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Scientists discover immune cell control switch to destroy fungal infections

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UK) have contributed to discovering a "control switch" inside our immune cells that helps the body destroy dangerous fungal infections.

11 May 2026

Prenatal progesterone exposure alters brain development genes in male fetuses

Excessive exposure to progesterone in the womb can alter a gene in the frontal cortex in male sheep fetuses, which is needed for brain development and function, according to research presented at the 28th European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.

11 May 2026

Researchers uncover how bacterial toxin damages colon lining cells to trigger cancer

Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that damages the lining of the colon.

8 May 2026

Scientists uncover cellular mechanism behind rare childhood brain disorders

Thousands of times per year, a family's moment of joy turns to unexpected grief. A seemingly healthy infant stops smiling or making eye contact.

8 May 2026

Clinicians find evolutionary explanations for anxiety more helpful than genetics

Mental health clinicians are over five times more likely to see evolutionary explanations of anxiety as helpful for their patients, rather than the genetic approaches currently taught to trainee doctors and psychiatrists in the UK and US, a new study shows.

8 May 2026

Neurodegeneration in Down syndrome may begin shortly after birth

Signs of neurodegeneration in individuals with Down syndrome may start as early as birth, a critical stage of brain development, a new study shows.

8 May 2026

Study reveals why women face higher autoimmune disease risks

Ahead of World Lupus Day on May 10, new research from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney helps explain why women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease – a condition where the immune system misfires and mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy tissues.

7 May 2026

Study identifies genetic cause linked to juvenile glaucoma risk

A major international study led by Flinders University has identified a genetic contributor to juvenile glaucoma.

7 May 2026

Cell swelling in macrophages may trigger stronger inflammatory immune responses

As part of the body's first line of defense against foreign invaders, macrophages play an integral role in the innate immune system.

7 May 2026

Cranberry juice may help stop antibiotic resistance in UTIs

Cranberry juice potentiates fosfomycin against UPEC, lowering resistance rates and modifying bacterial absorption pathways for improved antibiotic efficacy.

7 May 2026

The role of gut bacteria in sustained diabetes improvement

Changes in gut microbiota after bariatric surgery are strongly linked to altered metabolic health and sustained improvement in type 2 diabetes, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg.

7 May 2026

Reverse ecology approach reveals hidden complexity in gut microbiome

The human gut harbors a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms (the microbiome), which influences digestion, the immune system and metabolism.

7 May 2026

Largest blood protein genetics study reveals new precision medicine opportunities

Involving a collaboration with 118 investigators contributing from 89 institutions, scientists from Queen Mary University of London's Precision Healthcare University Research Institute and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité have led the world's largest study on the genetic regulation of blood proteins.

6 May 2026

New CRISPR system selectively destroys cancer cells

Among the challenges in treating disease, including cancer, is wiping out malignancies, infection, contaminants or other pathologies, without destroying healthy tissue.

6 May 2026

New blood test predicts illness progression and treatment response

Scientists are developing a test which could one day be used to predict how a patient's illness will progress, and even how well they will respond to treatment.

6 May 2026

Blood-based biomarkers identified for early inflammatory breast cancer diagnosis

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas at Austin have identified specific blood-based genomic biomarkers that distinguish inflammatory breast cancer from other subtypes, providing a new and less invasive method for early diagnosis, disease progression monitoring and treatment development for patients with this aggressive disease.

6 May 2026

Six genes found to connect pancreatic cancer with metabolic dysfunction

New research shows that the same genes are active in pancreatic cancer, obesity and diabetes, helping to explain why people with metabolic disease often face poorer cancer outcomes and pointing to future ways to predict recurrence and develop more targeted treatments.

6 May 2026

Chronic sunlight exposure disrupts body clocks in skin

Years of chronic exposure of human skin to sunlight strongly disrupts its body‑clock rhythm, according to a pioneering study led by University of Manchester, No7 Beauty Company, a member of The Boots Group, and University of Pennsylvania scientists.

6 May 2026

Genetic background shapes outcomes in chromosome 16 deletion disorders

Individuals that share the same deletion of a portion of chromosome 16 are at risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders, but some experience severe intellectual disability or developmental delay, while others may only exhibit milder psychiatric features like depression or anxiety.

5 May 2026

Non-destructive technique enables repeated transcriptome analysis in living cells

Normally, cells must be lysed for a so-called transcriptome analysis - which reveals which genes are currently being expressed - making repeated measurements on the same cells impossible.

5 May 2026