A research team has identified 252 heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) genes across seven representative species of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, revealing their evolutionary relationships and potential roles in plant development and environmental adaptation. 

This systematic review (32 studies, 74 patients), published in Eye & ENT Research, synthesizes available evidence on fungal necrotizing otitis externa (NOE)—a rare but severe infection accounting for 5%–20% of malignant otitis externa cases, with clinical features indistinguishable from bacterial NOE. Currently no diagnostic or treatment guidelines exist. Below are the key findings addressing three clinical decision points. All findings are descriptive summaries; no causal inferences are drawn.

Ophthalmology AI is undergoing a paradigm shift from single-task specialized models toward multimodal general-purpose foundation models. A review recently published in Eye & ENT Research systematically evaluated five representative ophthalmic foundation models—RETFound, VisionFM, EyeCLIP, EyeFM, and MIRAGE—and synthesized their architectural designs, validation status, and remaining limitations.

A research team led by Johnson Shayo at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Tanzania published research in Eye & ENT Research examining sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) among hypertensive adults. The cross-sectional study of 201 hypertensive patients aged 18–60 years found a 23.9% prevalence of SNHL, predominantly bilateral (81.3%) and mild (70.8%) in severity. Six independent risk factors were identified: smoking (OR = 21.2), hypertension duration ≥ 5 years (OR = 16.0), female sex (OR = 9.4), age >50 years (OR = 6.4), alcohol consumption (OR = 5.5), and ototoxic drug use (OR = 4.5). These findings from East Africa highlight an often-overlooked aspect of hypertension management—hearing health.

Environmental pressures are known as a driving force behind many of the major animal developmental transitions, such as the switch from tadpoles in the pond to a frog's life on land with legs. Yet the mechanisms behind this physical and environmental relationship remain somewhat of a mystery. Published in Science Advances, a new multi-year study sheds light on the mechanistic link between environmental variation and developmental adaptability. Using a common reef fish as a model, the researchers explored how environmental differences impacted thyroid hormone signaling, a process essential for development regulation.

ARDD 2026 has announced that Thomas Marron, AVP, Emerging Innovation and Strategic Growth at Eli Lilly, will speak at the 13th Aging Research & Drug Discovery (ARDD) Meeting, taking place October 1–3, 2026, at the David Rubenstein Treehouse at Harvard University. As the world's leading conference dedicated to longevity biotechnology, ARDD 2026 will convene top researchers, pharmaceutical executives, entrepreneurs, and investors to accelerate the translation of aging science into next-generation medicines.

Organized by Insilico Medicine and supported by industry leaders including Eli Lilly and the McKinsey Health Institute, the meeting reflects the growing momentum behind longevity as a major frontier in biomedical innovation. With speakers representing ten of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, ARDD 2026 aims to foster the collaborations needed to transform discoveries in aging biology into therapies that extend healthy lifespan and improve patient outcomes.

Verheij syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by the impairment of splicing, a critical process in RNA processing. Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing have now demonstrated that this disruption affects metabolic pathways that rely on vitamin B12. Administering vitamin B12 restored key metabolic processes in the worm model and corrected developmental anomalies in the mutated animals. Analyses of human cells and blood samples from patients revealed comparable metabolic changes. These findings could pave the way for targeted therapies for Verheij syndrome.