Scientists have identified many genes associated with Parkinson’s disease risk and progression, but understanding how they contribute to the disease remains a major challenge. To help address that gap, The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) have been awarded a $4.6 million grant to develop standardized research tools that will help researchers better understand how genetic factors associated with the disease affect the health and function of brain cells.

Cancer data for Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) people are usually combined, hiding vast differences in cancer risk. New disaggregated data analyzed by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) shows that Native Hawaiian women have 27% higher breast cancer incidence than White women, and have the highest rates in the U.S. when Asian American and NHPI women are not combined. Disaggregated data breaks down differences among Asian American and NHPI ethnic groups that would not have been apparent if the data were combined.

A joint research team led by Dr. Mi-Ok Lee and Dr. Mi-Young Son at the Stem Cell Convergence Research Center of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) has used human stem cell-derived brain organoids to uncover how an Alu-mediated gene deletion can lead to neuronal damage and dementia-related neurodegeneration.

Food‑medicine homologous polysaccharides are widely known for safety and immunomodulatory effects. A new Opinion article offers an updated perspective: these glycans are not merely bioactive ingredients, but multi‑role biological materials that can act as immune signaling molecules, structural scaffolds and drug‑delivery carriers simultaneously. The authors analyze key bottlenecks and propose cross‑disciplinary strategies to advance them from empirical natural products to rationally‑designed precision immune‑intervention tools.

For thousands of years, the concept of food‑medicine homology (FMH) has guided health practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine, yet its underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly defined. A new opinion piece puts forward the “5R Principle” framework and outlines how multiple chemistry disciplines can transform empirical ancient wisdom into precise, testable molecular‑level health strategies, bridging traditional experience with modern quantitative science.