Medical research

Ten years after the UK became the first country to legalize mitochondrial donation, the first results from the use of these high-profile reproductive technologies—designed to prevent passing on genetic disorders—have finally been published.

Inhaling agricultural dust may pose significant risks to gut health for workers in animal agriculture, a University of California, Riverside, study has found.

Chemotherapy used to target and kill bladder cancer cells may trigger an inflammatory response that ultimately may make the cancer more resistant to treatment, according to new research from scientists at Houston Methodist.

A research team led by Professor Takuya Yamamoto (Department of Life Science Frontiers) and Professor Yasuhiro Yamada at the University of Tokyo has developed a novel in vivo system that reveals how senescent cells behave in living tissues and influence aging through complex, heterogeneous mechanisms. The research is published in the journal Nature Aging.

A Finnish population study shows that signs related to Alzheimer’s disease may already be found in the brain in middle age. In the future, blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease could allow earlier detection of the disease. This would allow preventive treatment to be targeted at the right individuals while the disease is still at the mild stage.

At the surface, the immune response to a flu virus is simple. Some cells recognize the pathogen and send a signal to the immune system, and immune cells produce a potentially lifesaving antibody against the virus. Antigen in, antibody out.

An international team of researchers led by Konstanz biologists has identified a molecular mechanism that regulates the activity of N-myristoyltransferases. This enzyme plays a role in biological signaling pathways, where dysregulation can lead to serious illness.

A compound found in psychedelic mushrooms may have antiaging properties. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found that psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, may extend both cellular and organismal lifespans.

Researchers from the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute and Texas A&M University recently gathered their resources to investigate the potential of vector-borne transmission of Chagas in Florida. The 10-year-long study, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, used data from Florida-based submissions, as well as field evidence collected from 23 counties across Florida.

Pregnant women undergo all kinds of medical checks. This is to monitor the health of both the mother and child and to detect potential abnormalities as early as possible.