EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-Mar-2026 10:16 ET (31-Mar-2026 14:16 GMT/UTC)

Stress tested, testing stress: Novel organoid models how the adrenal gland develops

University of Pennsylvania
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Responsible for producing steroid hormones such as cortisol, the adrenal gland regulates essential functions such as blood sugar, blood pressure, and the response to stress. Kotaro Sasaki and Michinori Mayama of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues have established an organoid system that faithfully mimics how the human adrenal gland develops and forms complex tissue structures, providing a powerful tool to study adrenal biology and potential treatments.

Journal: Cell Stem Cell
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Overseas, Good Ventures Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Quinlivan Family Foundation, Marda Foundation

Targeting tumor supporting cells: Advancing CAR T success in pancreatic cancer

University of Pennsylvania
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In solid tumors such as pancreatic cancer, CAR T cell therapy is hindered by a dense barrier of connective tissue and cells that suppress the immune response. Immunologist Ellen Puré of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators have “melted away” this barrier using lipid nanoparticles to generate CAR T cells directed at specific cells in the barrier. This approach paves the way for a potentially safer, more accessible, and cost-effective method for using CAR T cell therapy to treat solid tumors.

Journal: Cancer Immunology Research
Funder: Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, Capstan Therapeutics

A stiff defense: Rethinking gum disease

University of Pennsylvania
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Dentists Kyle H. Vining and Hardik Makkar from the University of Pennsylvania are taking a new approach to treating severe gum disease by focusing on the physical properties of gum tissue. Using a Jell-O-like hydrogel, their team discovered that physically stiffening model tissues dramatically reduced inflammation, paving the way to strengthen the gums and halt the destructive cycle of periodontal disease.

Journal: Advanced Materials
Funder: Institute for Regenerative Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Introducing environmental microbiota to urban homes shifts the indoor microbiome

University of Eastern Finland
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Introducing forest soil on an entryway doormat shifted the indoor microbiome of Finnish homes closer to bacterial profiles found outdoors, with less contribution from human-associated bacteria, a new study shows. In the future, such interventions rebalancing the home microbiome could be used for health promotion, especially in urban settings. The study was led by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the University of Eastern Finland.

Journal: Microbiome

New study demonstrates feasibility and safety of deprescribing diabetes medications when lifestyle medicine is integrated into primary care

American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

If similar outcomes were replicated nationally among the 38 million Americans living with type 2 diabetes, even a 6% deprescribing rate could translate into millions of patients reducing medication burden, lowering treatment costs, and decreasing risk of medication-related side effects, the paper stated.

Journal: Journal of Clinical Medicine

AstraZeneca joins Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Award Program as Funding Partner

The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Award Program (Winn Awards)
Business Announcement

The Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Award Program (Winn Awards) is pleased to announce that AstraZeneca has joined as a funding partner. AstraZeneca will support five medical students in the 2026 Winn Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP), a six-week immersive summer program that prepares future physicians and clinical researchers to expand access to clinical trials and engage medically underrepresented communities. This partnership strengthens the Winn Awards’ mission of Better Science For All by providing opportunities for medical students from all backgrounds to explore community-engaged clinical research opportunities.

Funder: AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Amgen, Genentech

Scientists warn antibacterial soaps and wipes can fuel antimicrobial resistance

Green Science Policy Institute
Reports and Proceedings

An international team of scientists is warning that everyday antibacterial soaps, wipes, sprays, and other “germ‑killing” products are quietly contributing to the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) while providing no added health benefit for most consumer uses.

Journal: Environmental Science & Technology

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