WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a highly sensitive light-based sensor that can detect extremely low concentrations of cancer biomarkers in the blood. The new technology could one day make it possible to spot early signs of cancer and other conditions using a simple blood test. Biomarkers such as proteins, DNA or other molecules can be used to reveal the presence, progression or risk of cancer and other diseases. However, one of the main challenges in early disease diagnosis is the extremely low concentration of biomarkers present at the onset. “Our sensor combines ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. — With a new MRI technique that shows both heart tissue and blood flow simultaneously, physicians can see where heart defects occur and precisely plan to repair them, according to new research published today in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in Pennsylvania have developed 3D volume rendering methods for cardiac MRI that display complex structures within the heart and show how blood moves through them, much like ultrasound images ...

Scientists have identified a pattern of gene activity present in some female survivors of childhood abuse that is associated with an elevated risk of depression. “We know childhood abuse increases the risk of depression at the population level, but at the individual level it’s much harder to predict who will actually develop the disorder,” said senior author Patricia Silveira, professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and researcher at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. “Our findings point to a biological mechanism that may help explain who is more at risk, at least in women.” This pattern ...

Researchers at McGill University and the United States Forest Service have found that plants living in areas where human activity has caused population crashes carry long-lasting genetic traces of that history, such as reduced genetic diversity. Because genetic diversity helps species adapt to climate change, disease and other stresses, the study suggests it is vital to consider a population’s history-influenced genetics alongside its size and habitat in conservation planning. “Two populations may look equally healthy on the surface, yet one may be far more vulnerable to future environmental change because it lacks genetic diversity and consists of individuals with ...

DALLAS, Feb. 12, 2026 — When a medical emergency happens, time matters and a quick response is needed[1]. During American Heart Month 2026, the National Fraternal Order of Police joins the American Heart Association in urging Americans everywhere to be the help until help arrives and learn how to respond in a medical emergency such as cardiac arrest – when providing help like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be the difference between life and death. For the fourth consecutive year, American Heart Month highlights the need to be prepared in an emergency and provide CPR because immediate action can change outcomes. In fact, providing ...

A new national study finds a concerning surge in teen “sexting,” which frequently exposes them to serious risks, including sextortion, coercion and privacy violations. Sexting involves sending or receiving sexually suggestive images or video, while sextortion is the threat to share explicit or intimate images without consent to pressure someone into providing more images, sexual favors, money or other demands. Sextortion is especially harmful for teens, who are still developing impulse control, risk assessment and emotional regulation. Using a national sample of 3,466 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years in the United States, researchers from Florida ...

Liver cirrhosis, the common endpoint of chronic liver disease, is characterized by diffuse fibrosis, pseudolobule formation, and vascular distortion. Its clinical spectrum ranges from asymptomatic early stages to advanced disease with severe complications like ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To address evolving clinical needs and integrate the latest evidence, the Chinese Society of Hepatology has updated the 2019 guidelines, renaming ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., February 12, 2026 - Insilico Medicine (3696.HK), a clinical-stage, generative AI-driven drug discovery company, today announced the launch of a new interactive webpage highlighting the Rentosertib story as featured in a recent Harvard Business School case study, providing a practical, public-facing overview of how AI can be applied across the drug discovery process. The Harvard Business School case, Insilico’s Rentosertib Dilemma: A Star in the Pipeline?, examines the development of Insilico’s lead asset, Rentosertib, which completed a Phase IIa clinical evaluation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The case describes Rentosertib as the world’s ...

As the world is moving towards more sustainable energy solutions, the emergence of next-generation batteries is a crucial and indispensable milestone. One such next-generation battery is the lithium-ion battery (LIB), which has been currently dominating the energy solutions sector. However, lithium is sparsely distributed across geographies, increasing extraction difficulties and battery production cost. Other next-generation batteries, such as sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (KIBs), are promising alternatives to LIBs, offering resource-unconstrained, cost-effective, and sustainable ...

NEWS EMBARGOED UNTIL 4:00 A.M. PACIFIC TIME THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 2026 NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO AVAILABLE Contact:      Carly Murphy                      949-501-1008                      murphyco@uci.edu   Public health researchers use newly developed data analysis method to build the first cell type-specific gene regulatory maps for Alzheimer’s disease, revealing the genetic mechanisms operating within patients’ brains. The study also identified ...

Cancer researchers working on immunotherapies have made a big discovery: SLAMF6, a molecule on the surface of immune cells that prevents T cells from effectively attacking tumours – and, in mice, they've found a way to neutralize it.  Led by Université de Montréal medical professor Dr. André Veillette, director of the molecular oncology research unit at the UdeM-affiliated Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), the breakthrough is detailed in a study published in Nature. An internal brake independent of tumor cells In their lab, Veillette and his team demonstrated that, ...

Artificial intelligence is increasingly able to simulate human behavior and answer online surveys and political polls, putting the reliability of survey-based research at risk. Consequences can be serious not only for science and research - online surveys are a cornerstone of modern social-science research - but also for policy and participation of people in democratic processes, as surveys are widely used in political polls. This is a worry expressed in a comment in Nature by three researchers ...

Ambitious climate action to improve global air quality could save up to 1.32 million lives per year by 2040, according to a new study. The research, led by Cardiff University, shows how developing countries rely heavily on international cooperation to see these benefits, because much of their pollution originates outside their borders. The first-of-its-kind study analysed these cross-border pollution “exchanges” for nearly every country – 168 in total. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, reveal how a fragmented world, with little collaborative climate mitigation policymaking, would lead ...

Kyoto, Japan -- The enzyme Na⁺-NQR is a sodium pump that drives the respiration of many marine and pathogenic bacteria. Using redox reactions, the process of exchanging electrons between materials, it powers the transportation of sodium ions across the membrane, supporting the growth of the bacteria. Yet there is a mystery behind this mechanism, as scientists have had trouble understanding exactly how the redox reactions are linked to sodium-pumping. In particular, the lack of structural information on the key intermediate states that form while the enzyme is operating has posed a major challenge; determining these structures is essential to understanding how the ...

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common chronic cardiac arrhythmia in clinical practice, is very challenging to treat once it becomes persistent, after which spontaneous return to normal rhythm becomes highly unlikely. A multidisciplinary study led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) and published in Circulation Research now provides a new perspective on why this arrhythmia can persist long-term, highlighting the key role of non-contractile cardiac cells. AF has traditionally been viewed as a purely electrical disorder of cardiomyocytes—the heart’s contractile cells. However, the ...

Ghent, 12 February 2026 – VIB and Ghent University researchers have identified and characterized a previously unknown cellular barrier in the brain, which sheds new light on how the brain is protected from the rest of the body. In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, the scientists also reveal a new pathway by which the immune system can impact the brain. Prof. Roosmarijn Vandenbroucke (VIB–UGent Center for Inflammation Research): “These findings reveal how vulnerable and protectable the brain is, opening new perspectives for more targeted interventions in brain disorders.” The ...

In rural regions of Africa, high blood pressure often goes untreated because health centres are far away and there is a shortage of health professionals. A study in Lesotho shows that, with the help of a tablet app, villagers who have received training achieve better blood pressure control in their village community compared to normal treatment in healthcare facilities. The results provide the first robust data for an approach that could significantly improve access to blood pressure treatment in underserved regions. ...

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine discovered a surprising new way the body can fight insulin resistance and diabetes – by boosting a special type of “good” immune cell in fat tissue. Announced today in Nature Communications, the preclinical findings pave the path to develop a medication to treat and prevent type 2 diabetes, potentially replacing or supplementing GLP-1 weight maintenance drugs that lose effectiveness over time. “One-third of our population is obese or overweight – over the next decade or so, ...

Hundreds of people with advanced bladder cancer across the UK can now receive three rather than six chemotherapy cycles following research by Queen Mary University of London which has led to a change to NHS treatment guidelines. For people with the condition, this means fewer toxic side effects and a better quality of life during treatment.   Until recently, people with advanced bladder cancer routinely received between four to six cycles of intensive chemotherapy, followed by avelumab, a type of immunotherapy, as standard NHS care. ...

Nighttime blood pressure dipped by 3.5%, heart rate dipped by 5% compared to controls Given high adherence rate (nearly 90%), novel approach may be a more accessible non-pharmacological strategy for improving cardiometabolic health ‘It’s not only how much and what you eat, but also when you eat relative to sleep that is important’ CHICAGO --- A new Northwestern Medicine study has personalized overnight fasting by aligning it with individuals’ circadian sleep-wake rhythm — an important regulator of cardiovascular and metabolic function — without changing their caloric ...

During 2026, new legislation – the result of an agreement between the UK Government and the European Union – is planned to come into force for recreational pollack fishing that limits catches to three fish per angler per day. It will result in more fish being released after they are caught, but new research has suggested changing how that release happens could have a marked difference on the fisheries’ long-term sustainability. Specifically, it suggests that releasing pollack closer to the depths they are normally caught could improve their chances of survival ...

February 12, 2026 - New research following US adolescents ages 11–12 shows that problematic use of mobile phones, social media, and video games was associated with higher risks of mental health problems, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behaviors one year later. The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, reveals that the links between problematic screen use and mental health are stronger than those previously reported for overall screen time and highlights the risks of addictive use. Screen use increases rapidly during early adolescence, ...

The National Science Foundation has awarded a UT San Antonio assistant professor of biology, health and the environment the distinguished Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award. The assistant professor, Matthew Troia, will use the award to investigate how climate change and urbanization are affecting freshwater ecosystems by enabling exotic tropical fish species to expand northward. “We hope our research will provide a deeper understanding of how biodiversity responds to increasing human impacts on the environment,” Troia said. “Our goal is to ...

Medieval Christians in Denmark showed off their wealth in death by buying prestigious graves: the closer to the church, the higher the price. Researchers used these gravesites to investigate social exclusion based on illness, by studying whether people with leprosy — a highly stigmatized disease culturally associated with sin — or tuberculosis were kept out of the higher-status areas. Unexpectedly, they found that people who were ill with stigmatized diseases were buried just as prominently as their peers.  “When we started this ...

Cognitive impairment, including decreased attention and memory, remains one of the most disabling aspects of schizophrenia, affecting social life of patients. However, no effective treatment has yet been established for it. Now, researchers have investigated the effect of adding brexpiprazole on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. The findings revealed that patients with schizophrenia receiving adjunctive brexpiprazole showed a meaningful improvement in information processing speed, without worsening psychiatric symptoms.   Schizophrenia ...