Professor Gideon Wasserberg at UNC Greensboro has been awarded a prestigious $3.7 million National Institutes of Health R01 grant to advance his research on controlling sand flies, the vectors of the parasitic disease leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis affects more than 1 million people each year and is found in approximately 90 countries in tropical and arid regions of the world, putting approximately 1 billion people at risk.

A study unveils a novel strategy to combat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by targeting muscle health. Researchers found that skeletal muscles, through the protein Cathepsin B (Ctsb) released during exercise, can protect cognitive function. In AD-model mice, boosting muscle Ctsb improved memory and motor skills, even without reducing classic brain plaques. The treatment promoted hippocampal cell growth and restored critical protein balance, revealing a powerful muscle-brain connection. This work suggests exercise, gene therapy or drugs that enhance muscle Ctsb could offer a promising new avenue against cognitive decline.

Extracellular vesicles carry diverse molecules that cells use for communication. New tool enables scientists to ‘draw’ precise micropatterns with these vesicles, mimicking those deposited by cells in our bodies. Cells sometimes follow and internalize these vesicle patterns like a roadmap. Technology could help scientists better understand and exploit how vesicles signal cells to repair, heal or proliferate disease.