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Non-native birds drive widespread avian malaria transmission in Hawaii

New research on avian malaria, which has decimated Hawaii's beloved birds, explains how non-native birds play a key role in transmission and contribute to the widespread distribution of the disease.

10 Feb 2026

Stiff red blood cells drive sickle cell disease severity

A new breakthrough study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities could explain why patients with the same genetic sickle cell mutation experience different levels of pain, organ damage and response to treatment.

10 Feb 2026

AI predicts blood transfusion needs for trauma patients before hospital arrival

Severe bleeding is one of the most common and preventable causes of death after traumatic injury, yet currently available tools have poor ability to determine which patients urgently need blood transfusions.

6 Feb 2026

Rapid malaria resistance evolution in Sudanese Coptic populations

The study published in PNAS sets out how, in just 1,500 years, the Copts have acquired a genetic variant that protects them from contracting malaria after mixing with other Sudanese populations.

6 Feb 2026

Newly discovered stage controls malaria parasite division

Researchers studying the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum have discovered a previously unknown stage in its life cycle that appears to be crucial for reproduction.

4 Feb 2026

New chip-based test could revolutionize blood transfusions

A new, fast and easy test could revolutionize blood transfusions-giving blood centers and hospitals a reliable way to monitor the quality of red blood cells after they sit for weeks in storage.

21 Jan 2026

Medicaid tries new approach with sickle cell: Companies get paid only if costly gene therapies work

Serenity Cole enjoyed Christmas last month relaxing with her family near her St. Louis home, making crafts and visiting friends.

21 Jan 2026

Repurposed Alzheimer’s medication offers low-cost hope for sickle cell anemia

Sickle cell anemia is the world's most common genetic disorder. It causes the red blood pigment hemoglobin to crystallize, which results in rigid, malformed red blood cells with a sickle shape.

15 Jan 2026

Long-term diabetes changes red blood cells, increasing cardiovascular disease risk

The longer a person has type 2 diabetes, the greater the risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Diabetes, shows that changes in red blood cells may be an important explanation, and identifies a specific molecule as a possible biomarker.

9 Jan 2026

IV iron dextran more cost-effective than oral iron for women with heavy menstrual bleeding and IDA

A single dose of intravenous (IV) iron dextran is the cost-effective treatment for women with heavy menstrual bleeding and iron deficiency anemia (IDA), according to new research published in Blood Advances.

8 Jan 2026

Label-free polarized light reveals subtle red blood cell deformations

Red blood cells are essential for oxygen transport and immune function in the human body. When these cells become abnormally shaped, they can indicate serious health conditions, including diabetes, malaria, hereditary blood disorders, and vascular diseases.

1 Jan 2026

Heavy menstrual bleeding linked to iron deficiency in teenage girls

More than half of teenage girls experienced heavy bleeding and 40 per cent had an iron deficiency. The research, led from Lund University in Sweden, also shows that young teenage girls who experience heavy menstrual bleeding – and are therefore at greater risk of iron deficiency – can be identified using a simple questionnaire.

17 Dec 2025

Researchers uncover how a gene influences cell size across various cell types

What keeps our cells the right size? Scientists have long puzzled over this fundamental question, since cells that are too large or too small are linked to many diseases. Until now, the genetic basis behind cell size has largely been a mystery.

17 Dec 2025

Researchers uncover how Bartonella causes deadly Oroya fever

The so-called "Oroya fever" is an extremely severe infectious disease, yet it is classified among the so-called neglected tropical diseases.

15 Dec 2025

Nighttime heart attacks cause less damage due to neutrophil circadian rhythms

Heart attacks that occur at night are less severe than those that strike during the day. A new study from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) explains why. Published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, the study led by Dr. Andrés Hidalgo's group at the CNIC shows that neutrophils-a type of white blood cell-have an internal clock that regulates their aggressiveness throughout the day and determines the extent of damage they cause to the heart after a heart attack.

12 Dec 2025

Exclusive licensing agreement accelerates PHD inhibitor development for anemia in CKD patients

Insilico Medicine ("Insilico"), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, and TaiGen Biotechnology, a listed discovery-based and market-focused pharmaceutical company, as well as TaiGen Biopharmaceuticals, its wholly-owned Beijing subsidiary (both referred to as "TaiGen"), today announced an exclusive pipeline out-licensing collaboration.

12 Dec 2025

Challenges and opportunities in delivering gene therapies for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia

The first study assessing the real-world commercial roll-out of gene therapies for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia offers lessons learned to inform best practices as manufacturers and medical centers prepare to meet growing demand for gene therapies in the coming years.

7 Dec 2025

Most sickle cell patients face long delays for recommended pain relief, study shows

A new study finds that only one in three patients visiting emergency departments (EDs) for severe pain associated with sickle cell disease received appropriate opioid-based pain-relieving medications within the first hour as recommended by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

6 Dec 2025

Chronic drinking weakens the blood-brain barrier through the gut

Chronic alcohol consumption disrupts the blood-brain barrier, but Faecalibacterium prausnitzii shows promise in repairing this damage and improving cognition.

27 Nov 2025

Researchers uncover how a key transcription factor reads DNA in human cells

With a new study in the journal Cell, researchers at Stanford University and Stockholm University have contributed to increased knowledge about gene regulation in human cells.

26 Nov 2025