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Laser phase plate dramatically expands cryo-EM imaging capabilities

In a landmark achievement in biological imaging, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Biohub today announced the successful demonstration of the laser phase plate, a novel device that dramatically improves the contrast of images produced by cryo-electron microscopes, opening up an entirely new view of human biology.

11 Jun 2026

Brain histamine neurons control moment-to-moment memory accessibility

The same memory can feel vivid and accessible one moment, yet stubbornly out of reach the next - even when the memory itself remains intact.

11 Jun 2026

Intravenous statins during heart attack reduce cardiac muscle damage

Reducing the damage sustained by the heart during a myocardial infarction remains one of the major challenges in cardiology, even when the blocked coronary artery is reopened in a timely manner.

11 Jun 2026

Collagen exists as liquid droplets inside living cells, study reveals

Collagen, the protein that builds skin, bones, tendons and organs, exists inside cells as a liquid-like droplet rather than the long, rigid rod seen in textbooks over the last half century, according to a new study from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.

11 Jun 2026

Experts propose unified framework to advance the future of high-altitude medicine

As increasing numbers of people live, work, and travel at high altitudes, experts are calling for a major shift in how altitude-related health conditions are understood, diagnosed, and treated.

11 Jun 2026

Global warming increases childhood stunting rates in poor communities

In 2022, about 149 million children under age five worldwide suffered from childhood stunting. A critical marker of chronic undernutrition, stunting is more than a metric of physical height.

11 Jun 2026

Running a marathon triggers measurable heart changes

Acute cardiac responses to marathon running include biomarker spikes and structural changes, though their long-term impact on heart health needs further study.

11 Jun 2026

Teenage risk-taking linked to lower baseline dopamine levels

Teenage risk-taking, such as experimentation with alcohol, cannabis, nicotine and other substances, may reflect a compensatory response to lower baseline dopamine, the brain chemical for reward activity, suggests a new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study, published today in Nature Communications.

11 Jun 2026

Prospective study compares three robotic platforms for colon resection

Since the introduction of the Da Vinci robotic system, robot-assisted colon resection has gained popularity because of its the potential technical advantages.

11 Jun 2026

Western diet weakens the gut’s nervous system through iron-dependent damage

A JCI study found that exposure to a Western diet in mice and to palmitic acid in murine and ex vivo human enteric nervous system models triggered ferroptosis, characterized by iron loading, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial stress, and enteric neuronal loss. Boosting Nrf2 signaling protected enteric neurons and prevented Western diet-induced delayed colonic transit in mice, pointing to a potential pathway linking dietary fat exposure to gut motility dysfunction.

10 Jun 2026

Study links low vitamin C levels in the blood plasma to reduced brain connectivity

A study of 2,044 older Japanese adults found that those with lower vitamin C levels in their blood plasma tended to have a lower volume of gray matter in their brains, as well as lower connectivity amongst a collection of brain regions known as the default mode network.

10 Jun 2026

New DNA tetrahedron nanostructures improve targeted cancer therapy delivery

Conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, often lack specificity and can damage both cancerous and healthy cells, leading to severe side effects.

10 Jun 2026

New hybrid lens design drastically cuts 3D microscopy costs and complexity

A team led by Raju Tomer, professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, has created a new design for microscopes and microscope lenses that could push 3D tissue imaging beyond state-of-the-art systems while drastically cutting costs and complexity.

10 Jun 2026

Real-time 3D ultrasound in augmented reality helps novices perform like experts

Interpreting medical ultrasound images is a difficult task, requiring a technician to look at 2D images and mentally arrange them into a 3D representation of what the tissue looks like.

10 Jun 2026

Apitegromab helps tirzepatide users lose fat while preserving lean mass

A phase 2 trial found that apitegromab plus tirzepatide reduced lean body mass loss by 1.9 kg compared with tirzepatide plus placebo after 24 weeks, while overall weight loss remained similar.

9 Jun 2026

Radiology AI systems flag breast cancer signs six years before diagnosis

Three commercially available radiology AI systems have shown the potential to flag early signs of breast cancer up to 6 years before a diagnosis, according to a study published in Radiology, the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

9 Jun 2026

Deep learning framework improves vascular cognitive impairment diagnosis

Subcortical ischemic vascular disease (SIVD), driven by cerebral small vessel disease, is commonly characterized by white matter hyperintensities and multiple lacunar infarcts, and a substantial proportion of patients gradually develop cognitive decline and progress to subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI).

9 Jun 2026

Realistic cellular conditions revive previously dismissed drug candidates

A drug once dismissed as ineffective suddenly worked - when scientists tested it under more realistic conditions that mimic the human body.

9 Jun 2026

Advanced MRI scans predict chronic kidney disease in patients undergoing nephrectomy

An investigator at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has received international recognition for innovative imaging research that may help physicians identify patients at increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) before they undergo surgery for kidney tumors.

9 Jun 2026

Large study uncovers brain network differences in bipolar disorder

New research from the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has discovered subtle but widespread differences in the brain's communication networks in people with bipolar disorder, offering new insight into how illness severity and treatment may relate to brain wiring.

9 Jun 2026