For many, fitness trackers have become indispensable tools for monitoring how many calories they’ve burned in a day. But for those living with obesity, who are known to exhibit differences in walking gait, speed, energy burned and more, these devices often inaccurately measure activity — until now. 

Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a new algorithm that enables smartwatches to more accurately monitor the calories burned by people with obesity during various physical activities.

HSV-1 literally reshapes the human genome within one hour of infection. Using advanced imaging techniques, researchers watched the cold-sore virus drag its genome into contact with active human genes and collapse chromatin to 30% of its normal volume. The viral invasion hinges on the host enzyme topoisomerase I. Blocking it in culture prevented any new viral particles, suggesting a new therapeutic strategy. The work reveals a previously unknown 3-D hijack mechanism and flags a druggable weak spot to address a growing a public health burden that affects almost 4 billion people worldwide.

Altum Sequencing, a start-up supported by the C3N-IA Science Park at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and specialized in oncology, has developed a tool to monitor treatment response in patients with solid tumours from a simple blood sample. This advance could represent a turning point in post-treatment follow-up. 

The Genome of Europe (GoE) has launched a public awareness survey across five European countries (Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal, and Slovenia) to assess citizens' understanding and attitudes towards genetics and genomics-based personalized medicine. The survey is part of a wider scientific and societal effort to ensure that all Europeans can benefit from the promises of modern genomic medicine.

Exposure to alcohol during the first weeks of embryonic development changes gene activity and cellular metabolism. In laboratory cultures, it was found that the first cells of the nervous system are the most sensitive to alcohol. This supports the current recommendation to abstain from alcohol already when planning a pregnancy.

A team of researchers from Toho University has uncovered a potential new use for a naturally occurring compound, schisandrin A, found in the traditional Chinese medicinal plant Schisandra chinensis. The study, recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, demonstrates that schisandrin A can effectively relax pig coronary arteries, potentially paving the way for new treatments to prevent heart attacks caused by vascular spasms.