"Potentially, our work could offer something to help people suffering from a variety of problems".
In what is a major breakthrough thanks to new research, scientists are claiming they have found a potential cure for hair loss, The Manc reports.
With statistics and estimations showing that approximately 85% of men and 40% of women will be affected by hair loss at some point in their lives, researchers at the University of California Riverside have been studying hair follicles in depth to try and find out as much as possible.
In a new study published in the Biophysical Journal, the team at UC Riverside explained that they decided to focus on hair follicles as they're the only organ in humans that regenerates automatically and regularly, even if they haven't been injured - and it's from this research that they they discovered that just a single chemical is the key cause for hair follicle cells dividing and dying.
They discovered a type of protein named TGF-beta.
TGF-beta controls the process in which cells in hair follicles - including stem cells - divide and form new cells, or orchestrate their own death, which eventually leads to the death of the whole hair follicle.
But could this be reversed and successfully cure baldness and heal wounds? Scientists hope so.
Explaining more about the discovery in the study, UC Riverside mathematical biologist and study co-author Qixuan Wang said: "In science fiction when characters heal quickly from injuries, the idea is that stem cells allowed it.
Scientists have discovered a potential cure for baldness thanks to new research / Credit: Tengyart (via Unsplash)
"In real life, our new research gets us closer to understanding stem cell behaviour, so that we can control it and promote wound healing."
"TGF-beta has two opposite roles," Wang added.
"It helps activate some hair follicle cells to produce new life, and later, it helps orchestrate apoptosis, the process of cell death."
While no one is entirely sure why follicles kill themselves, and some hypotheses suggest it's a trait inherited from animals shedding fur to survive hot summer temperatures, or trying to camouflage, what we do know is that with TGF-beta, as is the same with many chemicals, it's the amount that makes the difference, and if the cell produces a certain quantity of TGF-beta, then it activates cell division.
Wang continued: "Even when a hair follicle kills itself, it never kills its stem cell reservoir [as] when the surviving stem cells receive the signal to regenerate, they divide, make new cell and develop into a new follicle."
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Of course, there's still some way to go until baldness is cured - however, researchers have suggested that it may be possible to activate follicle stem cells and stimulate hair growth if more research is carried out on how TGF-beta communicates with other genes and promotes cell division.
If they can find a way to accurately control levels of the protein, then it could lead to an effective treatment for hair loss.
"Potentially, our work could offer something to help people suffering from a variety of problems," Wang concluded.
In gutting news for the Owls, the already struggling Sheffield Wednesday FC have been informed that they could very well be starting next season with an immediate points deduction.
From bad to worse, it seems, at the moment.
Wednesdayites have been through it all over the past few years, with unpaid debts and salaries resulting in administration, sparking protests; now relegation to the third tier and the threat of complete collapse.
And as if things weren't hard enough already, Sheffield Wednesday have now been told that they will automatically be deducted 15 points from the beginning of the 2026/67 League One campaign if creditors aren't paid in full - starting with outgoing and controversial owner, Dejphon Chansiri...
BREAKING: Sheffield Wednesday look set to start life in League One next season with a 15-point deduction, because none of the bidders currently trying to buy the club is prepared to pay £15m to the outgoing owner, Dejphon Chansiri. pic.twitter.com/UoAgIMsB4p
Chansiri has loaned over £60 million to the organisation during more than 11 years in charge, but because this money was never converted into share capital, he is the entity that the club owes the biggest amount to.
Addressing supporters in a statement back in September 2023, the 57-year-old member of the millionaire family that controls the Thai Union Group, wrote: "I will not inject any more money into the club if I am being treated unfairly.
"Those fans who create trouble [for] the club and me, and believe that they are the real owner of the club, need to be responsible for the financial matters of the club from now on."
It's fair to say that relations with the fans have far from improved since then, and they've been left even more furious following this most recent development.
At present, Chansiri must be paid at least £15m (effectively almost half of the entire organisation's total purchase price at current valuation), but none of the interested bidders has ultimately been willing to do so thus far.
However, the Arise Capital Partners LLC consortium - led by David Storch and son Michael, as well as Tom Costin - has been identified as the 'preferred' party to complete a buyout.
Newcastle United Mike Ashley was also said to be in the running to take over the club, but ultimately was unprepared to settle this fee with Chansiri, and there remain doubts over whether or not Storch is willing to either.
As for the loyal Hillsborough matchgoers, they have accused the EFL of punishing them and the club rather than the ownership and wider executive board, who have overseen this turbulent period for the historic local institution.
One person wrote underneath the post in social media: "So a club gets penalised because their owner is a piece of shit, but Man City and others just get away with it, makes sense"; many others have simply added that the pending treatment is "unfair" and targets the wrong people. What do you make of it all?
Elsewhere in the Steel City, fresh hope and a new chapter are coming to the world's oldest football club as native musician Jon McClure has been confirmed as the new chairman. Find out more down below.
Featured Images — Kenneth Yarham (via Geograph)/Kivo (via Wikimedia Commons)
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People from Yorkshire wanted to take part in next series of BBC’s popular Gladiators reboot
Emily Sergeant
The BBC is back casting for the next series of Gladiators, and producers are looking for people from Yorkshire to take part.
The gladiators are ready for a new series… but are the contenders?
That’s right – arguably the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game show of all time is coming back for another series following its long-awaited reboot back in 2025, and that means that the BBC is looking for some brave new contestants to take part.
Yorkshire residents are among those producers are calling on to consider sticking an application in.
Unfamiliar with the premise of Gladiators? The massively-popular series – which is based on an American show of the same name – sees four contestants compete in a number of physical challenges against the ‘Gladiators’, all with the aim of securing as many points as possible for the final event, which is known as ‘The Eliminator’.
Image: BBC
Contestants battle against each other to win a place in the grand final, and ultimately be crowned the champion for the series.
Putting out a UK-wide casting call on the BBC website this week, producers Hungry Bear Media wrote: “Gladiators, one of the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game shows ever is back for a fourth series.
“We are on the look out for the bravest members of the British public who have the speed and skill to take on our superhuman Gladiators.”
Reckon that’s you then?
With filming set to start soon, applications are now open for the new series of Gladiators, and all you need to do to be in with a chance of being selected as a contestant is being over 18 years old, and fill out an application form.
You can apply on the BBC website here, before applications close on 31 May 2026.
The Hoot -
27th July 2022 
