Two studies published back to back in Nature have looked at the accumulation of mutations in blood-forming stem cells with age, gaining new insights into how the overall landscape of such cells changes across the lifespan. 

Researchers have uncovered a new pathway via which cancer cells evade the effects of radiation by deploying self-inflicted – but reversible – DNA breaks to stop the cell cycle and ensure their survival. The lesions are caused by caspase-activated DNase (CAD), an enzyme involved in DNA fragmentation during cell death. In response to radiation, tumor cells activate CAD, causing genome-wide DNA breaks at sites involved in DNA repair.

Screening a panel of potential autoantigens, investigators at the Karolinska Institute have identified four autoantigens that are targeted by the T cells of multiple sclerosis patients.

A new animal model of systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) could be useful for understanding the disparity of the disorder, which is vastly more common in women than men.

A research team led by neuroscientists and neurosurgeons from Paris-Saclay University have recently managed to demonstrate that electrical stimulation of the thalamus can restore consciousness when this has been impaired.

Perkinelmer Inc. said the Vega is a first-of-its-kind preclinical ultrasound system that will accelerate preclinical research and drug development studies of cancer, cardiovascular, liver, kidney and other diseases. The imaging platform combines hands-free automation with high-throughput capability, which the company said is a major advance over manual ultrasound scanning across the bodies of individual lab mice.

An interdisciplinary research team from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University has developed a portable testing device that can detect the COVID-19 virus within 40 minutes.

Investigators at Boston Children's Hospital have demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection of blood monocytes and lung macrophages in the lung could kill the cells via pyroptosis, increasing inflammation and leading to severe COVID-19.

A smart contacts lens that detects diabetes and treats diabetic retinopathy could provide patients with a more comfortable alternative to insulin shots and monitoring blood glucose levels. The product was developed by a research team at the Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) that includes Sei Kwang Hahn, the CEO of Seoul, South Korea-based Phi Biomed Co. Ltd.

By using roughly 400 data points, from molecular to physical fitness, researchers have gained new insights into how organs such as the heart vs. the skin, and systems such as the immune and metabolic systems, age at different rates within individuals.