EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jul-2025 00:11 ET (22-Jul-2025 04:11 GMT/UTC)

Designer microbe shows promise for reducing mercury absorption from seafood

University of California - Los Angeles
Peer-Reviewed Publication

UCLA and UCSD scientists inserted DNA-encoding methylmercury detoxification enzymes into the genome of an abundant human gut bacterium. The engineered bacterium detoxified methylmercury in the gut of mice and dramatically reduced the amount that reached other tissues, such as the brain and liver. Mice given an oral probiotic containing the engineered microbe and fed a diet high in bluefin tuna had much lower methylmercury levels than expected, suggesting that a probiotic might eventually make it safer for people to consume fish. Researchers performed the tests using pregnant mice and found lower levels of methylmercury in both maternal and fetal tissues, and lower signs of mercury toxicity in the fetal brain.

Journal: Cell Host & Microbe

Sex- and race-specific prevalence of hearing loss across the adult lifespan and associated factors

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: The prevalence and degree of hearing loss were highest among white male individuals and lowest among Black female individuals in this cohort study of 1,787 adults. Some factors associated with hearing loss, including noise exposure, differed across sex-specific and race-specific groups. Hearing loss is an important public health concern that could be addressed through tailored interventions to reduce its risk across populations.

Journal: JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

University of Minnesota receives $500,000 gift for rare disease research

University of Minnesota Medical School
Grant and Award Announcement

The University of Minnesota and M Health Fairview’s Rare Disease Center of Excellence recently received $500,000 from the Wasie Foundation to support rare disease research and patients.

Funder: Wasie Foundation

AI chatbots can help pregnant women with opioid use disorder, new study finds

University of Missouri-Columbia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

For expectant mothers struggling with opioid use disorder, the stigma surrounding addiction can make it difficult to seek help.

Drew Herbert, a doctoral student at the University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing and a full-time nurse who has experience treating people with the disorder, has seen this firsthand.

Journal: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

Seven stroke advocates recognized nationwide for resilience and community impact

American Heart Association
Grant and Award Announcement

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke[1], one of the leading causes of serious, long-term disability. To spotlight the courage and dedication of those impacted by stroke, the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, is honoring seven nationwide recipients through its annual Stroke Hero Awards.

JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies invites submissions on advancing telerehabilitation research and innovation

JMIR Publications
Business Announcement

JMIR Publications invites submissions to a new theme issue titled “The Importance of Telerehabilitation and Future Directions for the Field” in its open access journal JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies.

Dr. Adithya Hari joins Pennington Biomedical as physician/nuclear oncologist, adds to center’s strategic expansion of cancer metabolism program

Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Business Announcement

Pennington Biomedical Research Center is pleased to announce the arrival of Dr. Adithya Hari, MD, as Assistant Professor and Physician/Nuclear Oncologist in the Division of Clinical Science, effective April 21. Dr. Hari’s recruitment represents a strategic expansion of Pennington Biomedical’s research capacity in cancer metabolism and nuclear medicine and was a collaborative effort involving Pennington Biomedical partners Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Louisiana Cancer Research Center, and LSU Health New Orleans.