Human populations living today share a specific genetic legacy from ancient interbreeding events, according to a study led by researchers Hugo Zeberg of Karolinska Institutet and Philipp Kanis of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Modern humans inherited a variant of the growth hormone receptor through interbreeding with Neandertals around 47,000 years ago, resulting … Read more
Older adults who maintain their cognitive abilities over time—a group identified as “cognitive super-agers”—experience fewer unplanned hospitalizations and better overall health outcomes than their peers. A study published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry by researchers in Australia found that individuals who preserve mental sharpness throughout their 70s and 80s face a 46% lower … Read more
Insilico Medicine published a collaborative study in the journal npj Precision Oncology, detailing how artificial intelligence and multi-omic analysis identified therapeutic targets in inverted papilloma-associated sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (IP-SNSCC), a rare head and neck cancer. Conducted with researchers from the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University, the peer-reviewed paper offers the first comprehensive … Read more
According to a study published in BMC Biology, researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and Howard University have discovered that modern human immune responses bear genetic marks of ancient battles with infectious diseases, while also identifying rare variants linked to severe COVID-19. The findings bridge human evolution and infectious disease. … Read more
Inherited genetics directly shape how our DNA interacts with acquired mutations to drive tumor evolution, according to research published in Nature. Scientists at the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh found that an individual’s genetic background dictates both cancer risk and the specific evolutionary paths tumors take, offering new direction for precision medicine … Read more
A study published in the journal Nutrients has linked high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to early, measurable changes in insulin secretion and sensitivity among nondiabetic children. Researchers analyzed data from the San Antonio Family Assessment of Metabolic Risk Indicators in Youth (SAFARI) study, finding that higher UPF intake correlates with markers of insulin resistance … Read more
Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine have successfully treated two children with SCN2A-related developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) using personalized, allele-selective antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). According to a study published July 21, 2026, in Nature Medicine, the therapy reduced seizure frequency by up to 90%, improved developmental … Read more
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have identified four distinct populations of specialized mesenchymal support cells that regulate the human intestine. Published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the study reveals that these cells—previously thought to function as a single group—form a complex, localized network that coordinates tissue renewal, immune responses, and stem … Read more
Genetic Insights into GLP-1R and Mental Health Genetic evidence suggests that lifelong activation of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) may reduce risks of major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), according to a study published in Translational Psychiatry. Researchers used Mendelian randomization (MR) to analyze data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs), linking genetic variants … Read more
Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, in collaboration with the Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, have identified that the hepatitis E virus (HEV) undergoes dynamic genetic evolution during the initial weeks of infection. According to a study published in mBio on July 10, 2026, scientists observed recurring mutations in the viral polymerase gene, even within patients … Read more