Research

When scientific curiosity paves the way for improved healthcare: Read more about promising studies and trials that lead to more effective drugs, procedures as well as medical guidelines.

News • Nature images and calming music

VR instead of medication? A new approach to high blood pressure in the ED

Patients who arrive in the emergency department with elevated blood pressure are extremely common. Instead of treating them with blood pressure medication, a new study tried a calming VR experience.

News • Benefits of reduced sugar consumption

Skipping sweets could help protect the gut microbiome during antibiotic therapy

Could a patient's sweet tooth sabotage antibiotic treatment for blood cancer? A study suggests that eating less sugar could protect the microbiome during allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant.

News • RxFINE-Low trial

Evaluating chemotherapy benefit in high-risk early-stage breast cancer

Can patients with high anatomic risk but low genomic risk for early-stage ER+/HER2- breast cancer do similarly well without chemotherapy? A new trial aims to evaluate the benefits for this subgroup.

Article • San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS)

Young women and breast cancer: research in focus

At the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), three experts presented new approaches and study results for the treatment of breast cancer in young women.

News • Current insights and research priorities

Atrial fibrillation during sepsis: what clinicians know (and what they don't)

A new review brings together the current evidence on sepsis-associated atrial fibrillation (SAAF) – and maps the research needed to close the gaps.

News • Study on differing connectivity gradients

Alzheimer's: Researchers explore the dark side of the aging brain

Normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease reshape communication across the brain in distinct patterns. By differentiating these patterns, researchers are developing a new way for early detection.

News • Oncology

DNA in blood signals cancer risk years ahead

DNA methylation patterns in blood could identify people at high risk of prostate or breast cancer up to eight years before diagnosis, Oxford Population Health researchers report.

News • Onkologie

Tumours use antioxidants to evade immune attack

A Cambridge study reveals how tumours suppress immune responses – and how blocking this mechanism could make immunotherapies effective in more patients.

News • New approach to limit infections

Cystic fibrosis: restoring the respiratory protective barrier

To fight cystic fibrosis at the source, scientists have both identified a key infection mechanism and a way to correct the defect. Their insights could help limit serious complications in CF patients.

News • Collagen-targeted protein CA

New MRI agent to earlier detect lung cancer, hidden metastases

A research team has developed a new class of protein-based MRI contrast agent that detects invasive lung cancer and metastatic disease at earlier stages than conventional imaging approaches.

News • Environmental exposure

Researchers explore link between microplastics and lung cancer

People with lung cancer are more likely to have microplastics in their lungs and to have larger quantities of microplastics in their lungs, according to new research.

News • Study challenges long-held assumptions

C. diff: not so harmless for the infant gut

Clostridioides difficile does not cause symptoms in infants – but that does not mean the bacteria are harmless: research links colonization to serious long-term consequences for the developing gut.

News • Increased cardiovascular risks

How trauma-related mental health conditions put the heart at risk

People with a psychiatric disorder after a traumatic event are more likely to have increased cardiovascular risks, such as non-fatal heart attack and stroke or cardiovascular death, a new study finds.

News • Respiratory syncytial virus

RSV vaccine rollout prevents infant hospitalisation

For infants, contracting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can be particularly serious and may cause severe breathing difficulties. A study shows that vaccination of mothers greatly reduces the risk.

News • Effects of temperature extremes

How cold spells and heat waves put the heart at risk

Temperature extremes can increase the risk of heart failure hospitalization, a new study finds. This underscores the need for health systems to respond to and prepare for environmental stressors.

News • Alternate to standard classification

Breast cancer should be viewed as a spectrum, new study suggests

“Rather than talking about ER-positive or ER-negative breast cancer, we need to view it as a spectrum”: a new classification approach could lead to more personalised treatments.

News • Microbiome map reveals complex interactions

Frenemies in the gut: how bacteria help and hinder each other

A new study sheds light on the complex competition and cooperation between bacteria in the gut microbiome. These insights could be leveraged for targeted manipulation of the microbiome.

News • Osteoporosis management

Research reveals bone loss after shoulder replacement surgery

After shoulder replacement surgery, bone density around the implant declines over time, according to a new study. The findings highlight the importance of assessing osteoporosis before surgery.

News • Cardiovascular effects of bronchodilators

Asthma and COPD: Overuse of inhalers found to increase heart attack risk

Overuse of reliever inhalers is associated with higher risks of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease in asthma and COPD patients, according to a new study.

News • Sustained retinal neuroprotection

Injectable hydrogel promotes visual recovery after optic nerve injury

Effective treatments for retinal ganglion cell degeneration after optic nerve injury are limited. To address this issue, researchers have developed an injectable hydrogel to promote visual recovery.

News • Biphasic drug delivery system

3D-printed microneedle patch could improve skin cancer treatment

This small patch contains tiny microneedles that can gently pass through the outer layer of the skin without drawing blood, to deliver two anti-cancer drugs for localised skin cancer treatment.

News • Researchers explore role of lymphoid structures

‘Immune organ’ inside skull could help fight brain cancer

Researchers have found an ‘immune organ’ inside the skull, which directs brain defenses. The findings may offer a new way to fight brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

News • Reduction of mortality

New study shows effectiveness of bowel cancer screening

People who take part in screening for colorectal cancer may have as much as 43% lower risk of dying from the disease, according to new estimates from Sweden published in JAMA Network Open.

News • Maternal health

Multiple long-term health conditions linked to pregnancy complications

Women who have two or more existing long-term physical or mental health conditions face a higher risk of developing pregnancy-related complications, according to a new study.

News • Anxiety and depression medication

Study explores mental health toll of endometriosis

A large Danish study shows that women with endometriosis use more anxiety and depression medication than others – as early as ten years before they receive their diagnosis.

News • Implementation assessment

Patient safety: Can “Martha's Rule” save lives?

“Martha’s Rule” is designed to give patients and families the opportunity to report concerns during hospital stay. Five years after its introduction, a study evaluates the benefits.

News • Myalgic encephalomyelitis

Chronic fatigue syndrome: paving the way for better treatment

In the DISCOVER-ME project, researchers search for biological characteristics of myalgic encephalomyelitis, and also investigate whether patients can be divided into different subgroups.

News • Impact of climate change

Droughts fuel spread of infectious diseases

Researchers warn that droughts could make humans and wildlife more vulnerable to certain infectious diseases, leading to surges in illnesses like cholera and West Nile virus around the world.

News • Polygenic risk assessment

Sleep study for early detection of Alzheimer's risk

New research suggests that subtle markers during sleep – such as nocturnal micro-awakenings – may yield early clues to a greater genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

News • Multimodal physiological monitoring

Robotic surgery: study tracks surgeons’ stress in the OR

How does performing robotic surgery exact stress on surgeons? A new study monitored brain, muscle, and heart activity to improve surgical training, operating-room design, and surgeon well-being.

News • Skin-like optical phantom

Improving medical device testing for all skin colors

Researchers have developed realistic skin-mimicking models that could help improve the accuracy of optical medical devices and wearable sensors across a wider range of skin tones.

News • Study explores conformational plasticity

Shape-shifting: the key to norovirus infectiousness?

The human norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, infecting 600–700 million people each year. A new study could help explain the high infectivity of the virus.

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