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UCLA Health finds eco-friendly inhalers improve COPD outcomes

New research from UCLA Health suggests that certain inhalers used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not only less harmful to the environment but can also lead to slightly better patient outcomes. Inhalers are essential therapies for COPD and other lung conditions, but many commonly used devices rely on propellants that are potent greenhouse gases.

23 Feb 2026

Unmasking the impact of C. neoformans as a Global Menace

Cryptococcus neoformans is one of four fungi classified as 'critical priority' on the WHO's Fungal Pathogens Priority List, which was published in October 2022 following decades of research and calls for fungal pathogens to be classified alongside their bacterial and viral counterparts.

23 Feb 2026

Engineers develop highly precise gene editor for safer cystic fibrosis treatments

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania and Rice University have refined a technology for editing individual genetic "base pairs" to a new level of precision, opening the door to safer, more reliable therapies for a wide range of genetic diseases, and to potential treatments for some cystic fibrosis patients that may yield better outcomes than existing therapies.

23 Feb 2026

Milken Institute and Ann Theodore Foundation fund mTOR inhibitor trial for sarcoidosis

The Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC), in partnership with the Ann Theodore Foundation (ATF), has launched a new funding program to support a future clinical trial in cutaneous sarcoidosis.

20 Feb 2026

Early hydrocortisone treatment improves survival for extremely premature babies

Early hydrocortisone treatment of extremely premature babies increases their chances of survival without lung disease, according to a study led by Linköping University. The study also shows that the treatment is safe to give.

19 Feb 2026

$8.7 million award supports faster genetic diagnosis of lymphatic diseases

A team of researchers led by Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has been awarded an up to two-year $8.7 million contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to create genetic tests to speed the diagnosis of patients born with defects in the lymphatic system.

19 Feb 2026

New guidelines outline comprehensive care for acute pulmonary embolism

Early detection and prompt treatment of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), a sudden and potentially life-threatening blood clot that blocks arteries in the lungs, is critical.

19 Feb 2026

Mask-wearing during COVID-19 may have reduced heart attack risk triggered by air pollution

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered that behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic-particularly widespread mask-wearing-may have reduced the risk of certain types of heart attacks triggered by air pollution.

17 Feb 2026

New gene editing approach offers hope for cystic fibrosis patients

UCLA researchers have developed a lipid nanoparticle-based gene-editing approach capable of inserting an entire healthy gene into human airway cells, restoring key biological function in a laboratory model of cystic fibrosis and establishing a potential new path toward mutation-agnostic gene therapy for inherited lung diseases.

17 Feb 2026

Frozen in time: Ancient bacteria reveal evolution of drug resistance

Bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of Earth's most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero.

17 Feb 2026

AI tool could help identify life-threatening transplant complications

A powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool could give clinicians a head start in identifying life-threatening complications after stem cell and bone marrow transplants, according to new research from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.

16 Feb 2026

Nasal COVID vaccine boost increases IgA responses linked to variant neutralisation

Intranasal boosting after prior intramuscular COVID vaccination induced strong mucosal IgA responses in a small human cohort. These antibodies showed markedly enhanced neutralising activity against Omicron variants and evidence of immune memory reprogramming toward mucosal protection.

15 Feb 2026

Exercise-induced activation of neurons mediates improvements in endurance

Exercise does more than strengthen muscles; it also rewires the brain. In a study publishing February 12 in the Cell Press journal Neuron, researchers reveal that the lasting gain in endurance from repeated exercise-such as the ability to run farther and faster over time-involves changes in brain activity that help muscles and hearts to become stronger.

13 Feb 2026

Stiff red blood cells drive sickle cell disease severity

A new breakthrough study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities could explain why patients with the same genetic sickle cell mutation experience different levels of pain, organ damage and response to treatment.

10 Feb 2026

Beta arrestin 1 emerges as key driver of pulmonary hypertension

Researchers have uncovered the pivotal role of a previously overlooked protein in the development of the serious illness.

10 Feb 2026

Burn pit particles trigger lung inflammation through immune activation

A new study from National Jewish Health helps explain how exposure to burn pit smoke and desert dust may damage the lungs of military service members deployed to regions such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

7 Feb 2026

RNA micelles enable targeted chemotherapy without immune toxicity

A new study in mice hints at the potential to use tiny particles made with RNA molecules to deliver chemotherapy drugs and other therapies directly to tumors, killing cancer cells without generating an immune response or toxicity-related side effects.

7 Feb 2026

Artificial lung keeps patient alive after lung removal

Researchers evaluate the effectiveness of a novel extracorporeal total artificial lung system to enable bilateral pneumonectomy in patients with severe ARDS.

5 Feb 2026

New compound advances body clock independent of dosing time

A collaborative team including Emeritus Professor Tei H. (Kanazawa University), Associate Professor Takahata Y. (Osaka University), Professor Numano R. (Toyohashi University of Technology), and Associate Professor Uriu K. (Institute of Science Tokyo) discovered that Mic-628 selectively induces the mammalian clock gene Per1.

4 Feb 2026

When health insurance costs more than the mortgage

When Noah Hulsman, who owns a skate shop in Louisville, Kentucky, learned he no longer qualified for federal subsidies to help him pay for his "gold" Affordable Care Act health plan, the 37-year-old opted for skimpier coverage. But the deductible is about a quarter of his yearly income.

2 Feb 2026