Cheek Swab News and Research

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Antifungal medication may reduce inflammatory bowel disease symptoms

A commonly used systemic antifungal medication may help reduce symptoms in a subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by restoring a healthier gut microbiome, according to a preliminary study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

1 Sep 2026

Canine DNA study uncovers new genes linked to gastric cancer

Dogs share our homes, our habits and sometimes, our diseases. Gastric cancer is rare in dogs, but when it does strike, it closely resembles gastric cancer in humans: subtle clinical signs, comparable tumor subtypes, late-stage diagnosis and poor outcomes.

2 Jun 2025

Study identifies potential epigenetic biomarker for preeclampsia

Analysis of cheek swabs taken from pregnant women revealed a potential epigenetic biomarker for preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition that often leads to preterm births.

6 Dec 2024

CheekAge can accurately predict the risk of mortality, study shows

We don't all age at the same rate. But while some supercentenarians may age exceptionally slowly due to winning the genetics jackpot, a plethora of behavioral and lifestyle factors are known to speed up aging, including stress, poor sleep, poor nutrition, smoking, and alcohol.

1 Oct 2024

How does social adversity influence biomarkers of stress and inflammation in children?

A recent study assessed whether social adversity affected the biomarkers of inflammation and stress in children.

22 Jan 2024

Genetic test for antidepressants could save millions and improve patient outcomes

A special kind of genetic test that helps determine the best antidepressant for patients with moderate-to-severe depression could generate substantive health system savings and greatly improve patient outcomes, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

14 Nov 2023

Study finds epigenetic signature for obesity susceptibility in human twins

A susceptibility to gain weight may be written into molecular processes of human cells, a Washington State University study indicates.

1 Nov 2023

Breast cancer screening trial expands internationally to enhance diversity

A clinical trial led by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) demonstrates how diversity among study participants is vital for reducing outcomes disparities.

27 Oct 2023

Epigenetic alternations associated with common genital malformation in male babies

An alarming increase in the occurrence of the most common genital malformation in male babies, hypospadias, is likely due to environmental factors, such as toxicant exposure, which alter epigenetic programming in a forming penis.

18 Jan 2023

Study shows clinical value of pharmacogenomic testing for patients with treatment-resistant depression

Pharmacogenetic testing was associated with nearly a two-fold (89 per cent) increase in remission rates compared to treatment as usual in a Centre for Addiction and Mental Health- (CAMH-)led clinical study just published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

29 Mar 2022

Buccal cell epigenetic biomarkers may predict preterm birth

A signature found in the cheek cells of mothers and fathers of preterm infants may help develop a test to determine whether a pregnancy may end too early.

1 Mar 2022

Newly developed risk scores can help identify childhood obesity risk

Newly developed risk scores synthesize genetic information into an easy-to-interpret metric that could help clinicians identify young children most at risk of developing obesity.

10 Jan 2022

Pharmacogenetic tests can benefit four million UK patients annually

Four million UK patients could benefit annually from genetic testing before being prescribed common medicines, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in collaboration with Boots UK and Leiden University (Netherlands).

29 Jan 2021

Easier-to-use coronavirus saliva tests start to catch on

As the coronavirus pandemic broke out across the country, health care providers and scientists relied on the standard method for detecting respiratory viruses: sticking a long swab deep into the nose to get a sample. The obstacles to implementing such testing on a mass scale quickly became clear.

6 Oct 2020

Patient genetics associated with wound microbiome composition and healing

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have determined that genetics may play a role in how wounds heal.

22 Jun 2020

Do-it-yourself cheek swab tested as next best thing to detect coronavirus

Coronavirus testing is commonly an unpleasant, even painful experience in which a health care provider pushes a torturously long swab up your nostril. President Donald Trump declared that submitting to the process was "a little bit difficult."

2 May 2020

Scientists could soon develop saliva test for measuring cannabis levels in impaired drivers

In the U.S., those who consume alcohol and drive are often subjected to roadside stops, breathalyzer tests and stiff penalties if their blood alcohol content exceeds certain limits.

31 Mar 2020

Researchers take a close look at invisible communities of microbes in the mouth

Most people know that good oral hygiene - brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits - is linked to good health. Colorado State University microbiome researchers offer fresh evidence to support that conventional wisdom, by taking a close look at invisible communities of microbes that live in every mouth.

2 Mar 2020

New molecular "clock" could help monitor life-altering development disorders in children

Scientists have developed a molecular "clock" that could reshape how pediatricians measure and monitor childhood growth and potentially allow for an earlier diagnosis of life-altering development disorders.

15 Oct 2019

Air Force develops genetic test to predict mental performance

A research psychologist at the Air Force Research Laboratory can predict your mental performance from a cheek swab or blood sample.

22 Mar 2019