Around 70,000 people die each year from infections with the hepatitis E virus. There is currently neither a vaccine nor a specific drug against this virus. This could change with the identification of bemnifosbuvir as a compound effective against hepatitis E viruses (HEV). An international research team from Bochum, Germany, Heidelberg, Germany, and Beijing, China, has filtered this so called nucleotide/nucleoside analogue out of a library of such active substances. Since the drug is also effective against the hepatitis C virus and is already in clinical trials for this indication, the researchers hope that it could also become available as a treatment option against the hepatitis E virus in the foreseeable future. They report their findings in the journal “Gut” on March 6, 2026.

Animal studies have shown that some cartilage cells can transition to a bone-like phenotype, challenging the belief that bone cells arise solely from stem cells in the bone marrow and growth plate. However, the molecular mechanisms driving this process remain unclear. Researchers have now developed in vitro and in vivo models of bone formation that enable tracking of cartilage-to-bone transition, providing new insights into the mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in cartilage-derived bone formation.

Coral reef health is being threatened by climate change and human activity. A group of researchers recently developed an acoustic assay that tracks the number of photosynthetic oxygen bubbles created by a coral reef to help determine the photosynthetic rate and health of the ecosystem.

Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed CarGAP, a groundbreaking chemo-optogenetic tool that uses vitamin B₁₂ and green light to precisely control gap junctions, the microscopic channels enabling direct cell-to-cell communication. This innovation allows on-demand closing and opening of these intercellular bridges, providing unprecedented spatiotemporal control over vital molecules and electrical signals. Demonstrated in both mammalian cells and living fruit flies, CarGAP provides a powerful new way to study development, immunity, and neural activity, with far-reaching potential for understanding disease mechanisms and advancing regenerative medicine.

A randomized crossover pilot study conducted by researchers at the University of Sherbrooke and the Research Centre on Aging in Quebec, Canada, investigated whether moderate-to-high-intensity aerobic exercise performed the day before chemotherapy could influence cancer-related fatigue and active versus sedentary behaviors in the days following treatment. The study, published in Translational Exercise Biomedicine (ISSN: 2942-6812), an official partner journal of International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), provides preliminary evidence that pre-chemotherapy exercise is safe and may offer modest benefits for fatigue management.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is pleased to announce that Chun Li, PhD, professor of chemistry in the Department of Cancer Systems Imaging at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, has been selected as the recipient of a $100,000 Drs. Jane & Abass Alavi Mars Shot Research Award from the 2026 Mars Shot Fund. The Alavi Mars Shot Award is focused on advancing imaging research in infection and inflammation, and Li's grant was awarded based on his proposal, "Imaging vascular inflammation and response to therapy in atherosclerotic coronary artery disease."

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is pleased to announce that Ansel Hillmer, PhD, associate professor of radiology, and Eric Webb, PhD, research investigator, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor have been selected as the recipients of a $100,000 Drs. Jane & Abass Alavi Mars Shot Research Award from the 2026 Mars Shot Fund. The Alavi Mars Shot Award is focused on advancing imaging research in infection and inflammation, and Hillmer and Webb s grant was awarded based on his proposal, "Molecular imaging of brain inflammation in Alzheimer s disease: Targeting the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor."