Long COVID inflicts deep scars on the lungs, but targeting specific immune cells could reverse damage − new research in mice

Researchers developed a new mouse model that replicates long COVID-19 more accurately than current models. Their findings could lead to new treatments.

Harish Narasimhan, Ph.D. Candidate in Immunology, University of Virginia • conversation
Sept. 4, 2024 ~5 min

Got an unaffordable or incorrect medical bill? Calling your hospital billing office will usually get you a discount

Researchers found that nearly 74% of patients who reached out about a billing mistake received bill corrections. For those who negotiated their bills, nearly 62% saw a price drop.

Erin Duffy, Research Scientist and Director of Research Training in Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California • conversation
Aug. 30, 2024 ~6 min


2 solar probes are helping researchers understand what phenomenon powers the solar wind

For years, researchers have wondered what energy source allows the solar wind − a projection of charged particles from the Sun − to rush by at hundreds of miles a second.

Samuel Badman, Researcher in Astrophysics, Smithsonian Institution • conversation
Aug. 29, 2024 ~8 min

Mitochondria keep your brain cells alive − helping them run smoothly may protect against Parkinson’s disease

As the powerhouse of the cell, mitochondria lie at the intersection of many essential biochemical pathways. When they go awry, neurodegenerative diseases can result.

Kim Tieu, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
Aug. 29, 2024 ~6 min

Drinking alcohol before conceiving a child could accelerate their aging – new research in mice

Researchers are uncovering the ways by which dad, mom or both parents drinking can result in fetal alcohol syndrome and other lifelong effects on children.

Michael Golding, Professor of Physiology, Texas A&M University • conversation
Aug. 28, 2024 ~6 min

Ancient viral genomes preserved in glaciers reveal the history of Earth’s climate – and how viruses adapt to climate change

From ice cores extracted from the Tibetan Plateau, scientists recovered the equivalent of 1,705 virus species. Reading their genomes tells the story of 41,000 years of climate change.

Virginia Rich, Associate Professor of Microbiology, The Ohio State University • conversation
Aug. 26, 2024 ~6 min

What links aging and disease? A growing body of research says it’s a faulty metabolism

Targeting the key players that help your body regulate metabolism could reverse disease progression, including cognitive decline related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Melanie R. McReynolds, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Penn State • conversation
Aug. 22, 2024 ~7 min

Banana apocalypse, part 2 – a genomicist explains the tricky genetics of the fungus devastating bananas worldwide

Fusarium oxysporum can infect over 120 plant species. Whether it destroys Cavendish bananas as it did their predecessor depends on the agricultural industry and consumers.

Li-Jun Ma, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UMass Amherst • conversation
Aug. 16, 2024 ~6 min


Hispanic women are less likely to get PrEP treatment − new intervention could change that

Despite higher than average rates of HIV infection, Hispanic women have relatively low awareness of PrEP, an effective HIV-prevention medication.

Rosina Cianelli, Professor of Nursing, University of Miami • conversation
Aug. 15, 2024 ~5 min

Dementia risk factors identified in new global report are all preventable – addressing them could reduce dementia rates by 45%

Worldwide, the number of people with dementia is set to dramatically rise in the next 25 years. But a new report shows it doesn’t have to happen.

Laura Gitlin, Dean Emerita and Distinguished Professor of Nursing and Health, Drexel University • conversation
Aug. 12, 2024 ~6 min

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