Increased antibiotic use can lead, seemingly paradoxically, to more problematic infections, as the bacteria evolve to resist the treatment. The answer to this antimicrobial resistance, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called “one of the world’s most urgent public health problems,” might be a medication used for kidney disease, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.

A new study published in Mycology highlights the alarming evolutionary rate of Sporothrix, the fungus that causes sporotrichosis, a severe and rapidly spreading infection affecting humans and cats in South America. Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo analysed the 3-carboxymuconate cyclase gene (encoding the Gp60-70 antigen), a key component of the fungus's cell wall, in Sporothrix and discovered unprecedented genetic diversity. They propose a link between this rapid adaptation and exposure to harmful aromatic pollutants, potentially explaining the increased virulence, particularly of S. brasiliensis. This research is crucial because cat-transmitted sporotrichosis is far more aggressive than typical fungal infections, representing a major public health crisis in Brazil. These findings provide vital insights for developing targeted diagnostics, vaccines, and antifungal treatments to combat the world's largest sporotrichosis epidemic.

Researchers have created an AI tool to accelerate the development of new disease treatments and demonstrated its potential by identifying an existing drug with the potential to prevent deadly heart failure.

A breakthrough in biomedical research is reshaping the way scientists study human biology. Assembloids—advanced 3D tissue models that integrate multiple organoids or specialized cell types—are unlocking new dimensions in developmental biology, disease modeling, and drug discovery by more closely mimicking the complex cellular interactions within human tissues. A recent review categorizes assembloids into four key assembly strategies—multi-region, multi-lineage, multi-gradient, and multi-layer—each designed to better simulate complex biological processes with unprecedented accuracy. By bridging the gap between simplified organoids and the intricate architecture of human tissues, assembloids are poised to transform our understanding of health and disease.

In response to growing concerns over vaccine misinformation, declining public trust in science, and recent outbreaks of preventable diseases, a coalition of [x] scientific and medical organizations, led by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) and the American College of Physicians (ACP), has issued a unified statement emphasizing the critical role of vaccinations in public health.