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Blood lipid–hormone ratios predict future asthma attacks years in advance

This study shows that specific ratios of circulating sphingolipids to steroids can predict the risk of future asthma exacerbations over five years with high discriminatory performance. By integrating metabolomics with longitudinal medical records, the research highlights lipid–hormone pathway imbalance as a key driver of asthma instability.

20 Jan 2026

Targeting microRNA communication reverses pancreatic cancer's immune suppression

In a unique finding, researchers at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center discovered that when pancreatic cancer cells send out tiny particles that are packed with certain microRNA molecules, nearby immune cells called macrophages are reprogrammed to help the tumor grow instead of engaging in their regular role of fighting the tumor.

16 Jan 2026

MIT researchers map dynamic fuzzy coat surrounding tau protein fibrils

One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the clumping of proteins called Tau, which form tangled fibrils in the brain. The more severe the clumping, the more advanced the disease is.

14 Jan 2026

Bacterial metabolite enhances immune checkpoint therapy against lung cancer

UF Health Cancer Institute researchers have discovered a small compound produced naturally by gut bacteria that doubled the response to lung cancer immunotherapy treatment in mice and can now be made into a drug for testing in humans.

14 Jan 2026

Phase II clinical trial shows promising results for novel sepsis drug

Griffith University researchers may have unlocked the secret to treating sepsis, with a Phase II clinical trial in China successfully concluding with promising results.

14 Jan 2026

New chemistry revives neurokinin-1 receptor as depression treatment target

For decades, scientists have investigated the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) as a potential target for treating major depressive disorder.

14 Jan 2026

Disease-responsive nanoparticles enable ghrelin mRNA therapy in osteoarthritis

Nitin Joshi, PhD, and Jingjing Gao, PhD, of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham, are the co-senior authors of a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, "A disease-severity-responsive nanoparticle enables potent ghrelin mRNA therapy in osteoarthritis." Mahima Dewani, PhD, is the lead author of this study.

14 Jan 2026

DTU researchers discover gut bacteria link to reduced allergy and asthma risk

Researchers from DTU have patented an invention that uses naturally produced substances from gut bacteria of the bifidobacteria type to reduce the risk of allergies and asthma.

14 Jan 2026

Preclinical study reveals potential new treatment for severe liver fibrosis

Researchers at McMaster University are leading preclinical studies into a novel drug candidate developed by Espervita Therapeutics that has the potential to prevent and reverse liver fibrosis - a dangerous, disease-induced build-up of scar tissue in the liver that often leads to cancer.

13 Jan 2026

Epstein-Barr virus together with a gene variant contributes to onset of multiple sclerosis

One of the leading triggers for multiple sclerosis (MS) is an infection with the Epstein-Barr virus. However, certain gene variants also play an important role.

13 Jan 2026

New test could improve future diagnosis and monitoring of IBD

A test that rapidly detects signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in stool samples could improve future diagnosis and monitoring of the condition, a study suggests.

13 Jan 2026

Digital twin technology guides personalized treatment for brain cancer patients

A new machine-learning-based approach to mapping real-time tumor metabolism in brain cancer patients, developed at the University of Michigan, could help doctors discover which treatment strategies are most likely to be effective against individual cases of glioma.

12 Jan 2026

Researchers identify possible target for new therapies against periodontitis aggravated by smoking

Smoking tobacco is known to worsen symptoms of periodontitis and reduce responsiveness to treatment. Using high-resolution spatial transcriptomics, researchers identified differences between smokers and non-smokers in the expression of genes that weaken gum epithelial integrity and cause bone damage through inflammation.

12 Jan 2026

ALS breakthrough: Restoring protein production in motor neuron axons

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven have identified a molecular process that allows motor neurons to maintain protein production, a process that fails in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

12 Jan 2026

Study reveals how tuberculosis exploits immune defenses to promote infection

Scientists have made a discovery that helps explain why humans and animals are so susceptible to contracting tuberculosis(TB) – and it involves the bacteria harnessing part of the immune system meant to protect against infection.

9 Jan 2026

Active mechanical forces drive how bacteria switch swimming direction

Scientists have uncovered a new explanation for how swimming bacteria change direction, providing fresh insight into one of biology's most intensively studied molecular machines.

9 Jan 2026

Key protein in the tuberculosis bacterium helps protect itself from foreign DNA

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), with collaborators from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), have discovered how a key protein in the tuberculosis bacterium helps protect it from the influence of foreign DNA inserted into its genome.

9 Jan 2026

Long-term diabetes changes red blood cells, increasing cardiovascular disease risk

The longer a person has type 2 diabetes, the greater the risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Diabetes, shows that changes in red blood cells may be an important explanation, and identifies a specific molecule as a possible biomarker.

9 Jan 2026

Scientists discover how stem cells navigate and repair brain damage after stroke

Some parts of our bodies bounce back from injury in fairly short order. The outer protective layer of the eye-called the cornea-can heal from minor scratches within a single day.

8 Jan 2026