General

After decades of attempts by the scientific community, researchers at Harvard Medical School and Peking University have provided the first clear look at a protein implicated in a vast array of inflammatory conditions. The finding, published in Nature, lifts a blindfold that has hampered scientists' ability to intervene when the […]

Whether we like it or not, digital devices are everywhere. Some of us can barely put them down, even when we’re with cherished family and friends. While these devices can enhance learning and build community, they can also interfere with everything from sleep to creativity. Pediatrician Michael Rich, wants to […]

For patients with Parkinson’s disease, early signs of a certain part of the brain being broken down has been shown to have a negative impact on the course of the disease. The results of a study which researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital are behind can potentially alter […]

Our immune system is programmed to destroy cancer cells. Sometimes it has trouble slowing disease progression because it doesn’t act quickly or strongly enough. In a study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) revealed the genetic signature of this […]

For some people with Parkinson’s disease, Levodopa is a wonder drug, capable of eliminating almost overnight the tremors and movement difficulties that characterize the neurodegenerative disorder. Other patients are not so lucky – the drug is either much less effective, or its power seems to wane after just a few […]

A pioneering new study led by Florida State University biologists could fundamentally change our understanding of how embryonic stem cells differentiate into specific cell types. The research, published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, calls into question decades of scientific consensus about the behavior of embryonic stem cells as they […]

For many pregnant women, a diagnosis of preeclampsia can come as a shock. While more common among women carrying multiples and those with chronic high blood pressure, the condition can occur in healthy women without any symptoms. Preeclampsia resolves after a mother gives birth, but women who have had preeclampsia […]

In a study published in the journal Nature, researchers identified 27 new genomic variants associated with conditions such as blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cigarette use and chronic kidney disease in diverse populations. The team collected data from 49,839 African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian, Native American and people who identified […]

University of Alberta-led research is revolutionizing the way health professionals assess the decision-making capacity of seniors in Edmonton and across the province. The model led to a 60 per cent drop in referrals to geriatricians and an 80 per cent drop in the number of capacity interviews required when it […]

Excessive napping may be an early warning sign of age-related cognitive decline in older men, according to a 12-year study by UC San Francisco scientists. The researchers used wrist-mounted sensors to track sleep–wake habits over five days in nearly 3,000 men over the age of 65 living in community housing […]

Researchers at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University have found a possible counterpunch to the drug resistance of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. The findings, published in the journal Molecular Carcinogenesis, are important because in the United States alone, almost 100,000 new melanoma cases will […]

Genetically engineered trees that provide fire-resistant lumber for homes. Modified organs that won’t be rejected. Synthetic microbes that monitor your gut to detect invading disease organisms and kill them before you get sick. These are just some of the exciting advances likely to emerge from the 20-year-old field of engineering […]