UT Health San Antonio’s Mays Cancer Center has been named among the nation’s leading hospitals and health systems for excellence in oncology programs, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), represent a growing global health burden, particularly in aging populations. While traditional research has focused on neuronal mechanisms like protein misfolding and oxidative stress, recent evidence underscores the critical role of the gut-brain-immune axis in disease pathogenesis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how gut microbiota dysbiosis influences neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, and immune homeostasis through microbial-derived metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and bacterial amyloids. We explore the communication pathways linking the gut, immune system, and central nervous system (CNS), and highlight disease-specific mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Despite promising preclinical findings, significant challenges remain in establishing causality and translating these insights into clinical practice.

Diana Anderson, MD, M.Arch, assistant professor of neurology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, has received a $270,418 grant from the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation for her project “Investigating the Relationship between Nursing Home Architecture and Health Outcomes.” The two-year grant, through the foundation’s Another Look program, is one of four that was awarded this year.