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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Jun-2026 08:16 ET (23-Jun-2026 12:16 GMT/UTC)

Malaria’s mRNA: Messages that mess with the immune system

Weizmann Institute of Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a study recently published in Cell Reports, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science uncover the parasite’s RNA strategies – mechanisms that could inspire unexpected applications for RNA-based tools in multiple areas of medicine.

Journal: Cell Reports

American Thoracic Society announces landmark initiative to improve diagnosis of bronchiectasis across the United States

American Thoracic Society
Business Announcement

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) today announced a major quality improvement initiative aimed at tackling the persistent and widespread underdiagnosis of bronchiectasis in the United States.

Predicting genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes just got more accurate thanks to UC San Diego study

University of California - San Diego
Peer-Reviewed Publication

UC San Diego researchers have developed T1GRS, a machine‑learning model that accurately predicts genetic risk for Type 1 diabetes, paving the way for earlier diagnosis and more personalized treatment.

Journal: Nature Genetics

Researchers discover a molecular switch that guides the movement of neurons during brain development

University of Barcelona
Peer-Reviewed Publication

During brain development, neurons can regulate their movement until they reach their final destination thanks to a “molecular switch” involving the protein Teneurin 4 (Ten4). This protein can guide neuronal migration through mutually exclusive molecular pathways and determine the direction of nerve cells.

Journal: Nature Communications

New Chinese Medicine and Culture journal issue explores traditional Chinese medicine across history and borders

Cactus Communications
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The March 2026 issue of Chinese Medicine and Culture presents traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a living body of knowledge shaped by history, practice, language, geography, and international exchange. The articles examine the origins of meridian theory, changing ideas of toxicity and disease, court medicine in Qing China, regional medical schools, Korean and Thai connections, and the spread of TCM in France, showing the field’s deep historical and global reach.

Journal: Chinese Medicine and Culture

Ancient, insect-targeting bacterial toxin may have implications for human health, agriculture, and drug discovery

McMaster University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at McMaster University, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, with collaborators from Stockholm University in Sweden and Yale University, have identified and characterized a new class of Streptomyces-produced toxins that are very distantly related to the deadly toxin that causes diphtheria, a serious and contagious infection, in humans.

Journal: Nature Microbiology

New tool helps to identify people at highest risk of obesity-related diseases

Queen Mary University of London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A simple tool, developed by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, could help identify which people living with obesity or overweight are most likely to develop serious obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Journal: Nature Medicine
Funder: Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Barts Health NHS Trust

New study finds task switching raises risk in transplant surgeries

Virginia Tech
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The research analyzed over 300,000 transplant surgeries from 2007-19 and provides causal evidence that task switching — transitioning between cognitively different procedures — can affect patient outcomes.

Journal: Nature Human Behaviour

First-ever "guideline for laser and aesthetic medicine" released in China: Establishes evidence-based standards for 26 common conditions

KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A landmark clinical guideline has been released to standardize the treatment of 26 common dermatological and aesthetic conditions, including melasma, nevus of Ota, and acne scars. Developed by the Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics, this guideline synthesizes high-level international evidence to provide standardized protocols for energy-based devices (lasers, IPL, radiofrequency). It aims to resolve the lack of systematic standards in the rapidly growing field of aesthetic medicine.

Journal: Chinese Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery