When children receive their second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine around the time they start kindergarten, they acquire long-lasting protection against all three viruses, often extending for their entire lives. In contrast, the effectiveness of an influenza vaccine administered in October typically wanes by the following spring. This stark difference in the durability of … Read more
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have made significant strides in asthma research by developing a nasal swab test that can identify specific subtypes, or endotypes, of asthma in children. This innovative, non-invasive diagnostic tool has the potential to transform how clinicians treat asthma by enabling more targeted medication prescriptions. It also sets the stage … Read more
A team of scientists from multiple institutions has created a significant new resource designed to streamline the process of classifying patient tumor samples based on molecular features. This initiative, developed from the findings of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Network, is a free and publicly accessible tool aimed at advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment. The … Read more
COVID-19, a disease primarily impacting the respiratory system, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was first detected in late 2019. As the pandemic unfolded, doctors and scientists began to observe an unexpected pattern in many COVID-19 patients: the disease wasn’t just affecting the lungs but was also inducing severe vascular complications. These complications, involving … Read more
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have made a significant discovery that could improve the effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, a promising immunotherapy for various cancers. This breakthrough focuses on the phenomenon of “memory” within CAR-T cells, showing that some of these cells carry the memory of previous encounters … Read more
An ancient brain circuit, crucial for stabilizing the gaze of vertebrates—including humans—has been found to develop in a surprising way during early life, a study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine reveals. This circuit, called the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), is essential for allowing vertebrates to keep their eyes fixed on a target … Read more
Recent studies have revealed that immune cells in the brain, known as microglia, can partially break down the large amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. By attaching themselves to these plaques, microglia form an external digestive mechanism to release enzymes that can digest the amyloid material. The breakthrough study, led by researchers at Weill Cornell … Read more
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have uncovered a novel and surprising connection between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), highlighting a potential viral influence in the development of Alzheimer’s. The new findings, published in Cell Reports, suggest that the progression of Alzheimer’s could be influenced not just by the usual biological factors such … Read more
Scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have made significant progress in understanding the complex factors that drive the development of liver cancer. This condition, the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, remains a major health challenge. Their findings, published in the prestigious … Read more
Genetics has long been an essential cornerstone of biology, deeply influencing our understanding of diseases and how traits are inherited. A common and fundamental principle taught to every biology student revolves around the concept of the genetic blueprint: each of our cells, except sperm and eggs, contains two copies of each gene, one inherited from … Read more