Vascular News and Research

RSS

Scientists discover a non-classical platelet mechanism linked to severe infections

Platelets are small, anucleate blood cells that play an essential role in hemostasis. Their primary task is to recognize vascular injury, become activated, and aggregate via their surface receptor integrin αIIbβ3. This leads to the formation of a stable platelet plug that seals the wound and stops bleeding. When this process becomes dysregulated, however, it can result in vessel-occluding clots - so-called thromboses - which may cause myocardial infarction or stroke.

23 Jan 2026

See through the skin: New technology spots early heart disease warning signs

Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed "fast-RSOM", a new imaging technology that can capture detailed images of the smallest blood vessels directly through the skin – without the need for invasive procedures.

22 Jan 2026

High BMI linked to vascular dementia risk

High body mass index (BMI) could cause a higher risk of vascular-related dementia (a combination of vascular + unspecified dementia), according to new research from the University of Bristol and University Hospital of Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet and Herlev-Gentofte hospital).

22 Jan 2026

Regular aerobic exercise slows a key marker of brain aging in midlife

Regular aerobic activity significantly reduces brain-PAD, indicating that exercise is crucial for maintaining brain health and reducing dementia risk.

22 Jan 2026

Study shows DHPS enzyme controls macrophage maturation across multiple organs

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that an enzyme involved in protein translation is essential for circulating immune cells, called monocytes, to mature into tissue-resident macrophages, a specialized population of immune cells that maintain organ health by clearing dead cells and debris.

21 Jan 2026

More urban trees associated with fewer heart disease cases

A multi-institutional study led by the University of California, Davis, finds that living in urban areas with a higher percentage of visible trees is associated with a 4% decrease in cardiovascular disease.

21 Jan 2026

Low patient engagement hinders at-home blood pressure management

Despite guideline recommendations and improved access to care, individuals with hypertension are unlikely to measure their blood pressure at home as often as recommended, according to data from researchers at Mass General Brigham.

21 Jan 2026

Decoupling of metabolism and vasculature in tumors revealed by novel Capillary-Cell microscopy

A multidisciplinary team from Harvard Medical School, Duke University, and Massachusetts General Hospital has developed the dual-scale Capillary-Cell (CapCell) microscope, a revolutionary tool for visualizing tumor metabolism and vasculature dynamics.

21 Jan 2026

Exercise-triggered mitochondrial transfer offers hope for stroke and dementia

Physical rehabilitation and symptom management still remain the mainstay of treatment for stroke, as clot removal or dissolution is effective only within a narrow time frame after the stroke.

21 Jan 2026

A dual-action approach to preventing hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide, largely due to its high rate of recurrence after surgery. Even after complete tumor removal, microscopic residual disease and early dissemination frequently lead to relapse within the first two years.

21 Jan 2026

Tracing the decline in American heart disease mortality

Following a five-year upward trend likely impacted by the COVID pandemic, the number of heart disease and stroke deaths has declined, yet, heart disease and stroke still kill more people in the U.S. each year than any other cause, according to data reported in the 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data From the American Heart Association.

21 Jan 2026

New initiative boosts surveillance imaging, cuts mortality after aortic aneurysm repair

Through a statewide partnership, hospitals in Michigan drastically increased the number of patients who receive follow up imaging after undergoing aortic aneurysm repair, according to a recent study.

19 Jan 2026

Pulse oximeters miss hypoxemia more often in people with darker skin, study finds

This large prospective UK study compared five low-cost fingertip pulse oximeters with arterial blood gas measurements and found that readings varied systematically by skin tone and oxygen saturation level. Small average overestimations in darker skin translated into clinically meaningful increases in missed hypoxemia at commonly used SpO2 thresholds.

18 Jan 2026

New noninvasive technique can quickly collect 3D images of the human body

In a proof-of-concept study funded by the National Institutes of Health, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have shown that an innovative, noninvasive technique can be used to quickly collect 3D images of the human body, from head to foot.

16 Jan 2026

Thermogenic beige fat protects blood vessels from hypertension

Obesity causes hypertension. Hypertension causes cardiovascular disease. And cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.

15 Jan 2026

UC San Diego project aims to bioprint patient-specific transplantable human livers

Liver failure is one of the most serious and deadly medical conditions, claiming thousands of lives each year as patients in the United States wait for a donor organ.

14 Jan 2026

Engineered vessels boost retinal organoid function, enabling advanced disease modeling

Until now, it has been difficult to maintain retinal ganglion cells deep inside organoids over extended periods. The supply of nutrients and oxygen in the densely packed tissues is limited, leading to cell death.

14 Jan 2026

HIF1 protein identified as key driver of tendon pain

Overuse of our tendons can cause painful medical conditions for which only limited treatment options exist. Researchers have now deciphered an important molecular mechanism that triggers these problems.

14 Jan 2026

Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew

Let's be clear: The primary reason to be vaccinated against shingles is that two shots provide at least 90% protection against a painful, blistering disease that a third of Americans will suffer in their lifetimes, one that can cause lingering nerve pain and other nasty long-term consequences.

14 Jan 2026

Magnetic torque boosts cardiac organoid maturation, mimicking heart development

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet progress in understanding and treating cardiac disorders is limited by the shortcomings of existing experimental models.

13 Jan 2026