Lipids News and Research

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Lipids are a broad group of naturally-occurring molecules which includes fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The main biological functions of lipids include energy storage, as structural components of cell membranes, and as important signaling molecules.

How processed red meat might drive neurodegenerative diseases

The relationship between processed red meat and neurodegenerative diseases is complex, with potential risks and protective effects requiring more investigation.

15 Sep 2025

Cryo-EM reveals how blood clotting proteins fit together to trigger clot formation

If you've ever accidentally sliced yourself on a broken glass or a piece of paper, you may have noticed that the bleeding can be hard to stop.

13 Sep 2025

Genetic mutation in some East Asians linked to aldehyde storm and increased liver disease risk

Researchers have identified the mechanism by which a common genetic mutation increases liver disease risk. Their findings suggest that healthy choices, such as increasing antioxidants and limiting exposure to smoke, may reduce the risk of this disease.

13 Sep 2025

Female-specific mechanism enhances heat production in brown fat

Higher activity of PGC-1α enables brown fat cells in females to thermogenic activity and energy expenditure compared to males, reveals a study conducted in Japan.

12 Sep 2025

Rare ABCA7 gene variants linked to Alzheimer’s risk

A new study from MIT neuroscientists reveals how rare variants of a gene called ABCA7 may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's in some of the people who carry it.

10 Sep 2025

Targeting metabolic reprogramming to overcome immune suppression in head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer remains a major global health challenge, ranking among the six most common cancers worldwide and claiming hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

5 Sep 2025

Unlocking the secrets of oral bacteria to fight tooth decay

If Wenjun Zhang has her way, no one will ever have to brush or floss again.

5 Sep 2025

Study finds universal rise in cholesterol after menopause among Bolivian Tsimane women

Deep in the Bolivian Amazon exists a forager-horticultural community called the Tsimane. Researchers look to them for insights on how the human body functioned prior to modern technologies, as their lifestyles remain the closest to that of our ancestors.

3 Sep 2025

Genetic variant disrupts brain’s cleanup crew increasing Alzheimer’s risk

A Nature study published today and led by researchers at the University of South Florida's USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Institute pinpoints how a genetic variant disrupts microglia - the brain's "cleanup crew" - increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

3 Sep 2025

AI scans arteries and predicts risk after heart attack better than traditional review

Researchers found that AI applied to OCT imaging can standardize detection of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) and identify post–heart attack patients at higher two-year risk. Whole-segment AI analysis outperformed lesion-focused human review, offering stronger prognostic value and reassurance for low-risk patients.

2 Sep 2025

Exosomes carry key indicators of biological aging

A new research paper featured on the cover of Volume 17, Issue 8 of Aging (Aging-US) was published on July 30, 2025, titled "Exosomes released from senescent cells and circulatory exosomes isolated from human plasma reveal aging-associated proteomic and lipid signatures."

2 Sep 2025

Researchers discover a direct pathway for macrophage cleanup

Macrophages are part of the immune system's frontline; they attack and eat invaders to protect surrounding cells. They, along with other cells, maintain intracellular conditions through macroautophagy, using autophagosomes to help digest broken cell components.

2 Sep 2025

Research reveals molecular details of ME/CFS and long COVID

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) have heightened innate immune responses to bacteria, viruses, and fungi. While these responses are essential to fight infection, they can cause damage when unchecked.

1 Sep 2025

Visualizing lipid transport inside living cells with fluorescence microscopy

Lipid molecules, or fats, are crucial to all forms of life. Cells need lipids to build membranes, separate and organize biochemical reactions, store energy, and transmit information.

29 Aug 2025

UNSW researchers identify key protein that regulates fat storage in cells

UNSW research has shed light on how cells in the body manage and store fat, potentially offering new insights into health.

29 Aug 2025

Metabolic health plays larger role than weight gain in pregnancy outcomes

Metabolic health before and during pregnancy may have a bigger influence on risks for mother and baby than simply controlling weight gain.

28 Aug 2025

Stanford scientists make mouse skin transparent to study brain development

During childhood and adolescence, our brain goes through a lot of changes. But studying those changes in juvenile mice is challenging because scientists don't have a way to repeatedly image the same animal's neural pathways as they grow.

28 Aug 2025

Gut mast cells produce key molecules driving food allergy anaphylaxis

Food allergies affect more than half a billion people worldwide. In severe cases, even a small bite of the wrong food can trigger anaphylaxis - a rapid, body-wide allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing, a dangerous drop in blood pressure and even death.

28 Aug 2025

Certain dietary fats found to trigger hard-to-treat asthma in children

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that certain lipids, or fats, in obesity-causing foods also cause asthma-like lung inflammation.

27 Aug 2025

Fat location, not BMI, drives heart ageing risk in men and women

Researchers using UK Biobank imaging data found that where fat is stored in the body, not just how much, determines cardiovascular ageing. Visceral, liver, and muscle fat accelerate ageing, while gynoid fat protects women before menopause.

25 Aug 2025