Medical Research News

RSS

Experts say you don’t need 10,000 steps, here’s the new magic number

A major systematic review finds that walking just 7,000 steps per day, rather than the traditional 10,000, can significantly reduce the risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and more. The analysis, published in The Lancet Public Health, provides an evidence-based and achievable target for adult health.

27 Jul 2025

Uncovering origins of autism, depression, Parkinson's in fetal brain

The origin of some neuropsychiatric diseases, such as autism, bipolar disorder, or depression, and certain neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, can be found in very early stages of brain formation in the fetus. That is, earlier than previously recognized, according to a study by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and Yale University, published in Nature Communications.

26 Jul 2025

New research identifies critical gene for ALS treatment

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - which you may know as the disease that affected Stephen Hawking - is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. A research team at Tohoku University and Keio University has uncovered a unifying mechanism in ALS revolving around the expression of UNC13A (a gene crucial for neuronal communication) that represents a common target for developing effective treatment strategies that could improve the lives of patients with ALS.

26 Jul 2025

New model predicts mRNA protein production, accelerating drug and vaccine discovery

A new artificial intelligence model can improve the process of drug and vaccine discovery by predicting how efficiently specific mRNA sequences will produce proteins, both generally and in various cell types. The new advance, developed through an academic-industrial partnership between The University of Texas at Austin and Sanofi, helps predict how much protein cells will produce, which can minimize the need for trial-and-error experimentation, accelerating the next generation of mRNA therapeutics.

26 Jul 2025

Researchers discover new trigger for mitophagy

Autophagy is essentially the 'rubbish collection' of our cells. If there are problems in this process, which is so important for our health, diseases such as Parkinson's can result. In their latest study, leading cell biologists at the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna investigated mitophagy - a form of autophagy - and came to a remarkable conclusion: the researchers have described a new trigger for mitophagy.

26 Jul 2025

Research uncovers ME/CFS's systemic impact for targeted therapies

Millions suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a debilitating condition often overlooked due to the lack of diagnostic tools, may be closer to personalized care, according to new research that shows how the disease disrupts interactions between the microbiome, immune system, and metabolism.

26 Jul 2025

New study shows potent effects of desert berry extract (NRK-C)

The global diabetes epidemic continues its relentless march, with projections suggesting 750 million sufferers by 2045. While current medications help control symptoms, they often come with undesirable side effects and don't address the root causes of metabolic dysfunction. The search for better solutions has turned scientists toward natural drugs, where traditional remedies may hold untapped potential.

26 Jul 2025

Researchers pinpoint PRMT5 as a promising target for cancer drugs

A potential target for experimental drugs that block PRMT5 - a naturally occurring enzyme some tumors rely more on for survival - has been identified by researchers with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute's Cancer Research Center in Washington, D.C.

26 Jul 2025

Study reveals stigmatizing responses in LLMs for addiction-related queries

As artificial intelligence is rapidly developing and becoming a growing presence in healthcare communication, a new study addresses a concern that large language models (LLMs) can reinforce harmful stereotypes by using stigmatizing language.

26 Jul 2025

VCU Massey pioneers clinical trial of novel GGT-1 inhibitor PTX-100

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is the first site in the United States to be activated in a global Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating PTX-100 (AKA GGTI-2418), a first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of geranylgeranyl transferase-1 (GGT-1), for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), a rare and often treatment-resistant T-cell lymphoma.

26 Jul 2025

Discovery of TAF1's role could revolutionize cancer treatment

A new study led by Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, shows how a key molecule regulates the generation of new blood cells, a process called hematopoiesis that goes awry in cancer. The findings have the potential to lead to new therapeutic strategies targeting the molecule, a regulator of gene activity called TAF1.

26 Jul 2025

Heavy smoking linked to atrophy in Alzheimer’s brain regions

MRI findings indicate that smoking is linked to reduced brain volume, raising concerns about dementia risk, especially with higher body mass index.

25 Jul 2025

Addressing avoidable hospitalizations in terminally ill nursing home residents

Hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits can be distressing and costly for nursing home residents – especially those who are severely impaired or terminally ill. Despite their vulnerability, these individuals are frequently transferred to hospitals, even though up to 40% of such transfers over the past 25 years are considered potentially avoidable by health care professionals.

25 Jul 2025

New method uses magnetism for targeted drug delivery

Researchers have demonstrated that microscopic drug delivery containers can be magnetically steered to their targets, advancing the development of precision medicine for treating diseases such as cancer.

25 Jul 2025

New study uncovers how prior obesity impacts viral consequences

A study comparing the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in lean and obese primates found different long-term consequences of the virus depending on prior obesity and metabolic disease. The results, which also highlighted how widespread long COVID symptoms are in animals, were published July 24th in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Charles Roberts of Oregon Health & Science University, USA, and colleagues.

25 Jul 2025

In-depth look at breast tumor growth and surgical delay effects

Using a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have provided the most in-depth assessment to date of how fast breast cancers grow in patients and how surgical delays may affect breast cancer staging, which measures the extent of cancer spread in the body. The newly published study offers new insight into how tumors progress in the time between diagnosis and surgery.

25 Jul 2025

New research shows neurogenesis slows in early adulthood, impacting memory

Age often brings a gradual decline in the ability to learn new things and retain memories. This phenomenon, often associated with the elderly, is linked to the brain's deteriorating capacity to generate new neurons-a process that primarily occurs in the hippocampus -as neural stem cells (NSCs) divide and mature. Recent research suggests this decline begins much earlier in life than previously thought, potentially starting in early adulthood.

25 Jul 2025

Gene-edited mosquitoes slash malaria spread 93% using self-propagating shield

Scientists engineered a naturally occurring genetic variant (Q224) in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, making them highly resistant to malaria parasites without affecting fitness. A novel gene-drive system rapidly spread this protective trait through lab mosquito populations, offering a potential breakthrough for malaria control.

24 Jul 2025

Hemp seeds: The surprisingly complete protein hiding in plain sight

Researchers reviewed the nutritional and functional potential of industrial hemp seeds, highlighting their complete protein, healthy fat, and fiber content. The review outlines how processing innovations and market forces could make hemp a leading ingredient in plant-based and functional foods.

24 Jul 2025

Scientists open new atlas of genetic diversity with advanced sequencing

A global team mapped over 100,000 structural variants in human genomes by applying Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing and a novel graph-based analytical approach to samples from 26 populations. The study reveals the extraordinary complexity and diversity of human DNA, providing an open-access atlas that will accelerate discoveries in genetic disease and human evolution.

24 Jul 2025