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Cells share universal on switches but evolve unique strategy to silence genes

The signals that cells use to switch genes on have remained almost unchanged across two billion years of evolution, but the ones used to switch genes off vary dramatically from one branch of life to another, according to a new study from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona.

3 Aug 2026

Study uncovers brain mechanism that drives sustained motivation

What enables us to sustain effort toward goals, even when the task becomes increasingly difficult? A recent study by researchers at Nagoya University in Japan revealed the underlying brain mechanism, showing that orexin neurons play a crucial role in driving and regulating motivated behavior.

3 Aug 2026

Persistent financial hardship tracks with poorer memory and processing speed by midlife

Researchers linked persistent low income and financial hardship across early and mid-adulthood to poorer processing speed and verbal memory at age 53 in a British birth cohort. Neuroimaging suggested greater vulnerability to later brain atrophy among men, people from disadvantaged childhood backgrounds, and APOE-ε4 carriers, although these subgroup findings require replication.

2 Aug 2026

AI-powered blood test detects liver cancer across distinct populations

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center validated an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered blood test that accurately detected liver cancer in people from two geographically and biologically distinct populations and also uncovered the underlying biological signals that make the test effective.

31 Jul 2026

Ketamine boosts neuroplasticity through microglia in female brains

Doctors use ketamine on patients as general anesthesia before surgery. They also prescribe it in low doses for pain management, and more recently, it's been used for treatment-resistant depression where other drugs have failed.

31 Jul 2026

Scientists map protective cell networks hiding dormant breast tumor cells

Researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), Imperial College London and UCL Genetics Institute have created a detailed map of cells within breast tumors and identified distinct neighborhoods of proliferating and dormant cells.

31 Jul 2026

ESCRT-III proteins play an unexpected role in protecting DNA bridges during cell division

Every time a cell divides, it must accurately copy and distribute its DNA between two new cells. However, in some cases, chromosomes do not fully separate, leaving behind thin strands of DNA known as DNA bridges that connect the two newly formed cells.

31 Jul 2026

New ultrasound technique breaches blood brain barrier to treat gliomas

In a promising sign for the potential of focused sound waves to improve care for brain tumors, UVA Health researchers have determined that tumors called gliomas may be even more receptive to targeted drug delivery than normal brain tissue.

30 Jul 2026

Study links dietary fructose to aggressive spread of ovarian cancer

A new study from The Wistar Institute has uncovered an unexpected link between fructose - a common dietary sugar - and the spread of an aggressive form of ovarian cancer.

30 Jul 2026

How real-time off-gas analysis improves fermentation process control

Real-time off-gas analysis helps optimize fermentation by improving process control, reducing failed batches and supporting faster development.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific – Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Solutions 29 Jul 2026

New AI tool predicts bowel cancer relapse risk from routine slides

A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool developed by La Trobe University researchers could help predict which stage-two bowel cancer patients are at risk of relapse, in an advance that could ultimately lead to thousands getting life-saving treatment earlier.

28 Jul 2026

Slow-maturing microglia may enable powerful human cognitive abilities

Microglia are the most common immune cells in the brain, where they defend against intruders and engulf damaged neurons.

27 Jul 2026

New blood protein biomarkers estimate timing of ALS symptoms

Months to several years before amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) symptoms arise, levels of certain blood proteins may dramatically shift.

27 Jul 2026

Study links inherited genetics to cancer susceptibility and progression

Scientists have found the first direct evidence of the powerful role our genetic makeup plays in influencing our risk of cancer, with inherited genes interacting with acquired genetic mutations to shape how tumors evolve.

26 Jul 2026

Study discovers new therapeutic targets for severe preeclampsia

Unusual behavior in the cells of mothers and babies with preeclampsia may provide new therapeutic targets for the condition, finds a new UCL-led study.

24 Jul 2026

New clinical framework maps pediatric Behçet’s spectrum disorders

Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis marked by recurrent oral and genital ulcers, but pediatric presentations are often partial or atypical, complicating diagnosis.

24 Jul 2026

Chinese researchers map epigenetic control of congenital heart defects

The findings have direct implications for clinical practice and future research. For genetic screening, the study provides a clear priority: CHD7 for outflow‑tract defects, CHD4 for chamber‑patterning anomalies, and CHD8 for ventricular dysfunction.

24 Jul 2026

Cambridge scientists solve brain puzzle behind popular obesity drugs

Cambridge scientists have solved the mystery of why both stimulating and blocking a particular 'switch' in the brain can help people lose weight – findings which could help boost the effectiveness of obesity drugs.

24 Jul 2026

Study reveals high prevalence of post-pandemic fatigue and sleep disturbances

Disrupted sleep and anxiety may be an ongoing issue for many people after the pandemic, whether due to COVID-19 directly or to the stress and anxiety caused by the global pandemic, and may contribute to the fatigue commonly reported by people with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS, or 'long COVID').

23 Jul 2026

Researchers develop artery-on-a-chip platform to predict stroke risk

Predicting an individual's risk of ischemic stroke is difficult because thrombosis embolization-the process of a blood clot detaching from the area where it formed and traveling to and then sticking in another blood vessel-is based on factors that are unique to each person.

23 Jul 2026