A novel study shows that exposure to air pollution, especially fine particulate matter like dust, soot, and smoke (PM_2.5), is associated with increased disease activity and flare risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings from an article in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (ARD), The EULAR Journal, published by Elsevier, underscore the importance for healthcare providers and policymakers to recognize its impact on the management of RA.

A research team from the School of Nursing at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has found that video-call support from trained peer mothers helped first-time mothers breastfeed more successfully. Among mothers who received this support, the study revealed a 42.6% relative increase in the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding their babies at two months after birth, along with greater confidence in breastfeeding. This is the first-of-its-kind randomised clinical trial in Hong Kong to evaluate video-call-based peer support for breastfeeding and is also one of the first trials globally to rigorously examine the effectiveness of this digital approach in improving breastfeeding outcomes. The research findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers from the Clinical Neuroscience Consortium (CNC), a collaborative platform jointly established by the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and Queen Mary Hospital, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Genome Institute (HKGI), have achieved a major breakthrough in brain cancer research by developing the most comprehensive map to date of isoform diversity in glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. Using advanced long-read single-cell sequencing, the team uncovered thousands of previously unknown tumour-specific genetic isoforms that had remained invisible to conventional approaches. The discovery reveals a new source of potential therapeutic targets, including candidates that could be harnessed for future personalised cancer vaccines and immunotherapies. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma often progresses through metastasis, yet its cellular basis remains unclear. This study maps the pan-metastatic landscape of HNSCC and identifies a WDR54-driven cell identity reshaping axis. WDR54 epigenetically activates TGF-β-mediated pEMT, enhancing invasion, immune evasion and metastatic potential, offering new insight into prognosis and precision therapy.