https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. The integration of AI into digital pathology has the potential to transform cancer diagnostics by enabling scalable, quantitative analysis of tissue specimens. However, widespread deployment of AI-assisted pathology remains challenged by the need for costly imaging infrastructure and the lack of reliable mechanisms to assess prediction confidence. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-uncertainty-aware-ai-lensfree-holography.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:00:05 EDT news700313461 To function properly, neurons need to recycle cellular waste before it becomes toxic. When neurons can no longer do that, either due to aging or harmful genetic mutations, neurodegenerative disease can set in. One sign that neurons are losing their recycling function is the buildup of pigmented material called lipofuscin that accumulates with age. Understanding how it forms could help illuminate the aging process and, in turn, how age-related neurodegenerative diseases progress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-brain-aging-neurodegeneration.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:20:05 EDT news700234021 Researchers in the lab of Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) member Xing Wang have discovered the influential role of structural chirality, or "handedness," of a DNA nanostructure to dictate cancer cell response to targeted therapeutics. The team's findings are reported in Advanced Materials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-left-dna-tubes-cancer-drug.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:40:02 EDT news700148697 Inside the brain is a dense network of neurons that receive, process, and relay information. The synapse, where neurons meet, is the epicenter of this communication. Neurons that send information, called presynaptic neurons, hold tiny packages of neurotransmitters—waiting for a chemical signal from the brain to be released. How this system is regulated by the brain during periods of learning has, until now, been out of reach. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-brain-cellular-3d-reveal-synapses.html Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:01 EDT news699880261 Scientists at Université de Montréal's Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) have identified a dynamic structure that forms a network on the surface of epithelial cells. Led by Gregory Emery, director of IRIC's vesicular trafficking and cell signaling research unit, and Ph.D. students Claire Baudouin and Léa Marpeaux, the research is published in the Journal of Cell Science. It shows that, in certain skin cells, actin fibers can connect with neighboring cells to form a shared network on the surface of the tissue. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-hidden-actin-web-skin-cells.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:40:03 EDT news699795898 Published in Nature, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center report a previously unrecognized change in how the cell's genetic material is packaged into structures called chromosomes that helps explain how some aggressive cancers sustain unlimited growth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-unexpected-chromosome-interaction-fuels-aggressive.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:14 EDT news699608341 Millions of older adults have tiny brain hemorrhages called cerebral microbleeds, which are strongly associated with dementia, cognitive decline, and stroke. However, their precise molecular mechanisms have remained unclear, largely because of the lack of suitable animal models that isolate this condition from other confounding pathologies. A study published in the journal Brain helps fill this critical gap. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-crispr-links-faulty-collagen-brain.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:00:06 EDT news699621841 Methyleugenol is a component of essential oils and is found in basil, tarragon, nutmeg, and fennel. When ingested through food, it can be converted in the liver into a reactive form that induces chemical alterations in DNA. "These so-called methyleugenol-derived DNA adducts have already been detected in human liver tissue," explains Professor Dr. Jörg Fahrer from the Division of Food Chemistry and Toxicology at the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau. Despite a known potential carcinogenic effect, it has so far been unclear whether and how these types of damage are repaired in human cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-basil-fennel-compound-dangerous-dna.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:20:01 EDT news699550681 The integration of AI into digital pathology through general-purpose foundation models promises to significantly enhance various tasks, such as cancer detection and subtyping. However, these powerful AI systems also introduce severe vulnerabilities, rendering them susceptible to adversarial attacks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-microscopic-noise-multiple-cancer-pathology.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:20:06 EDT news699549601 While we tend to quickly forget having been ill or having received a vaccine, the immune system remembers remarkably well. It has memory B cells—"trained" immune cells that circulate throughout the body in search of harmful invaders they have encountered previously; these cells can rapidly deploy targeted weapons when faced with a pathogen again. Now, researchers from Prof. Ziv Shulman's laboratory at the Weizmann Institute of Science report that activated memory B cells can also recognize an internal enemy: cancer cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-immune-memory-cells-ovarian-cancer.html Tue, 26 May 2026 13:00:05 EDT news699016382 In April 2026, a passenger boarded a Dutch cruise ship in Ushuaia, Argentina after a bird-watching trip. Ten days later, he died. The cause of his death, while initially unclear, was determined to be Andes hantavirus (ANDV), which he picked up prior to boarding the ship. His wife, sickened by the same virus, later died as well. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-andes-hantavirus-people.html Fri, 22 May 2026 07:40:01 EDT news698646901 Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have captured, for the first time, "housekeeping" immune cells actively attacking and engulfing live melanoma cells—a discovery that could change the way we approach treatment for one of Australia's most common and deadly cancers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-scientists-capture-housekeeping-immune-cells.html Thu, 21 May 2026 16:00:07 EDT news698571781 Obesity affects far more than metabolism and fat storage. It alters immune activity, nerve structure, and tissue organization across multiple organ systems, increasing the risk of diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, neuropathy and cancer. Yet despite these systemic effects, researchers have lacked tools capable of studying disease-associated changes across the entire body in intact organisms and at high resolution. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ai-atlas-reveals-hidden-body.html Wed, 20 May 2026 15:20:06 EDT news698506801 A newly developed microscopy technique allows, for the first time, the visualization of more than 30 protein markers simultaneously in the human brain and uses bioinformatics to analyze their spatial relationships. In the process, the researchers have discovered a previously unknown population of immune cells in the brains of Alzheimer's patients that is found almost exclusively in the vicinity of a specific type of pathological protein deposit. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-technique-previously-unknown-population-immune.html Wed, 20 May 2026 14:20:02 EDT news698500470 Researchers at King's College London have identified the biological nature and timing of changes in human cortical neurons caused by altering activity of a schizophrenia-associated gene in developing human neurons. This discovery links a genetic risk factor to cellular changes in neurons; an essential step for understanding the neurobiology of this mental illness and developing future treatments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-schizophrenia-gene-reshape-neurons.html Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:02 EDT news698501641 An important chemical messenger that typically inhibits brain activity might sometimes do the opposite, according to new Yale School of Medicine (YSM) research. One way that brain cells communicate is through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Most research indicates that the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) quiets brain signals, serving as the system's brakes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-chemical-power-reshape-mental.html Wed, 20 May 2026 08:00:05 EDT news698480014 Chronic itch is often described as an "invisible torment." It can persist for weeks or months, severely affecting sleep, mental health, and quality of life. In patients with cholestatic liver disease, chronic itch remains a major clinical challenge, and current treatments often provide limited relief. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-scientists-class-drug-candidate-chronic.html Mon, 18 May 2026 18:40:06 EDT news698339937 The human brain constantly adapts in response to experiences, forming new connections between neurons and reorganizing existing ones. The brain's ability to adapt in response to experiences is known as neuroplasticity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-memory-gate-cryo-em.html Mon, 18 May 2026 13:51:16 EDT news698315449 Scientists are creating a glioblastoma 'tumor on a chip'—a tiny living system capable of mimicking the key features of the human brain and providing a deeper understanding of how the aggressive brain cancer works. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-tumor-chip-insight-aggressive-brain.html Wed, 13 May 2026 15:20:02 EDT news697903761 Researchers at Rice University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a compact, artificial intelligence-powered imaging device that could transform how clinicians detect cancer. The technology, which aims to bring high-resolution, real-time diagnostics directly to the point of care, was recently described in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-ai-powered-handheld-microscope-aims.html Tue, 12 May 2026 17:40:07 EDT news697819321 A new way to detect the onset of heart and kidney disease far earlier than previously possible has been discovered by scientists. The breakthrough, published today in Nature Communications, reveals a novel method for identifying damage to the lining of microscopic blood vessels. This transforms our ability to detect disease at its very earliest stages, before it progresses and becomes potentially life-threatening. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-blood-enables-earlier-heart-kidney.html Tue, 12 May 2026 09:20:08 EDT news697796281 Thousands of times per year, a family's moment of joy turns to unexpected grief. A seemingly healthy infant stops smiling or making eye contact. Their limbs grow weak. The tiny child suffers seizures and breathing problems. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-children-rare-debilitating-brain-diseases.html Fri, 08 May 2026 14:00:05 EDT news697453981 Misshapen proteins cause a mess of trouble—particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. But a new study suggests it's possible that giving them a little bit of extra support could keep them working correctly, and even reverse the damage they have caused. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-specialized-rna-molecules-counter-als.html Fri, 08 May 2026 11:40:01 EDT news697456550 Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) are the first in the world to characterize human antibodies capable of neutralizing measles virus. These antibodies bind to key sites on measles virus and prevent the virus from entering host cells. The new panel of human antibodies may form the basis for future medical therapies against measles infection. In the study, an infusion of these antibodies resulted in a 500-fold lower viral load in a rodent model of measles infection. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-scientists-crucial-world-measles-treatment.html Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:11 EDT news697276141 Manganese is not a metal most people think much about. Unlike lead or mercury, it has a benign reputation. Small amounts of manganese power enzymes, metabolize nutrients and keep the brain running smoothly. But it's toxic to the brain in excess, producing tremors, muscle stiffness and cognitive decline. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-brain-barrier-protein-flush-excess.html Wed, 06 May 2026 16:40:04 EDT news697293060 Severe bleeding after trauma can rapidly become life-threatening. In a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet, Marcus Wannberg examines how the body's coagulation system begins to fail early after injury, which injuries most often lead to fatal bleeding, and how high-risk injuries can be identified. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-qa-body-clotting-severe-trauma.html Wed, 06 May 2026 15:40:08 EDT news697299481 Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism by which HIV-1 can infect resting immune cells. The discovery challenges a decades-old assumption in HIV biology, and opens new avenues for understanding how the virus persists in the body, despite treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-hiv-hijacks-cellular-gateway-infect.html Wed, 06 May 2026 14:40:01 EDT news697288801 Chronic neuropathic pain remains one of the most challenging conditions to treat, with current therapies offering limited benefit and being over-reliant on opioids. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), along with collaborators from the University of Sydney and the University of Copenhagen, have developed an approach that offers a clearer path toward safer, non-addictive pain therapies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-glyt2-blocker-relieves-chronic-neuropathic.html Wed, 06 May 2026 12:40:06 EDT news697286762 During brain development, neurons can regulate their movement until they reach their final destination thanks to a "molecular switch" involving the protein Teneurin 4 (Ten4). This protein can guide neuronal migration through mutually exclusive molecular pathways and determine the direction of nerve cells. The discovery, published in the journal Nature Communications, improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control neuronal migration and offers new insights into how the brain develops at the molecular level. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-molecular-neurons-brain-revealing-opposing.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:20:04 EDT news696694261 Professor Iksung Kang (School of Electrical Engineering), in collaboration with Professor Na Ji's research team at UC Berkeley, has developed a technology that accurately corrects image aberrations in microscopes used for live biological imaging. Notably, the experimental design and algorithm development—the core components of this technology—were led by Professor Kang during his postdoctoral fellowship in Professor Na Ji's group. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ai-enables-clearer-views-deep.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:40:07 EDT news696693901