Ependymoma is a central nervous system tumor that occurs primarily in children and can arise in the supratentorial region, posterior fossa, or spinal cord. Although molecular classification has substantially improved disease stratification and prognostic assessment, the metabolic phenotypes associated with the major pediatric subtypes have remained poorly defined. Because pediatric ependymoma is rare, assembling a cohort that spans multiple molecularly defined subtypes for systematic metabolic comparison is itself challenging.

Diabetes is a highly prevalent chronic condition and a major contributor to the global burden of disease, posing substantial challenges to health systems. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains its leading complication, and people with diabetes face a two- to four-fold higher risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than the general population. Control of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), collectively referred to as ABC risk factors, is a cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention in diabetes.

Lysosomes were once viewed mainly as cellular waste disposers, but are now recognized as key hubs for nutrient sensing and metabolic signaling. Still, what lysosomes contribute metabolically inside high-demand neurons in the intact brain remains elusive.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 6%−20% of reproductive-aged women, and is commonly accompanied by irregular menstrual cycles and anovulatory infertility. The mechanisms underlying menstrual cycle irregularities associated with PCOS, and how they may change after pregnancy remain incompletely understood.

The intestinal epithelium undergoes rapid renewal every 3–5 days, a process driven by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) located at the base of crypts. While ISCs play an essential role in epithelial regeneration following injury, such as that induced by chemotherapy or radiation, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

A new study published in Life Metabolism reports that a single post-meal blood biomarker, 1-hour postprandial SPARC (SPARC-1H), can predict who will benefit most from adopting a Mediterranean diet. The discovery provides one of the clearest examples to date of how precision nutrition can identify individualized dietary responses using a simple blood test rather than complex multi-omics models.

Glycine, a non-essential amino acid derived from serine, plays an increasingly recognized role in metabolic regulation. Epidemiological studies consistently show that reduced circulating glycine levels are associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and obesity across diverse populations. However, the molecular mechanism linking glycine to insulin production has remained incompletely understood, limiting therapeutic applications.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a spectrum of liver conditions ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis (MASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis, represents a global health epidemic with no approved pharmacotherapies.