An international team of scientists, co-led by researchers at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Florida, has cracked a decades-old mystery in human biology: how our bodies absorb a micronutrient that we rely on for everything from healthy brain function to guarding against cancer. Queuosine, a microscopic molecule first discovered in the 1970s, is a vitamin-like micronutrient that we can't make ourselves but can only get from food and our gut bacteria. It’s vital to our health, yet its importance went unnoticed for decades. Now, in a study published this week in leading international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers have discovered the gene that allows queuosine to enter the cells, a discovery that opens the door for potential therapies to be created to leverage the micronutrient’s role in cancer suppression, memory and how the brain learns new information. 

Most treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD) only slow disease progression. Early intervention for the neurological disease that worsens over time is therefore critical to optimize care, but that requires early diagnosis. Current tests, like clinical rating scales and neural imaging, can be subjective and costly. Now, researchers in ACS’ Analytical Chemistry report the initial development of a system that inexpensively screens for PD from the odors in a person’s ear wax.

Young children who struggle to control their emotions and behaviour have more symptoms of anxiety and depression as teenagers, a study says.

DEBRA Research gGmbH, a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research and drug development for those affected by Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), today launches a call for Basic Science and Research Grants. This funding opportunity supports high-quality, original research projects focused on inherited forms of EB. DEBRA Research invites applications from researchers committed to driving meaningful scientific and clinical progress that can improve the quality of life for those living with this devastating genetic condition.

A study followed the paths of mothers with perinatal depression. It concluded that high sensitivity to internal and external stimuli can increase the risk of depression, while partner support during pregnancy has a protective effect.