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Uncovering the link between viruses and neurodegeneration through primate models

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Innovators & Ideas interview, Dr. Danielle Beckman reveals how her passion for microscopy has evolved into a mission to understand viral impacts on brain health, offering hope for patients suffering from post-viral neurological symptoms.

2 Jul 2025

Study finds widespread microplastics in reproductive fluids, what it means for fertility

Microplastics have been detected in human reproductive fluids, with researchers finding them in 69% of female and 55% of male samples, raising concerns about potential effects on fertility. Although causality remains unproven, the findings prompt calls for reducing plastic exposure.

1 Jul 2025

New brain scan tool predicts aging speed and dementia risk

Any high school reunion is a sharp reminder that some people age more gracefully than others. Some enter their older years still physically spry and mentally sharp. Others start feeling frail or forgetful much earlier in life than expected.

1 Jul 2025

Researchers find gut bacteria rapidly soak up ‘forever chemicals’

Scientists have demonstrated that select human gut bacteria can bioaccumulate and sequester PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, increasing faecal excretion in humanized mice. The findings reveal a potential microbiome-based strategy to reduce PFAS body burden, though clinical benefit in humans remains unproven.

1 Jul 2025

Targeting RAP proteins for next-generation malaria treatments

A University of California, Riverside-led team has made an advance in the basic understanding of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the deadliest form of human malaria, that could make novel, highly targeted anti-malarial therapies possible.

1 Jul 2025

Is lactose intolerance secretly stealing your restful sleep?

Researchers surveyed over 1,000 university students and found that lactose intolerance, especially when accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms, is linked to more frequent nightmares and poor sleep. Only a small minority reported that food affected their dreams, highlighting a specific risk for those with food sensitivities.

1 Jul 2025

Why exercise is key for keeping slim after you quit smoking

Quitting smoking is linked to greater long-term waist circumference gain, but this effect may be due to shared genetics rather than quitting itself. Increased physical activity consistently helped limit waist expansion across all genetic backgrounds.

1 Jul 2025

Scientists trace leprosy’s roots in South America back 4,000 years

Researchers have recovered and sequenced Mycobacterium lepromatosis genomes from 4,000-year-old human remains in Chile, providing the first molecular evidence of ancient leprosy in the Americas. The findings reveal the deep evolutionary roots and complex spread of Hansen’s disease long before European contact.

1 Jul 2025

Spaceflight exposes astronauts to hidden threats in their gut

This review highlights how the unique stressors of space travel, radiation, microgravity, and circadian disruption impact astronauts’ gut microbiomes, with potential consequences for their mood, cognition, and immunity. The authors call for targeted microbiome monitoring and dietary interventions to protect astronaut mental health on future missions.

1 Jul 2025

Prebiotics may boost brain GABA through gut microbiota

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is an amino acid functioning as the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter that can act on the brain to slow or stop the reception of certain signals to the brain, leading to a calmer and more relaxed state.

1 Jul 2025

Gut microbiota signatures predict gestational diabetes in first trimester

A new study has identified early-pregnancy gut microbiota signatures associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder that carries substantial risks to both maternal and fetal health.

1 Jul 2025

Brain cells can burn fat to fuel activity

While glucose, or sugar, is a well-known fuel for the brain, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have demonstrated that electrical activity in synapses—the junctions between neurons where communication occurs—can lead to the use of lipid or fat droplets as an energy source.

1 Jul 2025

Researchers uncover how RNA modifications evade immune detection

The innate immune system is the body's first line of defense against pathogens and foreign substances. An essential component of this system are pattern recognition receptors, which recognize non-self RNA - such as that from viruses and bacteria - and trigger an immune response.

1 Jul 2025

Breakthrough study reveals killing power of CD4 T cells against cancer

In the fight against cancer, immunotherapy - which aims to boost the body's natural defences against cancer - is experiencing remarkable growth. Most of these treatments are based on CD8 T lymphocytes, ''killer cells'' able to eliminate diseased cells.

1 Jul 2025