https://www.bioworld.com/rss en-us Schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BP), major depression (MDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are serious mental illnesses (SMIs) that affect a significant proportion of the worldwide population. Large genome-wide association studies have pointed to overlapping genetics including both common and rare variants as cause of these SMIs. A recent study published on June 16, 2026, in Genomic Psychiatry has shed some light regarding the etiology of SMIs. Genomic Psychiatry has shed some light regarding the etiology of SMIs.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/732007 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/732007-family-genomics-reveals-shared-roots-of-mental-illness Concept art for genetic diversity. On the eve of the June 17 Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) meeting, which will discuss Moderna Inc.’s mRNA-1010, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have reported that the vaccine conferred broader and more durable protection than a standard flu shot. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731989 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731989-mrna-flu-vaccine-can-activate-broad-germinal-center-response mRNA vaccines are composed of messenger RNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles Treatment with first-generation CAR T cells regularly sent patients to the intensive care unit. Now, investigators are envisioning a future where CAR T treatment could occur on an outpatient basis. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731988 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731988-viva-in-vivo-at-eha-in-vivo-car-t-data-continues-to-impress CAR T and red blood cells Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), where few blood stem cells produce a significant fraction of mature blood cells that are genetically identical, is partly an inevitable feature of aging. Certainly, it is near universal in those older than 60. CH is not itself a disease, but 1%-2% of CH cases progress to acute myeloid leukemia, and it raises the risk of some other types of cancer as well. A total of eight genes are responsible for 95% of CH cases, George Vassiliou told the audience in Saturday’s plenary session at the 2026 Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA 2026). http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731978 Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731978-for-clonal-hematopoiesis-epigenetics-can-be-in-drivers-seat Red blood cells, DNA Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist used in diabetes and obesity, could alleviate depression through a pathway that does not depend on the GLP-1 receptor but instead on the gut microbiota, since the treatment increases the presence of the bacterium Lactobacillus delbrueckii. Lactobacillus delbrueckii. ]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731977 Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731977-microbiota-modulates-the-antidepressant-effects-of-glp-1-analogues Illustration of Lactobacillus Lactobacillus Treatment with first-generation CAR T cells regularly sent patients to the intensive care unit. Now, investigators are envisioning a future where CAR T treatment could occur on an outpatient basis. At Sunday’s late-breaking oral session of the 2026 Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA2026), Lei Fan told his audience that the first-in-human data “support further development of LB-2501 as a potential first-in-class, off-the-shelf, single infusion, no lymphodepletion, outpatient use CAR T therapy.” Fan is a professor of hematology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731976 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731976-viva-in-vivo-at-eha-in-vivo-car-t-data-continues-to-impress CAR T and red blood cells In the most simplistic view, adult cancers occur because “immature cells are exposed to mutagens, accumulate mutations, and across life ultimately transform into cancer cells,” Franck Bourdeaut told his audience at the 2026 Annual Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA 2026). “On the contrary, in pediatric cancers, it is assumed that very few mutations are responsible for a maturation block, make these cells derail from their normal differentiation trajectory and ultimately result in an early onset typical pediatric cancer.” http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731957 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731957-eha-2026-with-new-lenses-a-changing-view-on-pediatric-cancers Genome sequence map Former principal officers of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) have hit back at the association’s board and CEO after it prohibited the distribution of an editorial published in its flagship journal Diabetes Care at the ADA’s meeting in New Orleans last Friday. Diabetes Care at the ADA’s meeting in New Orleans last Friday.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731723 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731723-researchers-hit-back-after-colleagues-removed-from-ada-meeting Hands holding paper Scientists at Columbia University have used base editing to make precise changes in the genomes of human embryos, avoiding the damage to chromosomes that occurs following two-stranded DNA cuts with conventional Crispr-Cas9 editing. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731708 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731708-columbia-researchers-use-base-editing-to-modify-human-embryo-genome DNA double helix under a magnifying glass Researchers have identified a 14-protein blood signature that can predict lung cancer risk as much as five years before diagnosis, and the findings could help identify people who could benefit from preventive drugs. Published in Cell, the study was a collaboration between the Francis Crick Institute and University College London. It was co-led by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute laboratory head Clare Weeden, who conducted the research while at the Crick. Cell, the study was a collaboration between the Francis Crick Institute and University College London. It was co-led by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute laboratory head Clare Weeden, who conducted the research while at the Crick.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731757 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731757-pre-disease-plasma-signature-may-help-redefine-lung-cancer-risk Blood sample tubes after centrifuge Modulating G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is one of the major challenges in biomedicine. These are flexible proteins with small, deep binding pockets. The scientific community has explored small molecules, antibodies and nanobodies to develop ligands. Skape Bio Inc. is betting on creating miniproteins, a strategy that brings precise solutions for different functions. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731737 Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731737-skape-bio-unlocks-gpcr-targets-with-de-novo-designed-miniproteins 3D rendering of β2-Adrenergic receptor GPCR protein molecule embedded in lipid bilayer membrane. β2-Adrenergic receptor GPCR protein molecule embedded in lipid bilayer membrane. TRIM21, an enzyme involved in intracellular substrate degradation, can recognize viruses and bacteria that enter the cytosol when they are coated with antibodies. Just as it tags complex molecules for elimination, it can direct these infectious microorganisms to lysosomes through a mechanism its discoverers have termed antibody-directed xenophagy (ADX). Scientists at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge, U.K., have identified the genes involved in this antibody-dependent degradation pathway, which acts as an antimicrobial process, and reported their findings in Molecular Cell on June 4, 2026. Molecular Cell on June 4, 2026.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731671 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731671-trim21-marks-viruses-and-bacteria-for-degradation-via-autophagy 3D illustration showing fusion of lysosome with autophagosome containing microbes and molecules Autophagy The microbiome and a frontline innate antimicrobial sensor, Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5), play an essential role in the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A scientific collaboration led by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has revealed how TLR5 protects against fibrosis through its ability to modulate the lung microbiome. Their study also shows that activating TLR5 protects against fibrosis and corrects pulmonary dysbiosis. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731651 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731651-innate-immunity-and-microbiome-allied-against-pulmonary-fibrosis Illustration of therapies for lung diseases Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple loci associated with complex diseases, but these are mostly on regulatory genes in the non-coding part of the genome and it has proved difficult to identify the effector genes that they control. Now, researchers in the U.K. have shown how single cell sequencing at scale can be used to precisely link non-coding GWAS loci to specific protein coding genes and cell types. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731544 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731544-technique-links-non-coding-mutations-to-disease-genes-they-regulate Gastrointestinal system with DNA, scientific background Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represents a public health threat that can lead to serious problems, such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in children in up to 10%-15% of cases. Antibiotics that normally combat diarrhea are not recommended for STEC infections and patients are usually treated only for symptomatology. Now, French researchers from Eligo Bioscience SA and their collaborators have published a paper on a CRISPR-based antimicrobial approach, EB-003. Escherichia coli (STEC) represents a public health threat that can lead to serious problems, such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in children in up to 10%-15% of cases. Antibiotics that normally combat diarrhea are not recommended for STEC infections and patients are usually treated only for symptomatology. Now, French researchers from Eligo Bioscience SA and their collaborators have published a paper on a CRISPR-based antimicrobial approach, EB-003.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731670 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731670-crispr-based-approach-fights-pathogenic-eme-coli-em Illustration of E. coli with window showing DNA E.coli. Credit: Thom Leach. License: CC by SA Several presentations at EASL highlight a new generation of therapies coming into view, with the work from Tune Therapeutics Inc. standing out as one of the most relevant for the novelty it represents and the step forward it signals. The company is investigating the use of TUNE-401 as a potential treatment for hepatitis B. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731576 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731576-easl-spotlight-tune-401-advances-epigenetic-silencing-in-hbv Hepatitis B virus rendering Hepatitis B virus. Credit: NIAID, CC BY 2.0. At the recently concluded European Association for the Study of the Liver meeting, presentations underscored how increasingly granular insights into liver pathobiology are driving the rapid identification of new druggable targets across diverse indications. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731553 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731553-easl-2026-emerging-liver-disease-targets-to-watch Liver over digital lens background The human pancreas often contains lesions that are common in the population and that, although they can become malignant, usually do not. To understand when this occurs and how these pancreatic cancer precursor lesions, known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanIN), evolve, scientists at the University of Michigan analyzed their gene expression patterns and their cellular microenvironment. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731491 Fri, 29 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731491-pancreatic-lesions-show-cancer-traits-but-lack-stromal-support Immunofluorescence image of human donor pancreas with a precursor lesion lined by epithelial cells surrounded by fibroblasts. Immunofluorescence image of human donor pancreas with a precursor lesion lined by epithelial cells surrounded by fibroblasts. Credit: Pasca Lab Recent findings are reshaping current understanding of the post-infection landscape of SARS-CoV-2. Although previous studies had already suggested that autoimmunity might underlie the persistent neurological symptoms seen in long COVID, researchers at Yale University and Mount Sinai now reinforce this hypothesis. SARS-CoV-2 infection appears to trigger an autoimmune mechanism that drives chronic pain, fatigue and cognitive impairment in some patients. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731473 Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731473-new-evidence-links-autoimmunity-to-long-covid-symptoms Illustration of antibodies and viral infection With a historic WHO resolution adopted this week giving countries, for the first time, a mandate to address liver disease affecting 1.5 billion people worldwide, this momentum is strongly reflected at the ongoing European Association for the Study of the Liver 2026 congress in Barcelona. The mandate positions liver disease alongside cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes as a core global health priority. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731472 Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731472-easl-2026-rebuilding-the-liver-from-organoids-to-engineered-ducts Liver illustration Australian researchers have identified a previously overlooked population of immune cells in the skin that physically restrain melanoma growth by engulfing live melanoma cells, and the discovery could reshape thinking around macrophage-targeted cancer therapies and innate immunity in oncology. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731270 Tue, 26 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731270-researchers-identify-innate-immune-barrier-against-melanoma Microscopy of a cross-section of mouse skin containing melanoma tumors Microscopy of a cross-section of mouse skin containing melanoma tumors. CD169+ macrophages are shown in green and yellow, forming a distinct boundary as they attempt to locally contain the cancer. Credit: Phan Lab, Garvan Institute WAVES, an algorithm designed to extract menstrual-cycle metrics from physiological signals such as basal body temperature, which oscillates with sex hormones, shows how different parameters change with age and helps determine whether each person maintains a stable individual pattern or personal footprint. A study based on data from 5,674 cycles from 753 women demonstrates through this tool that age is associated with higher temperatures, shorter cycles, and greater irregularity. In addition, several metrics show within-person stability, suggesting they could serve as personalized health markers. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731248 Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731248-menstrual-footprints-may-act-as-broad-personal-health-markers Female uterus and ovaries on abstract scientific background Researchers at UCLA have shown that divergent neuronal signaling in fragile X mice converges on EPAC2, a druggable target whose inhibition restores circuit activity and alleviates core behavioral impairments. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731230 Thu, 21 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731230-unmasking-the-x-epac2-shifts-the-fragile-x-landscape Red dart and target against blue sky A new strategy aims to improve gene therapy for Pompe disease by optimizing both the genetic component that restores the function of a deficient lysosomal enzyme and the vector that delivers it to the target tissue while avoiding the liver. The findings suggest that combining an optimized transgene with a targeted capsid could significantly enhance the effectiveness of gene therapy for Pompe disease. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731174 Wed, 20 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731174-detargeted-targeted-gene-therapy-improves-activity-in-pompe Acid alpha-glucosidase molecular structure isolated on black There are real world demonstrations of how autonomous artificial intelligence agents are poised to disrupt biomedical research, according to two papers published May 19 in Nature. Each describes an AI system that assists across the piece, from generating hypotheses to designing experiments, analyzing the data and refining hypotheses in the light of new data. Nature. Each describes an AI system that assists across the piece, from generating hypotheses to designing experiments, analyzing the data and refining hypotheses in the light of new data.]]> http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731327 Tue, 19 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731327-artificial-intelligence-agents-get-ready-to-take-on-the-scientific-method AI Agent illustration On Sunday, May 17th, 2026, the World Health Organization classified the ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The rapid escalation to PHEIC is due to several factors. Given the high number of cases, the outbreak has likely been going undetected for some time, and may be a “much larger outbreak than what is currently being detected and reported, with significant local and regional risk of spread,” according to the WHO statement. The outbreak appears to already have crossed the border from the DRC into Uganda at least twice. And all this is happening with a virus for which there are no approved treatments or vaccines. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731311 Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731311-bundibugyo-is-harsh-reminder-of-need-for-broad-vaccine-strategies Virus and vaccine illustration Directed evolution has become a central pillar in gene therapy. This engineering strategy enables the generation of more efficient variants of genetic editors and delivery vectors. Molecular diversification methods are increasingly sophisticated and are now accelerated by machine learning and AI tools, as showcased at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) held in Boston this week. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731119 Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731119-asgct-2026-directed-evolution-in-gene-therapy DNA and genome editing illustration Gene therapies rely on vectors to reach the target tissue where they act, such as adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) or lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), among other delivery strategies. Each combination is optimized for a specific cell type and indication, aiming to overcome challenges such as efficacy, specificity and toxicity. On May 13, 2026, two sessions included in the scientific symposia of the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT), being held in Boston this week, addressed AAV-related toxicities, which have led to fatal cases in clinical trials and remain an area for improvement in approved therapies. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731091 Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731091-asgct-2026-uncovering-the-mechanisms-of-aav-toxicity 3D illustration of adeno-associated viruses Circular RNA (circRNA) is not a new concept, but it is a novel strategy in the field of gene and cell therapy. While mRNA vaccines have revolutionized medicine, this RNA fragment without free ends surpasses their performance in both efficacy and durability, bringing it to the attention of several pioneering companies. The latest advances in circRNA presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) clearly surpass the performance achieved with linear mRNA. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731268 Wed, 13 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731268-asgct-2026-circular-rna-the-new-beast-in-gene-and-cell-therapy Illustration of a glowing circle to represent circRNA A designed chimeric virus induced broadly neutralizing antibodies against the macaque equivalent of HIV. The strategy works in two steps: first it uses an envelope protein with a mutation that reduces the glycan shield that makes it invisible to the immune system, and then it exposes the part of the protein most likely to generate these antibodies capable of blocking many variants of the virus. The macaques developed potent and diverse antibodies with this approach, which pave the way for the development of an HIV-1 vaccine. http://www.bioworld.com/articles/731222 Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.bioworld.com/articles/731222-two-step-hiv-vaccine-induces-broadly-neutralizing-antibodies 3D illustration of enveloped HIV