Messenger RNA copies and carries instructions from the DNA in the cell’s nucleus to where protein is made. More mRNA usually means more protein — unless the mRNA is unstable and breaks down too quickly. Mutations in the DNA can affect the production and stability of mRNA, which influences how much protein a cell produces and a person’s risk of disease. UCLA researchers have identified genetic mutations that influence mRNA stability. Many of these genes are involved in immune system function.

EULAR – The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology – has worked with the European Respiratory Society (ERS) to develop new clinical practice guidelines for interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD). Such collaboration between pulmonology and rheumatology societies is key to optimise patient management and improve outcomes across Europe.  

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed hollow microspheres made of mucus and polydopamine using a simple and scalable production method. These tiny spheres are intended to serve as packaging for therapeutic substances, for example in joints or on the oral mucosa. Their properties and mode of action can be adjusted by the choice of materials and are also influenced by the surrounding biological environment.

A comprehensive study led by researchers from the A*STAR Institute for Human Development and Potential (A*STAR IHDP) has found that more than one in four healthy-weight Chinese women in their 20s and 30s already have low muscle mass and weaker bones — hidden risks for fractures and metabolic diseases that standard BMI measurements cannot identify.