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Scientists find that human embryos are vulnerable to COVID

A University of California, Riverside study reports that cells in the earliest stages of human development could be susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, offering new insight into how the virus interacts with developing human tissues and why that may matter for pregnancy research.

4 May 2026

Semaglutide as a promising new treatment for alcohol use disorder

Research indicates semaglutide can significantly decrease alcohol consumption and cravings in individuals with comorbid obesity and alcohol use disorder.

4 May 2026

Food timing may shape how T cells respond to infection and therapy

Short-term nutritional state can reshape T cell metabolism, with post-meal lipid metabolism enhancing T cell metabolic capacity, cytokine production, and persistence after activation. The study identifies triglyceride-rich chylomicrons as key drivers of this effect, suggesting nutritional timing may matter for immune monitoring, vaccination research, and cell-therapy manufacturing.

30 Apr 2026

Five-target drug beats GLP-1/GIP therapy in obese diabetic mice

A Nature study reports a single-molecule GLP-1–GIP–lanifibranor quintuple agonist that targets incretin receptor-expressing cells while activating PPARα/γ/δ pathways. In obese and insulin-resistant mice, the compound reduced body weight, food intake, and hyperglycaemia more effectively than semaglutide or GLP-1R–GIPR co-agonism, while remaining a preclinical finding.

30 Apr 2026

GLP-1 drugs reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events

New research has shown that GLP‑1 weight-loss drugs deliver protection against heart attacks, strokes and premature death over a sustained period of time.

30 Apr 2026

Liquid biopsy predicts immune response in high-risk breast cancer patients

Immunotherapy has become a standard of care in treating high-risk, early-stage breast cancers, yet it has had limited success in shrinking tumors.

30 Apr 2026

Antibiotic minocycline shows potential for treating panic disorder symptoms

A study supported by FAPESP shows that small doses of the antibiotic minocycline may help treat panic disorder.

30 Apr 2026

From killers to strategists: CAR T cells enter their multifunctional era

A review of 1,801 registered CAR T clinical trials shows that multifunctional designs now account for 533 trials and 33% of new CAR T products submitted for clinical testing in 2025. The field is shifting toward multitargeted, safety-controlled, cytokine-secreting, and checkpoint-modulating CAR T cells, but manufacturing, regulation, and limited clinical outcome data remain key barriers.

30 Apr 2026

Single-cell sequencing reveals why some CAR-T therapies succeed while others fail

Single-cell RNA sequencing is giving researchers a clearer view of why some CAR-T cells persist, expand, kill tumors effectively, or become exhausted. The review synthesizes 44 clinical scRNA-seq studies involving 500 patients and highlights how exhaustion, memory, cytotoxicity, clonal diversity, and metabolism may shape CAR-T responses.

30 Apr 2026

Metabolic rewiring could help CAR-T cells fight solid tumors

This review explains how glucose scarcity, lipid disruption, amino acid deprivation, and toxic metabolites weaken CAR-T cells inside solid tumors. It highlights metabolic reprogramming as a promising strategy to improve CAR-T cell persistence, adaptability, and anti-tumor function.

29 Apr 2026

New hybrid molecule uses Trojan horse approach to treat obesity

A team led by metabolism researcher Prof Timo D. Müller at Helmholtz Munich has developed a new approach for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes: a hybrid molecule uses the well-known GLP-1/GIP signalling pathway as a "door opener" and delivers an additional metabolic modulator specifically into the target cells.

29 Apr 2026

How cost, access, and awareness barriers are slowing BRCA testing

This study analyzes BRCA testing patterns in U.S. breast cancer patients, highlighting barriers and disparities in access to genetic testing and precision care.

29 Apr 2026

Teen cannabis use alters brain development and raises addiction risk

A systematic review reveals adolescent cannabis use alters brain structure, elevates addiction risk, and impacts cognitive outcomes during critical development.

29 Apr 2026

Scientists redesign CAR-T cells to fight more than cancer

This review examines how CAR-T cell therapy is expanding beyond blood cancers into solid tumors, autoimmune diseases, chronic viral infections, and next-generation immune-cell platforms. It highlights promising engineering advances, including universal CAR-T cells, in vivo delivery, CAR-NK cells, and safety switches, while emphasizing unresolved challenges in durability, safety, scalability, and global access.

29 Apr 2026

Why H2N2 flu is back on the pandemic preparedness radar

A historical review in Vaccine warns that global H2N2 immunity has sharply declined since the 1957 Asian influenza pandemic, leaving most people without H2-specific protection if the virus re-emerges. The authors highlight animal reservoirs, waning birth-cohort immunity, and modern H2 vaccine platforms as key priorities for pandemic preparedness.

28 Apr 2026