial guide to novice DMT researchers embarking on novel research.

Late stage melanoma is hallmarked by low NLGN4X expression leading to HIF1A accumulation

BackgroundDespite ongoing research and recent advances in therapy, metastatic melanoma remains one of the cancers with the worst prognosis. Here we studied the postsynaptic cell adhesion molecule Neuroligin 4X (NLGN4X) and investigated its role in melanoma progression.MethodsWe analysed histologic samples to assess the expression and predictive value of NLGN4X in human melanoma. The oncogenic role of NLGN4X was determined by loss or gain-of-function experiments in vitro as well as by analysis of tumorspheres, which were grafted to human skin organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells. Whole genome expression analysis and validation experiments were performed to clarify the molecular mechanism.ResultsWe identified that suppression of NLGN4X down regulated the prefoldin member Von Hippel-Lindau binding protein 1 (VBP1). Moreover, loss of VBP1 was sufficient for accumulation of HIF1A and HIF1A signalling was further shown to be essential for the acquisition of migratory properties in melanoma. We re-established NLGN4X expression in late stage melanoma lines and observed decreased tumour growth after transplantation to human skin organoids generated from pluripotent stem cells. In line, we showed that high amounts of NLGN4X and its target VBP1 in human patient samples had a beneficial prognostic effect on patient survival.ConclusionIn view of these findings, we propose that decreased amounts of NLGN4X are indicative of a metastatic melanoma phenotype and that loss of NLGN4X provides a novel mechanism for HIF induction.

NURS-01. NOVEL TREATMENTS FOR ACNEIFORM ERUPTIONS CAUSED BY TARGETED THERAPIES IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Abstract BACKGROUND Drugs that target the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway can cause frequent and severe cutaneous toxicities with acneiform eruptions being one of the most common and challenging to manage. The literature is limited regarding treatment recommendations especially when this rash is refractory to first-line therapies. METHODS A single-institution case series regarding the treatment of acneiform eruptions with oral isotretinoin after failure of first-line therapies was performed. RESULTS Two female, adolescent patients who developed refractory acneiform eruptions while on trametinib were included. Their acneiform eruption emerged within the first cycle of trametinib requiring treatment with oral doxycycline plus a variety of topical medications. They remained on doxycycline for 6 and 7 months. Both patients then switched to oral isotretinoin after minimal rash response and rebound of the rash when attempting to discontinue doxycycline. The initial isotretinoin doses were 0.2-0.3 mg/kg/day rounded per pill size. Both patients required a dose reduction due to worsening xerosis. Once decreased, isotretinoin was well tolerated. No changes in baseline lipid panels or ALT were seen. No associated neurologic symptoms or pseudotumor cerebri. While on oral isotretinoin, no additional topical therapies were required to treat the acneiform eruption. The first patient’s acneiform rash improved from a CTCAE v5 grade 3 to grade 1 after only 3 weeks of isotretinoin. All locations of the rash responded to therapy. The second patient developed a grade 2 acneiform rash after starting trametinib and became ungradable with only residual pink papules to cheeks after receiving isotretinoin. CONCLUSIONS Both patients were successfully treated with isotretinoin after multiple prior therapies including 6 or more months of treatment with oral antibiotics. We recommend further research of treatment therapies in addition to oral antibiotics given concerns on their impact of the microbiome.

An in-silico study on the mechanical behavior of colorectal cancer cell lines in the micropipette aspiration process

Cancer alters the structural integrity and morphology of cells. Consequently, the cell function is overshadowed. In this study, the micropipette aspiration process is computationally modeled to predict the mechanical behavior of the colorectal cancer cells. The intended cancer cells are modeled as an incompressible Neo-Hookean visco-hyperelastic material. Also, the micropipette is assumed to be rigid with no deformation. The proposed model is validated with an in-vitro study. To capture the equilibrium and time-dependent behaviors of cells, ramp, and creep tests are respectively performed using the finite element method. Through the simulations, the effects of the micropipette geometry and the aspiration pressure on the colorectal cancer cell lines are investigated. Our findings indicate that, as the inner radius of the micropipette increases, despite the increase in deformation rate and aspirated length, the time to reach the equilibrium state increases. Nevertheless, it is obvious that increasing the tip curvature radius has a small effect on the change of the aspirated length. But, due to the decrease in the stress concentration, it drastically reduces the equilibrium time and increases the deformation rate significantly. Interestingly, our results demonstrate that increasing the aspiration pressure somehow causes the cell stiffening, thereby reducing the upward trend of deformation rate, equilibrium time, and aspirated length. Our findings provide valuable insights for researchers in cell therapy and cancer treatment and can aid in developing more precise microfluidic.

노인 대상 노래중심 음악치료의 연구 동향 분석

Objectives This study analyzed research trends of research information in domestic academic journals related to song-centered music therapy interventions for the elderly, characteristics of study participants, intervention-related characteristics of music therapy, and song-related characteristics. in domestic academic journals published from 2000 to 2021. Methods The literature selected for study went through the following process. Among the 156 papers found in the first screening stage, 6 duplicated papers were excluded. After checking the specific information about the participant, 40 papers that were not studies on the elderly were extracted, and 86 papers in which singing was not a major music therapy intervention factor were removed. Finally, a total of 21 papers were put into the analysis, excluding three papers in domestic journals that were not registered papers. Results As a result, there were 20 quantitative studies (95.24%) and 1 qualitative study (4.76%) among the literature on song-centered music therapy for the elderly. As for the classification related to the characteristics of the research participants, 12 papers (57.14%) were for the disabled group, 8 papers (38.10%) were for the non-disabled group and 1 Others(4.76%). Regarding the intervention-related characteristics of the study, 15 studies (71.43%) used only music therapy and there were 6 studies (28.57%) that combined other treatments or activities other than music therapy. In addition, the place of intervention of singing-centered music therapy for the elderly was the most frequent, with 5 cases(27.74%) in hospitals and 4 cases(17.37%) in nursing homes. There were 14 studies in which music therapists directly mediated therapy sessions(66.67%) and two theses (9.52%) were mediated by individuals other than music therapists. Besides, there were 5 papers (23.81%) that did not report on the moderator. Most of the studies implemented by music therapists had descriptions and therapeutic rationales for session-by-session music therapy programs. On the other hand, some studies lacked information on session programs or therapeutic rationales. Finally, a total of 10 genres of songs used in research trend identification were presented. Conclusions It is hoped that the tendency of song-centered music therapy research identified through this study will help the direction of future research on song-centered music therapy for the elderly and its practical application in the clinical field.

Positive Inotropic Agents in Cancer Therapy: Exploring Potential Anti-Tumor Effects

Cancer remains a significant global health challenge despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment. Traditional cancer therapies often face limitations such as toxicity and drug resistance. Drug repurposing has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these challenges by identifying new therapeutic uses for existing drugs. This review explores the potential of repurposing positive inotropic agents, which are traditionally used in cardiovascular medicine, for cancer therapy. Positive inotropic agents, including cardiac glycosides, β-agonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and calcium sensitizers have shown preclinical evidence of anti-tumor activity through various mechanisms, such as modulation of the intracellular signaling pathways, increasing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, the production of nitric oxide, and decreasing reactive oxygen species levels. Despite the absence of specific clinical trials in this area, these findings suggest a promising avenue for further research and development of combination therapies to improve cancer treatment outcomes. However, challenges such as elucidating specific anti-tumor mechanisms, identifying predictive biomarkers, and optimizing safety profiles need to be addressed to fully realize the therapeutic potential of positive inotropic agents in oncology.

CML in the very elderly: the impact of comorbidities and TKI selection in a real-life multicenter study

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have greatly improved chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatments, with survival rates close to the general population. Yet, for the very elderly, robust data remains limited. This study focused on assessing comorbidities, treatment approaches, responses, and survival for elderly CML patients. Our study was conducted on 123 elderly (≥ 75 years) CML patients across four centers in Israel and Moffitt Cancer Center, USA. The median age at diagnosis was 79.1 years, with 44.7% being octogenarians. Comorbidities were very common; cardiovascular risk factors (60%), cardiovascular diseases (42%), with a median age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (aaCCI) of 5. Imatinib was the leading first-line therapy (69%), while the use of second-generation TKIs increased post-2010. Most patients achieved a major molecular response (MMR, 66.7%), and half achieved a deep molecular response (DMR, 50.4%). Over half (52.8%) of patients moved to second-line, and nearly a quarter (23.5%) to third-line treatments, primarily due to intolerance. Overall survival (OS) was notably longer in patients with an aaCCI score below 5, and in patients who attained DMR. Contrary to expectations, the Israeli cohort showed a shorter actual life expectancy than projected, suggesting a larger impact of CML on elderly survival. In summary, imatinib remains the main initial treatment, but second-generation TKIs are on the rise among elderly CML patients. Outcomes in elderly CML patients depend on comorbidities, TKI type, response, and age, underscoring the need for personalized therapy and additional research on TKI effectiveness and safety.

A quantitative assessment of Geant4 for predicting the yield and distribution of positron-emitting fragments in ion beam therapy

Objective. To compare the accuracy with which different hadronic inelastic physics models across ten Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation toolkit versions can predict positron-emitting fragments produced along the beam path during carbon and oxygen ion therapy. Approach. Phantoms of polyethylene, gelatin, or poly(methyl methacrylate) were irradiated with monoenergetic carbon and oxygen ion beams. Post-irradiation, 4D PET images were acquired and parent 11C, 10C and 15O radionuclides contributions in each voxel were determined from the extracted time activity curves. Next, the experimental configurations were simulated in Geant4 Monte Carlo versions 10.0 to 11.1, with three different fragmentation models—binary ion cascade (BIC), quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) and the Liege intranuclear cascade (INCL++) - 30 model-version combinations. Total positron annihilation and parent isotope production yields predicted by each simulation were compared between simulations and experiments using normalised mean squared error and Pearson cross-correlation coefficient. Finally, we compared the depth of the maximum positron annihilation yield and the distal point at which the positron yield decreases to 50% of peak between each model and the experimental results. Main results. Performance varied considerably across versions and models, with no one version/model combination providing the best prediction of all positron-emitting fragments in all evaluated target materials and irradiation conditions. BIC in Geant4 10.2 provided the best overall agreement with experimental results in the largest number of test cases. QMD consistently provided the best estimates of both the depth of peak positron yield (10.4 and 10.6) and the distal 50%-of-peak point (10.2), while BIC also performed well and INCL generally performed the worst across most Geant4 versions. Significance. The best predictions of the spatial distribution of positron annihilations and positron-emitting fragment production along the beam path during carbon and oxygen ion therapy was obtained using Geant4 10.2.p03 with BIC or QMD. These version/model combinations are recommended for future heavy ion therapy research.

Foundation for Physical Therapy research grants

Foundation for Physical Therapy research grants

Community-Working Occupational Therapists’ Involvement in Research and Development Projects in Norway

The aim of this study was to explore community-working occupational therapists’ involvement in research and development projects. A cross-sectional survey of occupational therapists working in community-based services in Norway (n = 617) was conducted. In all, 117 of the 617 participants responded that they were involved in research and development projects. Greater likelihood of participation in research and development work were found for occupational therapists who had completed further education. Current and prioritized research topics were professional development and the development of interprofessional and professional service designs for occupational therapy. Service and quality development, rehabilitation and technology were areas where more knowledge was considered needed. To increase the growth and success of occupational therapy research and development, it is important that more occupational therapists in the municipality continue to complete further education. High-quality occupational therapy practice should be based on research and development projects in the municipalities.

Investigation of genotype-phenotype and familial features of Turkish dystrophinopathy patients.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are X-linked recessive allelic muscle diseases caused by dystrophin gene mutations. Eight hundred thirty-seven patients admitted between 1997 and 2022 were included in the study. Two hundred twenty patients were analyzed by multiplex PCR (mPCR) alone. Five hundred ninety-five patients were investigated by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and 54 patients were examined by sequencing. Deletion was detected in 60% (132/220) of the cases in the mPCR group only and in 58.3% (347/595) of the cases with MLPA analysis. The rates of deletion and duplication were 87.7% and 12.3%, respectively, in the MLPA analysis. Single exon deletions were the most common mutation type. The introns 43-55 (81.8%) and exons 2-21 (13.1%) regions were detected as hot spots in deletions. It was determined that 89% of the mutations were suitable for exon skipping therapy. The reading frame rule did not hold in 7.6% of D/BMD cases (17/224). We detected twenty-five pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in sequencing, five of which were novel variants. Nonsense mutation was the most common small mutation (44%). 21% of DMD patients were familial. We detected germline mosaicism in four families (4.3%) in the large rearrangement group and one gonosomal mosaicism in a family with a nonsense mutation. This is the largest study examining genotype and phenotype data in Turkish D/BMD families investigated by MLPA analysis. The reading frame hypothesis is not valid in all cases. Sharing the genotype and phenotype characteristics of these cases in the literature will shed light on the molecular structure of DMD and guide gene therapy research. In genetic counseling, carrier screening in the family and possible gonadal mosaicism should be emphasized.

Seeing the forest for the trees: An ecological systems theory approach to addressing emergent issues in psychedelic-assisted therapy research

AbstractDespite growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, there remains a lack of consensus about key issues relevant to difficulties in predicting acute drug effects, and the role of therapeutic support in clinical trials. In the absence of a clear theoretical model to conceptualize multifaceted components in PAT research, dialogue across contexts (e.g., popular media, peer reviewed journals, conference settings) is becoming increasingly polarized and siloed. This has even contributed to somewhat unusual recommendations by the FDA and others that removing critical aspects of psychological and medical safety could enhance our ability to investigate the impact of these drugs on clinical outcomes. Considering the importance of determining and maximizing safety in ongoing PAT research, this commentary suggests that an ecological systems theory (EST) approach provides a structure to make contextual and practical factors a more explicit and testable component of research. Utilizing systems theory and Bronfenbrenner’s EST approach adapted for healthcare settings, we propose that a more detailed conceptual model in PAT research would enable more explicit consideration of contextual factors informing and influencing outcomes. This commentary is accompanied by a custom figure that illustrates application of this model for psychedelic research and highlights the limitations of current measurement of acute subjective experience.

Ethical Considerations in Co-Authoring Research with Music Therapy Stakeholders

Abstract While stakeholders provide invaluable perspectives about music therapy, particularly through the lens of their expertise as participants in music therapy encounters, their perspectives are rarely amplified in the context of full participation in research teams. In support of stakeholder participation in music therapy research, this article introduces and explores ethical considerations related to co-authorship. These ethical considerations are approached in three ways: (1) describing how co-authorship has been undertaken with music therapy stakeholders, specifically disabled children and adults, in a range of contexts, (2) Identifying ethical considerations related to our team’s own research project (Devlin, K., Johnston, M., & Johnston, C. [2024]. Making mistakes together: therapy participant, parent, and therapist perspectives on music therapy in two different settings. Music Therapy Perspectives) with two coauthors who are also stakeholders, and (3) providing guidelines for music therapists interested in coauthoring research with stakeholders. In doing so, the importance of co-authorship as an accessible, equitable research practice is emphasized. Plain language abstract This article is about planning, doing, and writing research with people who are usually studied in music therapy research. We call this co-research. We talk about: How to keep people safe How to make decisions together How to work and write as a team If we should use our real names

The role of BACP in maximising the potential of counselling and psychological therapies research in the UK: Benefitting clients, communities, and societies

AbstractThe British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is the largest professional membership body within the field of counselling and psychological therapies in the UK, but there is a mismatch between its membership of >65,000 and its research impact. This article sets out a potential strategic direction as considered by an informal grouping of researchers and teachers in the field. Actionable research plans are outlined at three levels: client–practitioner, local communities, and societies. At the client–practitioner level, data‐informed practice can be readily implemented as a therapeutic aid akin to supervision, providing the potential for integrating research into everyday practice. At the community level, interdisciplinary collaborations together with a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusiveness are paths to building a community of researchers and citizens that includes marginalised populations. The importance of social justice extends to the societal level, connecting with politics at a micro and macro level, and engaging internationally to respond to actual threats (e.g., climate change). Across these three levels, high value is placed on data with its potential for informing and improving practice, but also enhancing the lives of people in communities and societies. Overall, research strategies need to be collaborative (i.e., collegial) and less singular (i.e., individually project‐based), developing cumulative knowledge around specific topics via a ‘capture and build’ strategy for small projects with strategic oversight by BACP. Clarity of research strategy combined with collaborative and collective action from BACP and leaders in the field can help realise the full potential of BACP's research capacity.

Facilitating the ethical sourcing of donor hematopoietic stem cells for cell and gene therapy research and development.

Aim: Unrelated stem cell donor registries (DRs) are increasingly engaging in the field of cell and gene therapy (CGT). This study aims to explore the values, concerns, needs and expectations of donors and members of the public on donating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for CGT.Methods: Seven focus groups were conducted in 2019 with members of the public, prospective donors and donors on the Anthony Nolan DR in the UK.Results: Participants expressed concerns over increased frequency of donation and incidental findings and required more information on the type of research including the purpose and possible outcomes.Conclusion: Addressing donors' concerns, needs and expectations on donating cellular materials for CGT research and development is essential to maintaining the highest standards for donor care and safety within this rapidly emerging field.