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Mcgill researchers find unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk samples

An interdisciplinary team including researchers at McGill University has found a range of unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk samples from Canada and South Africa.

20 Jan 2026

Far-red light suppresses biofilm formation and virulence in pathogenic bacteria

Light is a universal stimulus that influences all living things. Cycles of light and dark help set the biological clocks for organisms ranging from single-celled bacteria to human beings.

20 Jan 2026

New oral contrast agent improves bowel disease detection on CT scans

In a new pilot feasibility study, researchers from Mayo Clinic, the University of Washington School of Medicine, the University of California San Francisco, and Nextrast Inc. found that a new imaging oral agent, also known as a "contrast agent," helps radiologists better see bowel structures and disease in CT imaging when compared with the current oral contrast agents.

20 Jan 2026

Rhythmic carbon dioxide exposure may enhance brain waste clearance mechanisms

Abnormal clumps of proteins like α-synuclein, amyloid beta and tau are associated with neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, but a waste removal mechanism called the glymphatic pathway can clear these proteins and other metabolic byproducts from the brain.

20 Jan 2026

COVID-19 severity is linked to changes in mitochondrial DNA methylation

This study examined mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded mitochondrial DNA methylation in Indian patients with severe COVID-19 and found region-specific differential methylation linked to disease severity. Pathway analyses and protein assays implicated disrupted mitochondrial metabolism and dynamics, suggesting a role for mitochondrial epigenetic regulation in COVID-19 pathophysiology.

20 Jan 2026

Algae may help meet future protein demand without straining the planet

This narrative review evaluates clinical evidence on algae and algal proteins as sustainable, nutrient-dense food sources with high protein quality and bioactive compounds. Findings suggest potential benefits for muscle protein synthesis, cardiometabolic markers, immune modulation, and antioxidant status, while emphasizing heterogeneity, short-term data, and the need for longer clinical trials.

20 Jan 2026

Blocking microglia can prevent infantile amnesia

Scientists have found that blocking microglia (specialist immune cells in the brain) prevents infant forgetting ("infantile amnesia") and improves memory in mice, suggesting that microglia may actively manage memory formation and dictate what, and when, we forget.

20 Jan 2026

New genetic insights reveal vitamin B1's role in gut health and motility

Bowel habits aren't exactly dinner-table talk. But they reflect how quickly the gut moves things along, and when that goes wrong people can experience constipation, diarrhoea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

20 Jan 2026

Researchers discover a biochemical route that plays role in Parkinson's disease

About 1 million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, with around 90,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.

20 Jan 2026

ELRIG announces Drs Stephen Ward and Annarita Miccio as keynote speakers for Cell and Gene Therapy 2026

ELRIG, a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to the global drug discovery community, today announced the keynote speakers for Cell and Gene Therapy 2026. Drs Stephen Ward (Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult) and Annarita Miccio (Imagine Institute) will lead the inaugural two-day event taking place at Hinxton Hall in Cambridge, UK from 9-10 March.

20 Jan 2026

Groundwater chemistry may raise children’s lead exposure risk

The study examines groundwater chemistry's role in children's lead exposure, stressing the importance of monitoring and effective water treatment strategies.

20 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination may slow biological aging in older adults

Shingles vaccination not only protects against the disease but may also contribute to slower biological aging in older adults, according to a new USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology study.

20 Jan 2026

Genomic screening uncovers hidden cancer and heart disease risk in young adults

A nationwide Australian pilot screened more than 10,000 adults aged 18–40 years for high-risk genetic variants linked to hereditary cancer and familial hypercholesterolaemia, identifying clinically actionable findings in about 2% of participants.

19 Jan 2026

Adding lean pork to a plant-forward diet supports healthy aging biomarkers

A randomized crossover feeding trial in adults aged 65 years or older found that plant-forward diets incorporating either minimally processed lean pork or lentils produced similar short-term improvements in cardiometabolic and neuroactive biomarkers. Both diets supported metabolic health and functional stability, with no overall adverse biomarker effects attributable to including minimally processed red meat within a Dietary Guidelines–aligned pattern.

19 Jan 2026

Can dietary supplements support nutrition security as climate change disrupts food systems?

Environmental change is reshaping food availability, nutrient quality, and health risks, exposing major gaps in how nutrition science addresses climate-related stressors. This perspective argues that dietary supplements may have a context-dependent role but require rigorous, interdisciplinary research before informing public health action.

19 Jan 2026

Plasma protein profiling can help detect cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms

A simple blood test can help detect cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain or weight loss. This is according to a Swedish study from Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital and others, published in Nature Communications.

19 Jan 2026

Brain structure changes linked to adaptability decline in aging adults

As people age, structural brain changes influence their ability to adapt to the environment. New from eNeuro, Tatiana Wolfe and colleagues at the University of Arkansas characterized changes in the brain across two periods of adulthood that may correspond to changes in adaptive behavior.

19 Jan 2026

Interferon response key to fighting rhinovirus infections in nasal passages

When a rhinovirus, the most frequent cause of the common cold, infects the lining of our nasal passages, our cells work together to fight the virus by triggering an arsenal of antiviral defenses.

19 Jan 2026

Elevated tau in Long COVID patients raises risk for neurodegenerative diseases

A study of 227 individuals who experienced neuro cognitive difficulties post COVID-19 infection – such as headaches, vertigo, balance dysregulation, changes in taste/smell, and brain fog – displayed a significant increase in their blood plasma of a crucial protein called tau, which is found in nerves and especially in the brain.

19 Jan 2026

New study exposes a targetable vulnerability in acute myeloid leukemia

New research co-led by Indiana University School of Medicine scientists has exposed a vulnerability in acute myeloid leukemia by identifying the blood cancer's reliance on a specific signaling pathway involved in the body's inflammation response.

19 Jan 2026