Researchers developed machine-learning tools to predict tooth loss based on medical characteristics and socioeconomic factors, outperforming traditional clinical indicators. The approach could be used globally to screen people and improve early interventions, potentially delaying or preventing tooth loss.
A new analysis reveals that households with recent birthdays are 30% more likely to have a COVID-19 diagnosis in counties with high infection rates. The study suggests that social gatherings like birthday parties may have contributed to infections during the pandemic.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyze the genetic makeup of gut bacteria and find links to various diseases including coronary artery disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver cirrhosis. The study identifies groups of bacterial genes that can predict disease risk or identify presence, paving the way for developing tests.
Researchers Lynne Maquat and Joan Steitz recognized for elucidating key functions of RNA, a workhorse molecule in cell function. Their discoveries inform RNA-based therapies for diseases like COVID-19 and muscular dystrophy.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School identified a signaling molecule called neuropeptide-Y (NPY) as the key driver of hunger-dependent odor attraction. Mice with NPY deficiency showed reduced preference for food odors, highlighting the crucial role of NPY in enhancing food attraction when hungry.
The Bertarelli Rare Cancers Fund has awarded over $9 million in grants to nine teams representing 19 lead investigators, advancing research into rare cancers that affect tens of thousands of patients annually. The fund aims to improve detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of rare cancers through multidisciplinary collaborations.
A new study suggests that increasing primary care physicians by one per 1,500 residents in critical-shortage regions could boost life expectancy by an average of 56 days and prevent over 7,000 deaths annually. This analysis is based on data from 3,400 regions, highlighting the need to incentivize doctors to practice in underserved areas.
A new report by Harvard Medical School researchers found that TB diagnoses in the US are often delayed, leading to a higher likelihood of infection transmission and disease progression. The study suggests that increased clinician awareness and education can help minimize these delays.
A recent study published in Cell shows that SARS-CoV-2 mutations can evade both naturally occurring antibodies from COVID-19 survivors and lab-made antibodies now in clinical use. The research highlights the importance of designing next-generation vaccines and therapies that target less mutable parts of the virus.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that cancer-causing mutations can arise decades ago, in some cases as far back as 40 years before diagnosis. The study used genetic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to reconstruct the lineage history of cancer cells in two patients with a rare blood cancer.
A new study suggests that monetary reparations for Black descendants of people enslaved in the US could have cut SARS-CoV-2 transmission and reduced COVID-19 rates. Reparations could have reduced transmission by as much as 68% among Black individuals and the overall population.
A new study reveals that the behavior of p53, a key tumor-suppressor protein, over time determines whether tissues can survive radiation exposure. In vulnerable tissues, p53 levels remain high, leading to cell death, while in more radioresistant tissues, p53 levels oscillate, allowing cells to survive.
A dynamic and delicate connection between two pairs of protein filaments, called tip links, plays a central role in hearing. The tension held by these filaments is essential for the activation of sensory cells in the inner ear.
Paul Farmer, a renowned global health expert, has been awarded the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture for his groundbreaking work on infectious diseases, social inequality, and human rights. His impactful ideas have reshaped how we think about health and disease, particularly in resource-poor communities.
A new study has identified and characterized neurons that regulate nausea-like responses in mice, shedding light on the sensation of nausea. The findings reveal a division of labor between area postrema neurons, with different neuron types responsible for detecting and raising the alarm for various substances.
Despite telehealth visits, fewer people began new medication treatment and less urine testing was conducted across all patients during the early months of the pandemic. The study found that established patients continued to receive needed care, but new patients who needed help might not have been getting it.
A high-fat diet impairs immune cell function inside tumors, reducing their antitumor activity. Blocking metabolic rewiring in cancer cells enhances anti-tumor immunity and improves immunotherapies.
Neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School have identified a critical gene, Fos, that allows neurons to rewire inputs from other neurons, enabling networks of disparate neurons to coordinate activity. This mechanism is thought to be essential for memory consolidation and recall.
Researchers successfully restored vision in mice by turning back the clock on aged eye cells, reversing vision loss caused by glaucoma. The approach also reversed age-related vision loss in elderly mice, offering promise for treating various age-related diseases in humans.
A new study from Harvard Medical School forecasts the impact of eliminating race from kidney function formulas on Black patients with kidney disease. The analysis suggests that removing race-based adjustments may lead to earlier diagnoses and better access to care, but also restricts access to certain medications and treatments.
A study by Harvard Medical School scientists reveals a transient, cooperative interaction between ovarian cancer cells that allows nonmetastatic tumor cells to invade distant sites. The team identified amplified ERBB2 levels in a specific cell population, which was activated by amphiregulin, a signaling protein found in advanced ovaria...
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a group of gut microbes and a specific molecule that modulate immune responses to viral infections. The study found that these microbes, particularly Bacteroides fragilis, trigger the release of interferon-beta, which confers antiviral protection.
A Harvard Medical School study found that clinicians who prescribe unnecessary antibiotics for viral infections increase the likelihood of patients seeking care for similar infections in the future. This leads to a significant increase in antibiotic prescriptions, exacerbating the problem of antibiotic resistance and unnecessary spending.
The inaugural awards promote translational opportunities and therapeutics development at Harvard and affiliated hospitals. Five research projects targeting diverse conditions, including type 1 diabetes and severe asthma, will each receive $1 million over two years to advance their efforts.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered a key control mechanism that allows cells to self-organize in early embryonic development. By studying the expression of unique combinations of adhesion molecules, the team found that these 'adhesion codes' determine which cells prefer to stay connected and how strongly they do so.
Researchers analyzed almost half a million individual cells to build the most extensive cell atlas of the human heart, revealing diverse cell types and intricate networks. The study promises to enable better understanding of heart disease and guide development of highly individualized treatments.
Researchers demonstrate a new x-ray microscopy technique called x-ray holographic nano-tomography (XNH) that can image large volumes of brain tissue at high resolutions. This technique, combined with artificial intelligence-driven image analysis, enables the comprehensive cataloging of neurons and tracing of individual neurons from mus...
A new platform analyzing medical records of COVID-19 patients has provided intriguing clinical clues about the disease's presentation, evolution, and impact on different organ systems. The data from 96 hospitals in five countries has raised more questions than answers, but holds promise for rapid disease insights.
Researchers identify a subtype of autism associated with lipid metabolism and brain development, offering potential targets for precision-targeted therapies and earlier diagnosis. The study found notable alterations in cholesterol levels among children with autism and their parents.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that inhibiting the PHD3 enzyme improves mouse exercise capacity, running distance, and VO2 max. This finding sheds light on a key mechanism for fat metabolism and offers clues toward understanding muscle function and fitness.
A new international study has shown that a newly developed treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is highly effective, with an 85% success rate among patients with serious comorbidities. The regimens, bedaquiline and delamanid, offer a promising alternative to the historical standard of care, which has approxim...
Researchers at Harvard Medical School used acupuncture to regulate inflammatory responses and improve survival in mice with cytokine storm. The study found that site, intensity, and timing of treatment influenced the response.
A new study from Harvard Medical School found that Black former NFL players experience significant health disparities, including more pain, physical impairment, mood disorders, and cognitive problems compared to white peers. Other nonwhite athletes also face similar challenges.
The study found that nonsurgical specialty practices with more equal gender distributions of staff physicians have the smallest gender pay gaps. For practices with at least 90 percent male physicians, female physicians earn as much as $91,000 less per year than their male peers.
A new study reveals that COVID-19 causes smell loss due to infection of nonneuronal supporting cells, not neurons. The research team found that olfactory sensory neurons are not vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection because they do not express ACE2, a key protein used by the virus to enter human cells.
Researchers found that PDE5 inhibitors like sildenafil can enhance the activity of the proteasome, a cell's garbage disposal system, to reduce misfolded proteins. This approach may help combat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
A new study reveals that nutrient-starved cells do not preferentially recycle ribosomes through autophagy, but instead degrade a small number of other organelles. Cells have mechanisms to control what they recycle, allowing them to maintain essential building blocks under limited nutrients.
A new study finds that people with face blindness use different memory processes for face recognition, relying on familiarity rather than recollection. The research suggests that successful facial recognition requires more than a vague familiarity with a face.
Researchers discovered that neural representations of smell in the cortex reflect chemical similarities between odors, allowing for categorization. The findings also suggest that sensory experiences can rewire these representations.
A study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that COVID-19 shutdowns projected a $15 billion revenue loss for US primary care practices in 2020. The losses could be catastrophic for vulnerable populations, forcing many practices to close and weakening the health system.
A new open-source machine learning tool identifies proteins associated with drug side effects, offering insights into how the human body responds to drug compounds. The algorithm has generated 221 associations between individual proteins and specific adverse drug reactions.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a population of neurons in the hypothalamus that controls hibernation-like behavior in mice. Stimulating these neurons induces torpor, while blocking their activity disrupts natural torpor, offering insights into the neural mechanisms underlying this state.
Two Harvard Medical School studies provide new insights into normal and abnormal DNA recombination during sperm and egg cell formation. Researchers report variable rates of chromosome abnormalities and found evidence that a single biological process regulates the number, location, and spacing of crossovers where parents' DNA recombines.
Researchers developed a synthetic microbial system to determine the location of origin for objects, using DNA-barcoded spores that can be sprayed onto goods and detected months later. This approach helps determine the source of foodborne illnesses, which affect millions in the US annually.
Researchers found that death is preceded by accumulation of reactive oxidative species (ROS) in the gut, which can be neutralized to prevent premature death. The study on fruit flies suggests a key role for the gut in causing death from sleep deprivation, and may inform future efforts to address its detrimental effects in humans.
A new genetic engineering method has been developed to improve the efficiency and reach of recombineering, a decades-old technique used to swap DNA pieces in bacteria. The new approach identifies efficient proteins that mediate attachment and placement of short DNA strands, enabling single-spot edits and multiplex editing.
A team of researchers identified a previously unknown genetic variant in the FBN1 gene that is strongly associated with lower height in Peruvians and Native Americans. The variant, E1297G, was found exclusively in individuals of Native American ancestry and showed an average effect of 2.2 centimeters reduction in height.
A recent study has identified the complement component 4 (C4) gene as a key factor in understanding sex biases in autoimmune disorders and schizophrenia. Individuals with more C4 genes were found to be less likely to develop autoimmune conditions but more likely to develop schizophrenia.
An international team analyzed genome-wide data from 89 ancient individuals in the central Andes, revealing early genetic distinctions between groups, population mixing, and surprising genetic continuity. The study provides a comprehensive portrait of pre-Columbian Andean civilizations.
A new analysis of outpatient COVID-19 clinic data provides clues to distinguish between patients with COVID-19 and those with other conditions mimicking its symptoms. Key findings include fever not being a reliable indicator, COVID-19 often presenting with various permutations of cough without fever, and loss of the sense of smell as a...