The rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the need for advanced tools to predict future outbreaks. The study introduces CoVFit, an AI-driven model that analyzes spike protein mutations to assess the fitness of SARS-CoV-2 variants. By combining molecular and epidemiological data, CoVFit provides early insights into the transmissibility and immunity evasion of emerging variants, offering a powerful tool for pandemic preparedness, vaccine design, and global risk assessment.

Environmental factors and DNA methylation are known to play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). While environmental factors are known to alter neuronal activity in the dorsal raphe of the brain, researchers have now observed differentially methylated regions in key brain areas as well as heightened expression of RABGGTB—a gene related to autophagy and synaptic function. These findings shed light on the interplay of environmental and genetic factors in ASD.

Although manual small incision cataract surgery (SICS) is widely practiced in countries of the global South, there is no publicly available surgical video dataset for this operation, leaving a critical gap in cataract surgery research. Therefore, an international research team at Sankara Eye Foundation India led by the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn has developed the first automated phase detection using AI in SICS. The results of the study have now been published in the renowned journal Scientific Reports. In parallel, the international research team is now launching a global AI competition at the MICCAI 2025 conference in Daejeon (South Korea), in which AI algorithms for surgical phase detection will compete against each other. The submission deadline is 15^th of August 2025.

If you’ve ever sat waiting at the doctor’s office to give a blood sample, you might have wished there was a way to find the same information without needles.

But for all the medical breakthroughs of the 20^th century, the best way to detect molecules has remained through liquids, such as blood. New research from the University of Chicago, however, could someday put a pause on pinpricks. A group of scientists announced they have created a small, portable device that can collect and detect airborne molecules—a breakthrough that holds promise for many areas of medicine and public health.

Senescence, aging, and age-related diseases represent complex biological phenomena with significant impacts on human health, and metabolism and metabolomics play pivotal roles in understanding their mechanisms and interventions. This comprehensive review integrates multiscale perspectives to elaborate on the intricate relationships among metabolism, cellular senescence, organismal aging, and diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and osteoporosis.