Study draws attention to influence of fathers in supporting healthy eating among children While moms have traditionally gotten much of the focus when it comes to children’s eating habits, a new study highlights the importance of dads in shaping a child’s relationship with food. According to the study, young children were more likely to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables if their father ate a healthier diet during his teen years. The study is based on data from…
Rapid advances in cancer treatment have benefitted many people, but urgent change is needed in Canada’s cancer care workforce to ensure patient care, according to an analysis published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241425. “A sea change has occurred in cancer care,” writes Dr. John Walker, an oncologist at the University of Alberta and Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, with coauthors. “Although improved understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of disease has resulted in dramatic advances in treatment…
Researchers have uncovered that some childhood cancers have a substantially higher number of DNA changes than previously thought, changing the way we view children’s tumours and possibly opening up new or repurposed treatment options. Concentrating on a type of childhood kidney cancer, known as Wilms tumour, an international team genetically sequenced multiple tumours at a resolution that was previously not possible. This collaboration included researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Cambridge, Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, the…
Research analyzed Fitbit sleep data from first-time mothers in the months after giving birth DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting quantifies the amount of sleep loss experienced by first-time mothers in the weeks after giving birth and is the first to identify the unique type of sleep disruption that persists throughout the first months of motherhood. Results show that the average daily sleep duration of new mothers was 4.4 hours during…
Findings in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology reinforce the role of weight management in psoriasis care Philadelphia, May 27, 2025 – Researchers have found that central body fat, especially around the abdomen, is more strongly linked to psoriasis risk than total body fat, particularly in women. This link between central fat and psoriasis remained consistent regardless of genetic predisposition, indicating that abdominal fat is an independent risk factor. The study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, provides…
NEW YORK, NY (May 22, 2025)–When Columbia neurologist and scientist Neil Shneider speaks to his ALS patients who volunteer for experimental therapies, he’s unwaveringly honest. “Patients always ask me, “What can I hope to get out of this?” Shneider says. “And I always say, in most clinical trials, our hope is that we can slow the disease or maybe even halt progression.” So it was a big surprise when some of the patients treated with an experimental drug—a therapy that emerged…
As we get older, our bodies stop performing as they once did. We aren’t as strong as we once were, we don’t see as well as we used to and we start becoming less mobile. These changes inevitably lead to almost a third of people over the age 65 falling each year, resulting in injuries and occasionally death. In the United States alone, it costs the healthcare system billions of dollars annually. However, while aging is a certainty, falling may…
Breakthrough study suggests promising method to extend the antidepressant action of ketamine against major depression for weeks Roughly 10 percent of the U.S. population is afflicted with major depressive disorder at any given time, and up to 20 percent will exhibit MDD symptoms over their lifetimes. Yet despite its prevalence, methods to treat MDD often fall short for a not-insignificant portion of the population. Antidepressants—the standard of treatment—don’t work for 30 percent with MDD. When infused at a low dose…
Most people have encountered the black, grey, or pink stains of bacterial biofilms built up on the bathroom tiles or kitchen sink. Even with vigorous scrubbing and strong cleaning chemicals, this grime can be difficult to remove and often returns with vengeance. A new study, published in Chemical Engineering Journal, reports a novel, two-step method to effectively dismantle bacterial biofilms and prevent regrowth. “Biofilms are everywhere, from bathrooms to food factories,” said Hyunjoon Kong (M-CELS leader/EIRH/RBTE), a professor of chemical and…
A collaborative team of researchers led by vision scientists at the School of Veterinary Medicine have developed novel promoters that drive strong and specific gene expression in rod and cone photoreceptors in mid-to-late stages of disease, potentially of Key Takeaways Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a group of genetic disorders that lead to progressive vision loss as the light-sensing cells of the eye—the photoreceptors—die due to mutations in genes needed for their function and survival. Gene therapy has emerged as…
When we think of cholera, most of us picture contaminated water and tragic outbreaks in vulnerable regions. But behind the scenes, cholera bacteria are locked in a fierce, microscopic war—one that could shape the course of pandemics. Cholera bacteria aren’t just battling antibiotics and public health measures—they are also constantly under attack from bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect and kill bacteria. These viruses don’t just influence individual infections; they can make or break entire epidemics. In fact, certain bacteriophages are…
When a neuron in our body gets damaged, segments of RNA produce proteins that can help repair the injury. But in neurological disorders such as ALS and spinal muscular atrophy, or following spinal cord injuries, the mechanisms for moving life-essential RNA to injured sites within the cell fail. As a result, RNA molecules can’t get to where they are needed and damage becomes permanent. Researchers at Stanford have developed a technology for transporting RNA to specific locations within a neuron,…
Researchers at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus lead study that identifies gene mutations and cell maturity as key factors in acute myeloid leukemia drug resistance An international study led by the University of Colorado Cancer Center has uncovered why a widely used treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) doesn’t work for everyone. The findings could help doctors better match patients with the therapies most likely to work for them. The study was published today in Blood Cancer Discovery. Researchers…
Portable tech captures molecules in breath to aid medical care from diabetes to newborn development If you’ve ever sat waiting at the doctor’s office to give a blood sample, you might have wished there was a way to find the same information without needles. But for all the medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, the best way to detect molecules has remained through liquids, such as blood. New research from the University of Chicago, however, could someday put a pause…
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that gonadotrophs, cells in the pituitary gland with a key role in puberty and reproduction, come from two different populations, with the majority produced after birth rather than in the embryo, as previously thought. A better understanding of when these important cells develop could help researchers and clinicians understand and treat disorders that impact puberty and fertility. In the pituitary, a small gland located in the middle of the head and connected…
Researchers identify a decline in NAD levels as a key driver of T cell dysfunction and offer a potential rejuvenation strategy to improve immunotherapy outcomes in older cancer patients As people age, their immune systems become less efficient, posing a challenge for cancer therapies that rely on harnessing immune cells. In a new study published in Nature Cancer, researchers from the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale…
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