An unexpected increase in cases of streptococcal A (strep A) infection in the United Kingdom is troubling for families, healthcare practitioners, and researchers. Although strep A infections typically peak sometime in the spring and summer, the case counts continued to climb through the fall of 2022. The abnormal surge resulted in the deaths of 13 …
The Unlikely Role of Hops in the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease
Infographics A team of Italian scientists from the University of Milan-Bicocca have recently discovered a possible use of hops, the flowers used to enhance both the aroma and flavor of beer, as a means of preventing the biological changes that eventually result in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Headed by Cristina Arioldi and Alessandro …
Costly, Life-Changing Type 1 Diabetes Drug Delays Disease, Receives FDA Approval
Infographics The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved teplizumab-mzw (TZIELD™), a drug developed by New Jersey-based Provention Bio to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D). T1D, also known as insulin-dependent, juvenile, or childhood-onset diabetes, is marked by deficient insulin production and affects an estimated 8.4 million people globally. Teplizumab is the first …
The Modern Quest for the Fountain of Youth
Quests for anti-aging solutions, usually the stuff of science fiction, have been revived with research into cellular reprogramming. More than 15 years ago, researchers at Kyoto University in Japan identified a series of four proteins that seemed to transform aged cells into younger stem cells. Now termed Yamanaka factors, these proteins have inspired several biotech …
Offering Pain Relief Without Opioids, Vertex’s Sodium Channel Blocker Advances
Opioid pain relievers are highly addictive, contributing to high rates of opioid use disorder and overdose. According to the World Health Organization, opioid use is responsible for more than 70 percent of the deaths worldwide attributable to drug use. Amid soaring rates of opioid use and overdose, an effective non-opioid solution for treating pain would …
Children with Retinitis Pigmentosa to See the World
Retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative eye condition that slowly destroys the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. For Canadian couple Edith Lemay and Sebastien Pelletier, this has meant coming to terms with the fact that the three of their four children diagnosed with the condition will eventually lose their sight. And …
From Cultural Rite to Clinical Trial — Examining the Therapeutic Potential of Mescaline
Psychedelics are having a moment, as researchers, startups, and regulators are recognizing the potential of these previously stigmatized compounds for treating mental health disorders. Amid this current rush of activity, mescaline has, so far, made hardly a ripple. However, it is now being evaluated in clinical trials that could reveal its prospects for the future. …
Cancer Trials Ask, What’s the Gut Got to Do With It?
There are ten times more bacterial cells in your body than human cells. They live in our noses, in our guts, and everywhere in between. These microbes, our microbiota, are not mere passengers here for a ride but also interact with us in significant ways that affect our health. This blog will briefly review what …
Research Reveals a Fungi-Cancer Connection, with Potential Diagnostic Implications
Like bacteria, fungal microorganisms are an important part of the human microbiome and essential to human health. Scientists studying the microbiome over the past two decades have found thousands of species of microbes that live in and on the healthy body. More recently, researchers have started examining cancerous tumors to determine if they also harbor …
Amid Polio Outbreaks Around the World, Public Health Leaders Continue to Sound the Alarm
“Polio anywhere is a risk to people everywhere.” This public health mantra gets to the root of the problem. Polio remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan and outbreaks in New York state, London, and Jerusalem this year highlight the fact that, in our interconnected world, no country is immune. There are three strains of the …
