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Parental genes found to play role in child outcomes without direct inheritance

Parents' genes - even when not directly inherited by a child - may play a role in their educational and mental health outcomes, finds a new report by UCL researchers.

9 May 2025

Study shows strong COVID immunity from infection and vaccination

A first-of-its-kind study led by the University of Oxford has successfully investigated human immunity against COVID-19 in people who already have antibodies against it.

9 May 2025

Oxford study reveals how COVID-19 vaccines prevent severe illness

A landmark study by scientists at the University of Oxford, has unveiled crucial insights into the way that COVID-19 vaccines mitigate severe illness in those who have been vaccinated.

9 May 2025

A California lawmaker leans into her medical training in fight for health safety net

State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson anticipates that California's sprawling Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, may need to be dialed back after Gov. Gavin Newsom releases his latest budget, which could reflect a multibillion-dollar deficit.

9 May 2025

Trump team faces key legal decision that could put mental health parity in peril

The Trump administration must soon make a decision that will affect millions of Americans' ability to access and afford mental health and addiction care.

9 May 2025

FDA and NIH launch joint effort to tackle diet-related chronic disease

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new, joint innovative research initiative that will serve as a key element in fulfilling U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s commitment to Make America Healthy Again.

9 May 2025

Most of today’s children could endure historic heatwaves as planet warms

A Nature study projects that millions born after 1960 will face unprecedented lifetime exposure (ULE) to climate extremes, such as heatwaves, droughts, and floods. The risks grow with global warming and disproportionately impact socioeconomically vulnerable populations.

8 May 2025

Why your baby’s first steps may be written in their DNA

Researchers identified 11 genetic loci linked to the age at which infants start walking, revealing that this milestone is influenced by thousands of common genetic variants. These genetic factors also correlate with brain development, cognitive traits, and neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD.

8 May 2025

St. Jude Children's scientists use brain organoids to study rare encephalopathy

While extremely rare, encephalopathy (a condition affecting brain function) triggered by mutations in the UBA5 gene has devastating impacts, with affected individuals reaching few developmental milestones and experiencing frequent and early-onset seizures.

8 May 2025

Nirsevimab slashes RSV hospitalizations in infants by 78% in real-world study

A Spanish study found that nirsevimab prophylaxis significantly reduced infant hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and severe symptoms linked to RSV and other respiratory viruses. Hospitalizations for RSV dropped by 78% following nirsevimab rollout in Madrid maternity wards.

8 May 2025

FAU CARD releases free resource to prevent drowning in autistic children

Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 1 to 4 in Florida, and children with autism face even greater danger – many times more likely to drown than their neurotypical peers.

8 May 2025

Long-acting HIV drug emerges from decades of research and advocacy

In the hunt for a remedy, when the baton is passed from dedicated academic scientists to an innovative company to trusted community advocates, outcomes for society can be especially powerful.

8 May 2025

Maternal health during pregnancy linked to higher blood pressure in children

Children born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus or a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure than children born to mothers without these risk factors, according to a new USC study.

8 May 2025

Eating avocado in pregnancy cuts infant food allergy risk by nearly half

Pregnant women who ate avocado were significantly less likely to have children with food allergies at 12 months of age. The association held even after adjusting for maternal diet quality, lifestyle, and perinatal factors in a large Finnish cohort.

8 May 2025

Study finds early sexual abuse common among male and female survivors

Nearly one out of five women and one out of seven men aged 20 and older globally faced sexual violence as a child, according to a study published in The Lancet today.

8 May 2025

Study highlights the link between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent suicidality

A recent doctoral dissertation reveals that adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse and neglect, predisposes adolescents to suicidality.

8 May 2025

Seeking spending cuts, GOP lawmakers target a tax hospitals love to pay

On the eastern plains of Colorado, in a county of less than 6,000 people, Lincoln Health runs the only hospital within a 75-minute drive. The facility struggles financially, given its small size and the area's tiny population.

8 May 2025

Anti-parasitic drug could accelerate the elimination of infection endemic to Africa

Tens of millions of people in Africa are infected by parasitic worms that cause lymphatic filariasis (also called elephantiasis), a disease that leads to severe swelling and deformities of the limbs and genitals.

7 May 2025

Air pollution reshapes children’s nasal microbiome and reduces diversity in winter

A new study from Milan reveals that short-term exposure to air pollutants like black carbon and VOCs significantly alters the nasal microbiota of school-aged children. These changes vary by season, with winter exposure reducing microbial diversity and favoring potentially pathogenic bacteria.

7 May 2025

Teen drivers face higher risks in older vehicles

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Newer vehicles and driver assistance technologies show promise in reducing crashes and injury severities.

7 May 2025