Kate O'Connell, WXXI

Researchers in upstate New York have identified the chemical that leads to cancer resistance in laboratory animals: naked mole rats.

The discovery could eventually lead to new cancer treatments, and even the ability for cancer resistance in humans according to the authors.

Last week’s Supreme Court ruling banned the patenting of human genes in a decision that has far-reaching implications for the future of scientific and medical research. The ruling stated that genes are a product of nature, and therefore can’t be patented, just like oxygen or wood.

Big data is a growing area of interest within the US, and across the world. But what does it really mean, and what are the implications of its use?

Big data is a large volume of diverse data sets - like the text, pictures, video and interactive content on a site like Facebook - that are too big to be processed by traditional database and software techniques, and it has the potential to change the way we work in virtually every field.

Human genes cannot be patented the US Supreme Court ruled Thursday, in a decision that could have a major impact on genetic research.

The unanimous ruling on the Myriad Genetics case struck down two patents on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, mutations of which are linked to a hereditary risk for ovarian and breast cancer.

An estimated 15 percent of people around the world live with some form of disability. Upstate universities are tackling the challenges faced by this segment of the population and coming up with innovative technologies to increase access.

A walker for elderly people that also monitors vital signs, and a cane that uses vibrations to allow deaf and blind people to easily navigate their environment: these are just a couple of the access technologies created by researchers in western New York.