Cedars-Sinai investigators have discovered a healing mechanism that could one day be harnessed to help treat patients with spinal cord injuries, stroke, and neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Their study, published in Nature, describes a previously unknown function of astrocytes, a type of cell in the central nervous system. “Astrocytes are critical responders to disease and disorders of the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord,” said neuroscientist Joshua Burda, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences ...

New research has mapped the cell types that specialise to form reproductive organs in both sexes, identifying key genes and signals that drive this process. The findings offer important insights into conditions affecting the reproductive organs, and how environmental chemicals may affect reproductive health. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) used a combination of single-cell and spatial genomics technologies to analyse over half a million individual human cells from the developing reproductive system.  Published today (17 December) in Nature, the study provides the most ...

Tokyo, Japan – Discovering new inorganic materials is central to advancing technologies in catalysis, energy storage, semiconductors, and more. But finding a material with just the right properties is extremely difficult. What if an AI system could think like a human expert, explore this enormous space automatically, and suggest promising new materials on its own? In a study published this month in Cell Reports Physical Science, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo announced the development of MatAgent, an AI framework ...

Gut bacteria evolve rapidly in response to different diets, UCLA evolutionary biologists report in a new study. The researchers found that gene variants that help microbes digest starches found in ultra-processed foods have “swept” the genomes of some species of gut bacteria in industrialized parts of the world. Because these starches are industrially produced and have only been around for a few decades, scientists believe natural selection must have been acting strongly to make these genes dominant so quickly. What’s ...

Cedars-Sinai investigators, leading a multi-institutional team, have developed and validated a tool to predict which patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) need closer monitoring because their cancer is more likely to recur. The findings, published in JAMA Surgery, provide a framework to better manage ongoing follow-up care of patients whose cancer has not spread to their lymph nodes and who have had their tumors surgically removed. “We now have a way to identify patients whose higher risk of recurrence may have ...

A McGill-led study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson’s disease treatments.  Published in Nature Neuroscience, the research found dopamine does not set the speed or force of each movement, as had been thought. Instead, it appears to act as the underlying support system that makes movement possible.  “Our findings suggest we should rethink dopamine’s role in movement,” said senior author Nicolas Tritsch, Assistant Professor in McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and researcher at the Douglas Research Centre. “Restoring ...

A new study shows that the embryo and the uterine lining conduct an active “conversation” from the very earliest stages of implantation. They engage in a back and forth of tiny packages called extracellular vesicles and lipid droplets, which carry metabolites and signals. Hormones determine what the uterus sends, and one signalling pathway (related to aryl hydrocarbon receptor, [AhR]) appears to assist in determining how hospitable the uterine environment is. When this pathway is blocked, embryos attach more strongly. These packages are taken up quickly; ...

Correction, December 16, 2025: An earlier version of this news release incorrectly stated investigators found a 218% increase in visits for general illness. The correct statistic, based on the study, is 118%.  An unusually high number of people developed a heart attack, lung complication or general illness within 90 days after the start of the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles, a new study from Cedars-Sinai reports.  “Wildfires that spread into urban areas have proven to be extremely ...

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed an acid-resistant “ultra-stable mucus-inspired hydrogel” (UMIH), marking a breakthrough in the field of gastrointestinal medicine. Traditional hydrogels—gelatin-like materials that absorb and retain water—are widely used to aid wound healing and extend drug release. However, they usually break down in acidic environments like the stomach. Inspired by the natural properties of gastric mucus, a PolyU research team has developed UMIH, a hydrogel that adheres 15 times more strongly than conventional gastric mucosal protectants, showing considerable potential for wound repair and targeted drug delivery ...

Highlights: Bacteria and yeasts shape the taste and structure of sourdough. A new study connects the choice of flour to those microbial communities. Researchers found that the same yeast shows up, no matter the flour type, but bacterial taxa have more diversity. The findings connect flour choice, environmental variables and the resulting microbial community. Washington, D.C.—Sourdough starter, a fermented mix of flour and water, is a staple for bakers. It’s also a rich experimental testing ground for microbiologists. The bread’s chewy texture ...

LOS ANGELES — Age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans 65 and older, is a progressive disease affecting central vision. Over time, faces, book pages and anything directly in front of a person become obscured by blurry, dark or blind spots. Now, a novel clinical trial offers hope for patients with advanced “dry” age-related macular degeneration. Dry age-related macular degeneration is the most common form of the disease. Researchers at the USC Roski Eye Institute, part of Keck Medicine of USC, are launching a phase 2b clinical trial examining if stem cells ...

As global populations continue to grow, so does the need for nutritious food and efficient manufacturing processes. Current food production practices generate side streams that could be recycled. Researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry fed the side streams of carrot production to fungi, generating a sustainable source of protein. They incorporated the new protein into proof-of-concept vegan patties and sausages that testers ranked as tastier than food made from plant-based proteins. ““This ...

New ultrasound technology developed at Johns Hopkins can distinguish fluid from solid breast masses with near perfect accuracy, an advance that could save patients, especially those with dense breast tissue, from unnecessary follow-up exams, painful procedures and anxiety. In initial tests with real patients, doctors working with the new method accurately identified masses 96% of the time—they were right just 67% of the time analyzing the same masses with their regular tools. “This is important because the benefits of ultrasound in breast cancer detection can be limited by the similar appearance of benign fluid masses and solid masses, which can be ...

What if instead of taking a water or soil sample to the lab, you could take the lab to the sample? That’s what a team of researchers reporting in ACS Sensors did with a new nitrate-monitoring “lab-on-a-drone” system. The drone allows for easy, real-time water sampling and analysis in hard-to-reach areas like steep ditches or swampy lowlands. The technology could help farmers optimize their fertilizer use and prevent waterway pollution from excess nitrate runoff. Nitrogen-containing fertilizer is an important component of modern agriculture, but most of it gets carried away from fields by water drainage systems. A good portion of ...

In modern society, physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have become common issues globally. This trend is also growing among children, raising concerns for their mental and physical health. Sedentary behavior in children can affect the development of executive function (EF), higher-order cognitive processes that govern goal-oriented behavior and self-control, necessary for daily life. Strong EF during childhood forms the foundation for self-regulation and social functioning, academic achievement, and emotional well-being throughout childhood and adolescence. Previous studies have shown that both acute and chronic exercises can enhance EF. While ...

As the demand for renewable energy grows, scientists are developing new types of solar cells that are both highly efficient and scalable. The back-contact perovskite solar cell (BC-PSC) is one such innovative architecture, emerging as a promising alternative to traditional front-contact designs. In conventional perovskite solar cells, the electrode contacts and charge transport materials are placed on front of the device – the surface that faces the sun. Because incoming light must first pass through these ...

Hydroquinone has long been used as the gold standard treatment for hyperpigmentation, yet despite its effectiveness, it has been associated with a severe adverse reaction known as exogenous ochronosis, where blue-black discoloration develops after long-term topical use. For decades, this condition was believed to occur through the same mechanism as endogenous ochronosis seen in alkaptonuria, a genetic disorder caused by mutations in homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) that lead to the accumulation of homogentisic acid. However, a new international collaborative study made available online on ...

December 17, 2025   UMass Amherst Chemists Develop Unique Tool for Studying RNA Fluorescent method is best yet for observing the mysteries of RNA inside the cell, in real time and in color   AMHERST, Mass. — An innovative three-color method for capturing images of mRNA inside live mammalian cells has been developed by UMass Amherst chemists. Because RNA is both incredibly important to human life and health and poorly understood, the ability to tag disparate RNA with different colors and watch them, in real time, as they do their ...

From work meetings to first dates, it’s essential to adjust our behavior for success. In certain situations, it can even be a matter of life or death. So how do we switch our behavior when situations change? Published in Nature Communications, neuroscientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) describe the neural basis of behavioral flexibility in mice, with insights which may help us understand a wide variety of diseases and disorders, from addiction to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) to Parkinson’s disease.  “The brain mechanisms behind changing ...

In brief:   How the brain tracks distance: MPFI scientists identified how hippocampal neurons encode distance traveled without relying on visual cues.   A new neural code: Neuronal activity patterns act as a two-phase code to mark movement onset and track elapsed distance.  Why it matters: These patterns may help the brain stitch moment-to-moment experiences into a memory of an event.  Alzheimer’s relevance: The work may offer insight into early navigation problems commonly ...

Patients with depression are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and a new study suggests that stress may help explain why. Research from Mass General Brigham suggests that this increased risk is driven by stress-related brain activity, nervous system dysregulation, and chronic inflammation. They also found that patients with both depression and anxiety were at even higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those diagnosed with just one condition. The findings, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, suggest that stress reduction and related therapeutic targets hold potential ...

A new study presents robust evidence on the role of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers discovered that LPCs—compounds that transport a variety of healthy fatty acids to the brain—either promote Alzheimer’s or protect against it, depending on a person’s genetics. Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons led the study with collaborators in the ...

One of the main proteins that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease is called phospho-tau (p-tau). When p-tau gets too many phosphate groups attached to it (a process called hyperphosphorylation), it starts to stick together and form clumps called “tangles” inside of brain nerve cells. A new study from Mass General Brigham investigators shows that tau hyperphosphorylation may be a consequence of an antiviral response that protects the brain from infection. Results are published in Nature Neuroscience. “As a geneticist, I always wondered why humans had evolved ...

Researchers have developed a new “color-coded” genetic method that makes it easy to distinguish male and female mosquitoes. This innovation can help solve a major bottleneck in mosquito control strategies that rely on releasing only sterile males. The approach uses gene editing to produce dark males and pale females, offering a practical and safer alternative to current sex-separation techniques. A new study led by Doron Zaada and Prof. Philippos Papathanos from the Department of Entomology at Hebrew University, introduces a powerful genetic approach for separating male and female mosquitoes, an essential step for ...

A research team at Duke University has developed a new AI framework that can uncover simple, understandable rules that govern some of the most complex dynamics found in nature and technology. The AI system works much like how history’s great “dynamicists” – those who study systems that change over time – discovered many laws of physics that govern such systems’ behaviors. Similar to how Newton, the first dynamicist, derived the equations that connect force and movement, the ...