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Large-scale study to examine nail fungus impact on athletic performance

Athletes are 2.5 times more likely than the general public to develop nail fungus, according to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

16 Dec 2025

First-of-its-kind mRNA system switches on therapeutic genes inside targeted cells

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a first-of-its-kind mRNA system that switches on therapeutic genes preferentially inside targeted cells-an advance demonstrated in studies in mice that could lay the groundwork for safer, more precise treatments for cancer and other diseases.

16 Dec 2025

Scientists engineer AbLecs to overcome cancer's immune evasion tactics

Researchers at MIT and Stanford University have developed a new way to stimulate the immune system to attack tumor cells, using a strategy that could make cancer immunotherapy work for many more patients.

16 Dec 2025

Researchers develop AI-powered method for faster lung infection diagnosis

Lung infections like pneumonia are among the world's top killers - but diagnosing them is notoriously hard.

16 Dec 2025

New data supports link between gum disease and heart disease

There is increasing evidence that gum disease is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and cardiometabolic health conditions. Effective prevention and treatment of gum disease, also called periodontal disease, could potentially decrease the burden of cardiovascular disease, according to a new scientific statement published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

16 Dec 2025

Study identifies molecular drivers of cerebral small vessel disease

A new study identifies molecular factors that promote small vessel disease - and an active drug that can restore impaired vascular functions.

16 Dec 2025

Functional MRI signals can misrepresent true brain activity

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) found that an increased fMRI signal is associated with reduced brain activity in around 40 percent of cases.

16 Dec 2025

Tau biology expands beyond microtubules to neurodegeneration, metabolism and mental illness

An Thought Leaders Invited Review published today in Genomic Psychiatry by Dr. Peng Lei and colleagues presents a sweeping synthesis of tau protein research that fundamentally reframes our understanding of this molecule's dual identity.

16 Dec 2025

New in vitro platform predicts drug toxicity, improving cancer treatment safety

Overcoming acquired treatment resistance is one of the major challenges in the fight against cancer. While combination therapies hold promise, their toxicity to healthy tissue remains a major hurdle. To anticipate these risks, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed in vitro models of the kidneys, liver, and heart - three organs particularly sensitive to such therapies.

16 Dec 2025

Scientists discover rapid synapse adaptation in neuronal communication

Every movement you make and every memory you form depends on precise communication between neurons. When that communication is disrupted, the brain must rapidly rebalance its internal signaling to keep circuits functioning properly.

16 Dec 2025

Mediterranean diet and healthy habits improve cancer survival rates

Being more physically active, following a balanced diet, not smoking, and keeping body weight and blood pressure under control: the same habits that protect the heart also prove decisive after a cancer diagnosis.

16 Dec 2025

Scientists map how cinnamon’s bioactives interact with cancer signaling

This review synthesizes preclinical evidence showing that cinnamon-derived compounds can modulate inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and angiogenesis through multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. While biologically plausible, the findings are largely limited to cell and animal models, underscoring the need for pharmacokinetic, safety, and clinical validation.

15 Dec 2025

Indoor tanning loads normal skin with mutations linked to melanoma

Indoor tanning is associated with markedly higher mutation burdens and cancer-driving genetic changes in melanocytes taken from normal-appearing skin, including areas usually protected from sunlight. These molecular alterations provide a biological explanation for the higher odds of melanoma and multiple primary tumors seen in heavy tanning bed users.

15 Dec 2025

Circadian control of neutrophils limits heart damage after myocardial infarction

Neutrophils cause time-of-day–dependent collateral tissue damage after sterile injury through an intrinsic circadian program. Activating a CXCL12–CXCR4 checkpoint repositions neutrophils, limiting inflammatory injury without impairing antimicrobial defense.

15 Dec 2025

Gut bacteria patterns differ in autism and siblings and link to social symptoms

This sibling-controlled East Asian study found that autistic individuals, their unaffected siblings, and typically developing controls differ in gut microbiota diversity and composition, with the clearest separation between autism and typical development. Specific taxa, particularly the butyrate-producing genus Anaerostipes, were modestly associated with social communication and internalising symptoms, supporting a gut–behaviour link without implying causality.

15 Dec 2025

GDF3 protein sustains harmful inflammation in aging immune cells

As people age, their bodies develop a dysfunctional immune system, which can leave older adults more susceptible to conditions like sepsis.

15 Dec 2025

AI uncovers hidden mechanisms of covert attention and emergent neuron types

Shifting focus on a visual scene without moving our eyes - think driving, or reading a room for the reaction to your joke - is a behavior known as covert attention.

15 Dec 2025

Researchers explore how the visual brain system recovers following traumatic injury

The brain shows a capacity to recover from traumatic injury, which somewhat contradicts the widely accepted idea that neurons do not regenerate.

15 Dec 2025

Breast cancer disrupts stress hormone rhythms in the brain

"The brain is an exquisite sensor of what's going on in your body," says Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Jeremy Borniger. "But it requires balance. Neurons need to be active or inactive at the right times. If that rhythm goes out of sync even a little bit, it can change the function of the entire brain."

15 Dec 2025

Advances in delivering oxygen-sensitive gut bacteria improve microbial therapies

Recent research has identified practical ways to protect and deliver oxygen-sensitive gut bacteria for a path toward safer, standardized microbial therapies that could reduce reliance on donor-based faecal microbiota transplants.

15 Dec 2025