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The microbes on your lettuce change with the seasons

Lettuce's microbial communities vary seasonally, potentially impacting gut bacteria and highlighting the role of fresh vegetables in microbiome diversity.

6 Nov 2026

Novel method identifies active tRNAs during cellular protein synthesis

In a new study in Nature Methods, researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona describe a technique that looks only at the tRNAs on ribosomes busy making proteins.

5 Nov 2026

New genomic tools improve detection of rare DNA changes

WashU Medicine researchers have verified the accuracy of genetics tools to correctly identify all the rare DNA changes that make up an individual's genomic mosaic, paving the way to understanding these variants' impact on health and disease.

5 Nov 2026

Hidden genetic differences in gut bacteria may hold clues to aging

Researchers analyzed approximately 12.8 million gut microbial genetic variants in 10,781 individuals across six cohorts, identifying 940 independent associations with 69 human health characteristics and environmental exposures. Nearly two-thirds of these associations were not accompanied by significant differences in bacterial species abundance, suggesting that microbial genetics can reveal relationships overlooked by conventional microbiome analyses, although causality remains unproven.

5 Nov 2026

Study shows opposite synaptic mechanisms cause identical cognitive deficits

A research team led by Dr. SHENG Nengyin of the Kunming Institute of Zoology (KIZ) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has reframed ZC4H2-associated rare disorder (ZARD)-a disorder marked by intellectual disability, developmental delays, muscle weakness, and other neurological or physical abnormalities-as a "disease spectrum" rather than a condition driven by a single mechanism.

5 Nov 2026

AI-designed vaccine provides complete protection against diverse bird flu variants

A University of Cambridge team has had a third success with their AI-guided technique for designing vaccines against highly infectious viruses that threaten animal and human health.

5 Nov 2026

ASH establishes new blood reference ranges for Duffy-null individuals

ASH has developed new reference ranges for children and adults with Duffy-null status, a common genetic trait associated with naturally lower circulating white blood cell counts that affects more than 66% of people with African or Mediterranean ancestry in the US.

5 Nov 2026

Vulnerable DNA sites make cancer cells sensitive to PARP inhibitors

A small subset of vulnerable DNA sites can make cancer cells highly sensitive to targeted drugs called PARP inhibitors, a new study shows.

5 Nov 2026

Rising colorectal cancer rates prompt earlier routine screening recommendations

Forty-five is the new 60 – at least when it comes to colonoscopies. That may not be the party you look forward to, but it could save your life. According to the Cancer Research Institute, 1 in 5 colorectal cancers are diagnosed in patients under age 55, making what was once thought of as an older person's disease one of the fastest-growing cancers in young people.

5 Nov 2026

Organoid coculture platforms enhance preclinical prediction of drug efficacy

Three‐dimensional cancer organoids cultured in vitro closely recapitulate the phenotypic and genetic features of parental tumor tissues, making them powerful tools for cancer research, drug screening, and personalized medicine.

5 Nov 2026

Tau spreads more rapidly in early-onset Alzheimer's disease

Patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, whose symptoms start before age 65, have more extensive deposits of tau, a hallmark protein of the condition, compared with patients whose symptoms start at 65-plus, a new study found.

5 Nov 2026

Targeting brain protein may help treat MEF2C-related neurological disorders

A particular signaling protein in the brain could be a therapeutic target for neurological disorders arising from the deletion of the autism-linked gene MEF2C, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers found in a new mouse study.

4 Nov 2026

UCLA advances CRISPR gene-editing therapy for sickle cell disease

A UCLA-led team has described how they advanced an experimental CRISPR approach for sickle cell disease into a blood stem cell therapy that can be manufactured at the scale and quality required for a clinical trial.

4 Nov 2026

Workplace exposure to petroleum-based lubricants linked to higher MS risk

Exposure to petroleum-derived lubricants at work, including engine oil, hydraulic oil and cutting fluids used to cool or lubricate metal during metalworking, is associated with higher odds of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published November 4, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Nov 2026

Bed bug infestations affect communities across all socioeconomic groups

Rather than being a poverty problem, bed bugs are actually everyone's problem.

4 Nov 2026

Women with DCIS may not need routine imaging after double mastectomy

Women who have undergone a double mastectomy to treat ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive form of breast cancer also known as stage 0 breast cancer, may not benefit from routine mammograms or other breast imaging after surgery, according to a new study led by investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

4 Nov 2026

Children exposed to cannabis and tobacco before birth scored lower on thinking tests

In an exploratory analysis of 8,706 U.S. children aged 9 to 11, prenatal exposure to both cannabis and tobacco was associated with modestly lower fluid cognition scores compared with cannabis-only exposure or neither substance. Differences from tobacco-only exposure were not statistically significant, nor were differences in crystallized cognition, and the observational findings could not establish causation.

4 Nov 2026

Modern lifestyles may be changing our gut bacteria in unexpected ways

A global study of 1,015 adults across 12 countries found that industrialized lifestyles were associated with lower gut bacterial diversity, reduced microbial community stability, and increased markers of intestinal stress and immune activity. The researchers also found that a microbiome-based health index developed using industrialized populations performed poorly in less-industrialized communities, raising concerns about its applicability across diverse populations.

4 Nov 2026

Faulty cellular recycling may link pulmonary arterial hypertension to brain damage

A commentary in The Journal of Clinical Investigation examines evidence linking pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to cerebellar abnormalities, focusing on impaired lysosomal lipid metabolism, oxysterol accumulation, and microglial inflammation. Findings from human imaging, mouse models, and cultured cells suggest that NCOA7 may help protect against these changes, although the proposed mechanisms and therapeutic implications require further investigation.

4 Nov 2026

Comprehensive genetic map offers new hope for tuberculosis treatments

Rockefeller scientists have created the most comprehensive map to date of how essential genes interact in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis (TB).

4 Nov 2026