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Genetic inheritance and life experience leave distinct epigenetic marks in immune cells

The COVID-19 pandemic gave us tremendous perspective on how wildly symptoms and outcomes can vary between patients experiencing the same infection.

29 Jan 2026

A shingles vaccine may delay dementia onset

Research indicates the herpes zoster vaccine may reduce dementia rates by 2%, highlighting its potential role in promoting brain health in aging populations.

28 Jan 2026

More iron, less damage: why chronic lung infections persist

Research shows that iron-rich conditions boost Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth and biofilm formation, yet reduce virulence, complicating chronic lung infections.

26 Jan 2026

WHO Member States advance negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit‑Sharing system

The World Health Organization (WHO) Member States this week advanced their negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit‑Sharing (PABS) system in a resumed session of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

24 Jan 2026

New copper-based drug shows promise against antibiotic-resistant MRSA

A research team at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is developing a drug that works in combination with copper to kill bacteria, including those that cause MRSA, a type of staph infection that is resistant to usual treatments.

22 Jan 2026

Study traces deep origins of syphilis to prehistoric Americas

A newly sequenced genome of the bacterium that causes syphilis, Treponema pallidum, highlights the deep antiquity of treponemal diseases in the Americas.

22 Jan 2026

Methionine: A dietary key to surviving infection

As soon as you are wounded-whether from grabbing a hot pan or contracting the flu-you begin a unique journey through variable symptoms toward either recovery or death.

22 Jan 2026

Unlocking microbial secrets for health on Earth and beyond

Microorganisms live in biofilms - the equivalent of microbial "cities"- everywhere on Earth. These city-like structures protect and house microbial communities and play essential roles in enabling human and plant health on our planet.

22 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination is linked to slower biological aging in older adults

This population-based study of U.S. adults aged 70 and older found that shingles vaccination was associated with slower epigenetic and transcriptomic aging, as well as lower systemic inflammation. No significant associations were observed for neurodegeneration or cardiovascular biomarkers, highlighting domain-specific molecular effects rather than broad clinical changes.

21 Jan 2026

Far-red light suppresses biofilm formation and virulence in pathogenic bacteria

Light is a universal stimulus that influences all living things. Cycles of light and dark help set the biological clocks for organisms ranging from single-celled bacteria to human beings.

20 Jan 2026

Tracing the ancient lineage of canine heartworm disease

Research led by the University of Sydney is reshaping scientific understanding of one of the world's most widespread canine parasites, suggesting heartworm disease has a far deeper and more complex evolutionary history than previously believed – including a possible ancient origin of Australian heartworms linked to dingoes.

20 Jan 2026

Researchers discover how Mycoplasma pneumoniae acquires cholesterol from human hosts

A multidisciplinary team has uncovered a key mechanism that allows the human bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae-responsible for atypical pneumonia and other respiratory infections-to obtain cholesterol and other essential lipids directly from the human body.

16 Jan 2026