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Australia’s diphtheria outbreak shows why boosters, antibiotics, and better housing all matter

A 131-case diphtheria outbreak in Australia’s Northern Territory showed how toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae can re-emerge even in highly vaccinated populations. Genomic and epidemiological evidence linked most cases to a dominant ST381 strain, with transmission shaped by overcrowding, poor skin health, and persistent health inequities.

15 Jun 2026

Researchers map rare DHDDS disease mechanism using lab-grown mini brains

Variants in the DHDDS gene cause a severe neurodegenerative condition, characterized by tremors, seizures, coordination and learning difficulties, usually manifesting in early childhood. This Parkinson's-like condition is extremely rare, and until recently, parents were told that there was nothing that could be done to slow down its progression.

15 Jun 2026

AI could help food systems detect pathogens, fraud, and contamination faster

A systematic review of 161 peer-reviewed publications found that AI research in food safety has expanded rapidly, rising from one study in 2012 to 46 in 2023. The review shows that machine learning and deep learning are being studied for pathogen detection, chemical contamination prediction, food fraud screening, outbreak surveillance, and regulatory decision-making, but data gaps, class imbalance, privacy limits, and model interpretability remain major barriers.

15 Jun 2026

Glucosamine may worsen Alzheimer’s by fueling abnormal brain glycosylation

A Nature Metabolism study identifies brain hyperglycosylation as a metabolic driver of Alzheimer’s disease, with increased N-glycan biosynthesis seen in human AD tissue and mouse models. Reducing glycosylation improved memory in AD mice, while glucosamine worsened memory deficits in 5xFAD mice and was associated with poorer outcomes in dementia patients.

14 Jun 2026

Genetic data may predict steroid side effect risk

Oral corticosteroids (OCSs) are widely used and effective in the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, asthma, and autoimmune diseases. They work by reducing inflammation, relieving pain, and calming the immune system.

14 Jun 2026

New guideline recommends tailored care for precocious puberty

Some subgroups of children with precocious puberty-such as older girls with slowly progressing puberty-may not need the same level of testing or treatment, according to a new Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline released today.

14 Jun 2026

New DNA test improves diagnosis of rare genetic disorders

A new test provides a much more complete picture of DNA than current standard diagnostics and leads to a diagnosis more often.

13 Jun 2026

Phase 3 study of in vivo CRISPR therapy for hereditary angioedema successfully completed

Researchers from Amsterdam UMC, in collaboration with other hospitals, have successfully completed the first-ever Phase 3 study of an in vivo CRISPR therapy.

13 Jun 2026

Noninvasive sequencing expands prenatal genetic screening capabilities

While non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has revolutionised prenatal diagnostics by allowing the detection of a number of genetic problems in a fetus, it is currently limited and thus misses many genetic causes of abnormalities.

12 Jun 2026

Renowned physician‑scientist to lead Houston Methodist's cell and gene therapy research

Malcolm Brenner, an internationally recognized physician‑scientist renowned for his leadership in cell and gene therapy, has been tapped to lead the newly formed Houston Methodist Center for Cell and Gene Therapy.

12 Jun 2026

Ancient unicellular organism offers clues to animal origins

A recent study by Ruibao Li and Jennah Dharamshi published in Nature may help us understand the beginnings of animal evolution billions of years ago.

12 Jun 2026

Cerebellar structural changes influence social behavior in autism

Researchers at Kanazawa University have identified a previously unrecognized mechanism by which structural changes in the cerebellum influence social behavior.

12 Jun 2026

Engineered phages use molecular anchors to enter human cells

The study identified phage surface proteins acting as molecular anchors. These proteins confer phages ith the ability to attach to human cells.

12 Jun 2026

New genetic driver found for rare small intestinal cancers

A signaling system known as the Wnt pathway plays a central role in how cells in the intestine grow, divide, and renew themselves.

12 Jun 2026

Researchers urge one health approach to control raccoon-borne water contamination

The emerging infectious bacterium Escherichia albertii has caused outbreaks of severe food poisoning and hospitalized people through contaminated water and foods, such as salad ingredients. Now, a new study from Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) has gathered evidence from river, animal and genetic samples that suggest a pathway by which invasive raccoons (Procyon lotor) transmit infections to humans.

12 Jun 2026

Biotechnology breakthrough could revolutionize treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant breakthrough in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

12 Jun 2026

New combination therapy improves outcomes in high-risk leukemia

A research team from the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has developed a novel combination therapy that significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with FLT3 gene mutations.

11 Jun 2026

Boston Children's joins landmark initiative to advance autism therapies

Boston Children's Hospital has been awarded up to $17.25 million to serve as a participating site within the Innovative Medicine and Precision Approaches to Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Network, an international effort funded through Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA).

11 Jun 2026

Increased stress, reduced sleep alter brain structure and function in children

A new study suggests that variables linked to socioeconomic status (SES) – such as increased stress and reduced sleep – have strong relationships to brain structure and function in children.

11 Jun 2026

Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor researcher joins ARIA IMPACT Network to advance autism therapies

Dr. Jimmy Holder, associate professor in pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Principal investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, and his team have received a grant for up to $17.25 million from Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA) to become a part of the Innovative Medicine and Precision Approaches to Clinical Trials (IMPACT) Network.

11 Jun 2026