Chemical pollutants can change your skin bacteria and increase your eczema risk − new research explores how

From synthetic fabrics to car exhaust to wildfires, exposure to environmental pollutants push the skin microbiome to adapt in ways that reduce its ability to protect the skin.

Ian Myles, Chief, Epithelial Therapeutics Unit, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases • conversation
April 22, 2024 ~9 min

The tragedy of sudden unexpected infant deaths – and how bedsharing, maternal smoking and stomach sleeping all contribute

Rates of sudden unexpected infant deaths have not gone down significantly over the last 20 years, and in some racial groups the numbers are rising.

Fern R. Hauck, MD, MS, Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia • conversation
April 18, 2024 ~6 min


Drugs that aren’t antibiotics can also kill bacteria − new method pinpoints how

There are many ways to kill microbes that cause dangerous infections. Combining genetic screening with machine learning can help researchers identify new antimicrobials.

Mariana Noto Guillen, Ph.D. Candidate in Systems Biology, UMass Chan Medical School • conversation
April 16, 2024 ~7 min

Deepfake detection improves when using algorithms that are more aware of demographic diversity

New research found a way to both improve the accuracy of deepfake detection algorithms while also enhancing fairness.

Yan Ju, Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo • conversation
April 16, 2024 ~3 min

Personalized cancer treatments based on testing drugs quickly leads to faster treatment, better outcomes

Functional precision medicine works to take the guesswork out of deciding which drug to try next for patients with cancers that don’t respond to standard treatments.

Diana Azzam, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
April 11, 2024 ~7 min

Newly discovered genetic variant that causes Parkinson’s disease clarifies why the condition develops and how to halt it

No treatments are currently available to cure Parkinson’s disease. Better understanding the genetic foundation of this condition can help researchers find ways to slow or halt its progression.

Matthew Farrer, Professor of Neurology, University of Florida • conversation
April 10, 2024 ~10 min

Infections after surgery are more likely due to bacteria already on your skin than from microbes in the hospital − new research

Most infection prevention guidelines center on the hospital environment rather than the patient. But the source of antibiotic-resistant microbes is often from the patient’s own body.

Chloe Bryson-Cahn, Associate Professor of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Washington • conversation
April 10, 2024 ~9 min

Fossilized dinosaur eggshells can preserve amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, over millions of years

Calcite, the material making up fossilized eggshells, may preserve amino acids better than bone.

Evan Thomas Saitta, Postdoctoral Scholar in Paleontology, University of Chicago • conversation
April 9, 2024 ~9 min


Loneliness can kill, and new research shows middle-aged Americans are particularly vulnerable

The need to connect is fundamental. But diminishing social ties and community support are contributing to the loneliness epidemic.

Frank J. Infurna, Associate Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University • conversation
April 5, 2024 ~5 min

Many travel nurses opt for temporary assignments because of the autonomy and opportunities − not just the big boost in pay

A new study found that temporary assignments in new places reignited nurses’ passion to help others and helped them rediscover the meaningfulness of their work.

Ivan Gan, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, University of Houston-Downtown • conversation
March 29, 2024 ~4 min

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