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SARS-CoV-2 rarely reaches first-trimester placentas but still disrupts early pregnancy immunity

Researchers analyzing 761 first-trimester pregnancies found that SARS-CoV-2 was rarely detected in placental tissues, suggesting in utero transmission early in pregnancy is uncommon. However, maternal infection was linked to immune dysregulation at the maternal-fetal interface, altered trophoblast signaling, and inflammatory changes that could affect placental development.

14 Apr 2026

Targeting super-enhancer mechanisms offers new strategies for cancer therapy

Super-enhancers (SEs) are large clusters of transcriptional regulatory elements that drive oncogene expression, maintain malignancy, and create "transcriptional addiction" in cancer.

13 Apr 2026

Lab study shows cigarette smoke damaged lung cells more than e-cigarette vapor

Researchers found that cigarette smoke extract disrupted the lung cell barrier, increased IL-6 inflammation, and caused DNA damage in Calu-3 cells, while e-cigarette vapor extract showed no significant adverse effects on these measures under the study conditions. The authors caution that these were in vitro findings using liquid extracts and unflavored e-liquid, so they do not directly predict long-term human health outcomes.

12 Apr 2026

Rat hepatitis E virus may be a hidden cause of hepatitis in humans

This Nature Communications review argues that rat hepatitis E virus is an emerging zoonotic cause of hepatitis that is likely underdiagnosed because current tests are limited and awareness remains low. It shows that ratHEV is widespread in urban rodent populations, can infect humans and some other animals, and may spread mainly through indirect environmental exposure rather than direct rodent contact.

12 Apr 2026

New PCR method enables full genome amplification of HPV16

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a double-stranded circular DNA virus with a genome of approximately 7–8 kb. This study aimed to establish an overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction method for the amplification of the entire genome of HPV16.

10 Apr 2026

Study explains why current BET inhibitors fail in cancer treatment

For over a decade, a class of drugs called BET inhibitors has been tested in cancer trials with high expectations.

9 Apr 2026

Flu vaccines protect children well across Europe, but H3N2 remains harder to stop

Influenza vaccination provided strong real-world protection for children in European primary care across two seasons, with overall vaccine effectiveness of 68% in 2022–2023 and 71% in 2023–2024. Protection was highest against influenza B and H1N1, while H3N2 showed lower and more variable effectiveness, supporting the need for higher uptake and continued monitoring.

8 Apr 2026

Scientists create large library of mitochondrial DNA mutant models

Some of your most important life partners are the mitochondria that power all your cells. You and these little cellular powerhouses are in a 1.5-billion-year-old evolutionary relationship-but mitochondria brought some baggage.

6 Apr 2026

Flu vaccination may cut heart attack and stroke risk after infection

In Danish adults aged 40 years or older, laboratory-confirmed influenza was linked to a sharp short-term rise in first-time heart attack and stroke risk, especially in the first 7 days after infection. Prior same-season influenza vaccination was associated with about half the excess cardiovascular risk among infected individuals, suggesting possible protection even in breakthrough cases.

6 Apr 2026

New drying technique stabilizes vital vaccines at room temperature

A significant challenge in global healthcare and biotechnology is the "cold chain"-the network of refrigerated storage and transport required to keep protein-based drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests from degrading.

2 Apr 2026

How could bisphenol A raise depression risk? Study identifies six key molecular targets

An integrative Translational Psychiatry study linked BPA exposure to major depressive disorder by identifying 571 shared targets and six core genes, with genetic, transcriptomic, docking, and mouse-model data supporting plausible mechanistic pathways. The strongest signals pointed to AKT1, SRC, PLCG2, and JAK3 as potential contributors, while EGFR appeared protective.

31 Mar 2026

Artemin identified as marker and target in feline osteoarthritis

By comparing osteoarthritis pain pathways known to be active in dogs and humans to those in cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD), researchers found that elevation of a particular molecule, artemin, could serve as a marker of disease (and possibly pain) as well as a potential therapeutic target.

30 Mar 2026

Study explores if wastewater can track colorectal cancer at population level

A proof-of-concept study shows that cancer-linked RNA can be detected in wastewater, raising the possibility of tracking colorectal cancer patterns across communities without relying on individual screening.

19 Mar 2026

BCAT2 enzyme identified as a target for diabetic foot recovery

Diabetic macrovascular complications are the main cause of death and disability in diabetes patients, of which vascular calcification is one of the key pathological mechanisms. Calcification in atherosclerotic plaque can cause stiffness and decreased compliance of the vascular wall, and induce atherosclerotic plaque rupture, which increases the risk of acute cardiovascular events.

6 Mar 2026

New method isolates true transcription factor targets in tuberculosis bacteria

Inside every cell, thousands of molecular signals collide, overlap, and compensate, obscuring the true drivers of gene expression.

2 Mar 2026

Genomic landscape and clinicopathologic significance of POLE mutant colorectal carcinoma

DNA polymerase epsilon catalytic subunit A (POLE) gene plays a crucial role in DNA repair and chromosomal replication.

27 Feb 2026

Distinct gut toxicity patterns emerge with targeted cancer treatments

A new paper was published in Volume 13 of Oncoscience on February 6, 2026, titled "Gastrointestinal toxicity of targeted cancer therapies in the United States: Clinicopathologic patterns, FDA safety frameworks, and implications for national patient protection."

20 Feb 2026

Study reveals poxvirus's unique DNA clamp for gene activation

A research team at the University of Würzburg has deciphered another aspect of poxviral gene activation.

18 Feb 2026

Study explores how reversible RNA editing could transform future cardiovascular medicine

This mini-review synthesises evidence showing that adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing plays an important regulatory role in cardiovascular development, cellular homeostasis, and disease biology. It highlights emerging links between dysregulated RNA editing and cardiovascular conditions while outlining biomarker potential and reversible RNA-editing therapeutic strategies that remain under investigation.

15 Feb 2026

Researchers uncover mechanisms of three mismatch repair deficient high-grade glioma subtypes

Researchers have uncovered the mechanisms behind three unique subtypes of mismatch repair deficient high-grade gliomas.

10 Feb 2026