Showing 678 results
It’s time to change how we think about electroshock therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy is more effective than ketamine at treating severe depression, according to a new meta-analysis.
CRISPR tool slashes bad cholesterol by 56% in monkeys
Tune Therapeutics has successfully lowered the cholesterol levels of monkeys using a version of CRISPR that doesn’t permanently alter DNA.
Moderna to develop mRNA vaccines for Ebola
Moderna is reportedly nearing a deal with the DoD to develop mRNA vaccines for biological threats like Ebola
DNA used to make the world’s tiniest “radio”
Scientists have created the world's smallest antenna, measuring only five nanometers in length. It is designed to decipher real-time changes in proteins and records and transmits data via light signals.
A chemical in grape seeds extends lives of mice by 9%
A chemical in grape seeds extended the lives of old mice, made young ones healthier, and helped chemo drugs shrink tumors in a new study.
Injectable gel repairs severe spinal cord injuries and enables mice to walk
An injectable gel that prevents scar formation and stimulates regeneration successfully repaired severe spinal cord injuries in mice.
Could switching off a neural “death response” slow aging?
A sensory mechanism that governs how quickly flies age may also have a corollary in people.
Psilocybin treatment relieves depression in largest trial yet
The largest psilocybin treatment trial to date suggests that the psychedelic drug can help people with treatment-resistant depression.
Psychosomatic illness: Are some diseases caused by our memories?
The brain appears to remember immune responses, and memories can trigger them to happen again.
In a first, scientists use AI to create brand new enzymes
In a scientific first, researchers have created brand new enzymes designed with the help of AI.
Blockchain experts are funding research that Big Pharma won't
Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) use smart contracts on blockchains to change how scientific research is funded and shared.
Skin grafts can now be 3D-printed to fit “like a glove”
Bioprinted skin grafts come in sheets, not the contours of the body. New research from Columbia envisions grafts which fit like a glove.
Ketamine therapy may help former drinkers stay abstinent
A new study has found evidence that ketamine, combined with therapy, can help people with alcohol addiction abstain longer.
CRISPR could create a one-shot treatment for HIV
Researchers have used gene editing to engineer HIV-fighting immune cells inside the bodies of mice.
Antiviral reduces COVID-19 hospitalizations by 87%
The FDA-approved antiviral drug remdesivir prevents high-risk people from ending up in the hospital, if given early.
There is now a blood test for anxiety disorders
A new blood test for anxiety may be able to help doctors diagnose patients and find effective treatments for them more quickly.
ISS experiment will 3D print a body part in microgravity
An International Space Station experiment to test 3D-printing in microgravity could help end the organ shortage on Earth.
AI could help cancer patients avoid a deadly recurrence
A new study found that AI can use a patient’s initial skin cancer growth to predict their risk of melanoma recurrence.
Already-approved ALS drug may help Alzheimer’s patients
A small phase 2 study has found evidence that ALS medication riluzole may have potential as a drug for Alzheimer’s.
Transhumanism: Savior of humanity or false prophecy?
While many of the technologies upon which transhumanists base their dream are real and world-changing, they have major limitations.
These are the next big breakthroughs in medicine
In partnership with Intuitive
These companies are working to change the future of health care.
Pfizer’s antiviral pill cuts COVID-19 hospitalization, death by 89%
Pfizer’s antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 89%, according to early results from a phase 2/3 trial.
One way to speed up clinical trials: Skip right to the data with electronic medical records
It takes around 17 years for medical research to translate into clinical practice — why not use EMR data to speed things up?
Male birth control pill to enter human trials in 2022
Clinical trials of a male birth control pill that was 99% effective at preventing pregnancy in mice are expected to launch in 2022.
What the Russian invasion means for clinical trials in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion has the potential to disrupt clinical trials in Ukraine, warns one of the many companies staging trials in the nation.
Aging is complicated – a biologist explains why no two people or cells age the same way
While some people may be older in chronological age, their biological age might be much younger. A biologist explains why.
Shape-shifting DNA is helping researchers decode the human brain
Researcher Nako Nakatsuka has turned to DNA to tackle an important challenge: how do we measure chemicals in the brain?
Merck is making its COVID-19 antiviral pill more affordable to low-income countries
Drug maker Merck has agreed to license a promising antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 to low- and middle-income countries for free.
Microbiome-safe method could head off Staph infection
A microbiome-friendly method of controlling Staph colonization has aced phase 2 clinical trials.
Psychedelics can change how you think about the universe
A new study finds that a single trip on a psychedelic can cause lasting changes in a person's metaphysical beliefs.
“BioDome” triggers near-complete limb regeneration in frogs
A new limb regeneration treatment allowed adult African clawed frogs to regrow near-complete functional legs following amputation.
Microbots in your blood could help destroy cancer
Shape-shifting, magnetic microbots could become assassins for cancer — destroying tumors without the usual collateral damage on the rest of the body.
FDA approves first drug to treat lymphoma in dogs
The FDA has approved a medication specifically designed to treat lymphoma in dogs, potentially helping extend the lives of thousands of pets.
New antibody therapy works for 73% of multiple myeloma patients
A new multiple myeloma therapy that uses an antibody to bring T cells to the cancer has shown efficacy in clinical trials.
A new therapy sends lupus into remission
Five patients in Germany had their lupus wiped out by CAR T-cell therapy.
This device can automatically detect and reverse opioid overdoses
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed an AI-powered wearable to detect, and reverse via naloxone injection, opioid overdoses.
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine is 86% effective at preventing severe illness
According to a huge phase 3 trial, Pfizer’s RSV vaccine is nearly 86% effective at preventing severe illness in older adults.
New antidepressant helps patients in just three days
Adding the new antidepressant zuranolone to standard treatments helped people with major depressive disorder feel better in less time.
FDA may soon allow pig organ transplant trials
With pig transplantation looking increasingly viable, the FDA may soon allow clinical trials of the technique to begin.
Antibody cocktail highly effective at preventing COVID-19
An antibody cocktail developed by biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca was highly effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections.
FDA authorizes updated COVID-19 boosters
The FDA has authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s updated COVID-19 boosters, which target the now-dominant Omicron subvariants.
Hope and controversy: FDA approves first new Alzheimer's drug in decades
The FDA has approved the first new Alzheimer’s drug in decades, but the decision brings not only hope, but controversy.
Horseshoe crabs are drained for their blue blood. That practice will soon be over.
One of humanity’s strangest and most macabre activities is slowly coming to an end, a trend that every horseshoe crab should celebrate.
Pill to treat COVID-19 cuts risk of hospitalization or death in half
A pill to treat COVID-19 that cut hospitalizations and deaths in half could become the first oral medication against the disease.
New epilepsy treatment could stop seizures in their tracks
A new epilepsy treatment that's delivered as a nasal spray may be able to prevent seizures or even interrupt them.
This high schooler created a drug discovery search engine
While looking for drugs to potentially fight Alzheimer’s, a high school researcher's AI did “comically” bad, until he thought of it as a search engine.
Top 4 biotech breakthroughs of 2021
New biotechnology breakthroughs took on viruses, parasites, and genetic diseases this year.
Scientists have discovered how to make almost any vaccine more potent
An approach called “rational vaccinology” could allow us to design more powerful vaccines, just by rearranging their ingredients.
Cryogenically frozen organs successfully transplanted into rats for the first time
Thanks to a new "nanowarming" technique, scientists have successfully transplanted cryogenically frozen organs into rats for the first time.
Researchers have 3D-printed an active tumor
Tel Aviv University researchers have 3D-printed an active glioblastoma tumor, potentially paving a way to better study the lethal brain cancer.
New antibody treatment against Omicron gets emergency approval
A new monoclonal antibody treatment effective against Omicron has received emergency authorization weeks after two others were banned.
Are near-death experiences just psychedelic trips?
One possible explanation of near death experiences is that our brains are flooded with a hallucinogenic, DMT.
Series|
Just Might Work
Is DMT the best new treatment for depression?
Psychedelic therapy could bring the ancient healing powers of drugs like DMT into mental health clinics.
One antibody stops all strains of COVID-19 from infecting cells
A newly discovered antibody can neutralize all strains of COVID-19 and every other sarbecovirus known to infect humans.
How natural “short sleepers” thrive on 4 hours of sleep per night
Natural "short sleepers" thrive on only four to six hours of sleep per night. Could their genetics explain why?
New treatment may prevent heart damage from COVID-19
An experimental drug that stopped the coronavirus from entering cells in heart organoids may be able to prevent heart damage from COVID-19.
Apple Watch now approved to track Parkinson’s symptoms
Apple Watch motion data will now be incorporated into Rune Labs’ StrivePD app, which tracks Parkinson’s symptoms.
UK tries cancer meds by drone
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is using drone deliveries to make it easier for cancer patients to obtain chemotherapy.
Johns Hopkins receives the first NIH grant for clinical psychedelic research in half a century
For the first time in decades, the National Institutes of Health is funding a clinical psychedelic study, perhaps a turning point for the field.
Chinese robot clones pigs with no human help
A robot that automates a common technique for animal cloning has been used to produce a litter of pigs in China.
MIT is testing light and sound to combat Alzheimer’s
MIT researchers are developing a therapy that uses 40-Hz light and sound to alter Alzheimer’s patients’ gamma waves.
Neuralink’s monkey can play Pong with its mind. Elon Musk says human trials are next.
If Neuralink’s monkey can play Pong with its mind, imagine what humans could do with the same technology in just a few years.
A small dose of an ibogaine-like drug cures stress in mice
A novel drug designed like ibogaine but without the ibogaine trip or toxicity has corrected the effects of stress in mice.
Made-to-fade tattoo ink keeps cancer therapy from leaving a mark
Henry Ford Health researchers are using temporary tattoo ink to help radiation therapy patients for whom permanent tattoos may not be an option.
Second patient clears own body of HIV, hinting cure is possible
Two “elite controllers” that no longer have any replicable HIV virus in their bodies may hold the key to a cure for HIV.
When remains are found in a suitcase, forensics can learn a lot from the insects trapped within
The investigation of human remains in a suitcase can often represent a Pandora’s box, full of complicated problems.
Can new drugs make obesity a medical — not moral — condition?
Researchers are hopeful that a class of drugs called incretins will not only treat obesity, but help people think of it as a medical condition.
Space could be a trillion dollar industry by 2040
Now that falling launch costs are making space more accessible, hundreds of groups are looking for ways to make money off-world.
How a brain implant can stop pain instantly (in rats)
A new brain implant can instantly detect pain signals and provide bursts of stimulation that are pain-relieving. Researchers have shown it to be successful in rodents.
Magnetic robot can save lives after a brain hemorrhage
Researchers have developed a microbot-containing, magnetically controlled catheter for removing blood from brain hemorrhages.
This molecule may be the “secret sauce” of exercise — but it won’t work as a pill
Administering Lac-Phe to obese mice significantly lowered their appetite, reduced body fat, and improved glucose tolerance.
HIV drugs appear to prevent the #1 cause of vision loss in seniors
An HIV drug appears to prevent dry macular degeneration, suggesting that drug repurposing could be a viable strategy for treating the incurable disease.
CRISPR halts coronavirus transmission in human cells
A new CRISPR treatment that halted coronavirus transmission in human cells could be the easy-to-distribute COVID-19 drug the world needs.
Small wonders: The antibodies from camels and sharks that could change medicine
A handful of animals make a pared-down version of our own antibodies. Scientists hope to harness them as treatments for human illnesses.
Cells become zombies when the ends of their chromosomes are damaged
Damage to the ends of the chromosomes can create “zombie cells” that are still alive but can’t function, researchers say.
New organ coating could help prevent transplant rejection
A coating for donor organs that minimized the chance of transplant rejection in mice might one day eliminate the need for immunosuppressants.
HIV prevention injection approved by FDA
The FDA has approved Apretude, an HIV prevention injection that replaces daily PrEP pills with a single shot every 60 days.
Jeff Bezos is looking to defy death – this is what we know about the science of aging
Will Bezos’s company succeed in extending the human lifespan? Maybe. But we can all benefit from studying aging.
Treatment appears to stop Alzheimer's in monkeys
NYU researchers have modified monkey’s immune system to slow their equivalent of Alzheimer’s disease and improve their cognition.
For the first time, scientists can switch cancer-fighting cells on and off
While it can be effective, CAR-T cancer therapy can also cause dangerous side effects. But a new on/off switch could change that.
Mutation protecting against Alzheimer’s edited into human cells
Scientists have used CRISPR to edit the "Icelandic mutation," which protects carriers against Alzheimer's, into human cells.
The DMT ‘elves’ people meet while tripping
Why do so many people encounter these 'elves' after smoking large doses of DMT?
Volunteers were purposefully infected with COVID-19. Was it worth it?
It has been a year since the first COVID human challenge data was published. What did we learn, and can HCTs prepare us for the future?
How neuroscience can make us better parents
Kids' brains develop in four main stages. Each has its own particular set of advancements and challenges for parents.
Y chromosome loss can lead to an increased risk of heart failure and disease
Chromosomes change over time, whether through the process of aging or exposure to harmful substances in the environment.
Trial of opioid vaccine launches in US
An opioid vaccine that prevents people with opioid use disorder from feeling “high” when they take oxycodone is moving to human trials.
Potential cause of unexplained epilepsy cases uncovered
University of Arizona researchers have uncovered a protein that might be behind some epilepsy cases with currently unknown causes.
First-of-its-kind trial will attempt to grow mini livers in people
A new treatment that could turn a single donor liver into “mini livers” capable of saving 75 or more lives is heading into human trials.
Three more nations eliminate sleeping sickness as a public health threat
Sleeping sickness is a horrifying disease mainly impacting the rural poor. But three more African nations have succeeded in curtailing its threat.
New drugs are taking the fight to lung cancer
KRAS mutation, which causes tumors to form, was long considered “undruggable.” But new drugs could be approved by year’s end.
New CRISPR cancer treatment tested in humans for first time
A new personalized CRISPR cancer treatment modifies the immune system's T cells to help them recognize a specific patient's tumor cells.
The neurons that make us feel hangry
Researchers gave pinpointed a cluster of cells called AgRP neurons near the underside of the brain that may create “hangry” feelings.
Series|
Catalysts
33% of women experience sexual trauma in their lifetime. 100% of women at Thistle farms survived.
In partnership with Stand Together
From sexual exploitation and addiction to leading independent lives, see how Thistle Farms is empowering women survivors.
There may be a way to reverse acetaminophen damage in the liver
New research out of Singapore suggests that a protein thought to help acetaminophen toxicity may do the opposite.
MDMA for PTSD just crushed its phase 3 trial
Results from the first phase 3 trial of using MDMA for PTSD along with talk therapy found the drug to be effective.
Inhaled asthma drug accelerates COVID-19 recovery at home
Budesonide — a cheap, inhaled asthma drug that can be self-administered — appears to shorten at-risk COVID-19 patients’ recovery times.
Axolotls can regenerate their brains
Axolotls are a model organism researchers use to study a variety of topics in biology because of their regenerative abilities.
HIV treatment gets green light for human trials
Excision BioTherapeutics is cleared to begin human trials of a CRISPR-based HIV treatment that’s administered in just one IV infusion.
5 clinical trials may bring new hope in 2022
Vaccines, gene therapies, and even an anti-aging pill: These are the clinical trial results we are looking forward to in 2022.
UK man receives double hand transplant to treat rare disease
UK surgeons have performed the world’s first double hand transplant to treat scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease.