EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Jun-2026 18:17 ET (3-Jun-2026 22:17 GMT/UTC)

3-Apr-2026

Assembling over 1,000 human genomes affordably: New method powers medicine’s future

Westlake University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Zhen-Xing Endowed Professor Jian Yang at the School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, together with collaborators, published their latest findings in Nature on April 1. The study innovatively developed a pangenome-informed genome assembly (PIGA) method. By combining a cost-effective hybrid sequencing strategy of long and short reads, the team successfully constructed a pangenome for over a thousand individuals. This achievement breaks through the limitations of previous small-sample pangenomes and provides a critical foundational infrastructure for medical and population genetics research.

Journal: Nature

3-Apr-2026

Physical and social environmental exposures shape the biological brain age in global populations

Trinity College Dublin
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An international study published across 34 countries shows that the biological age of the brain can be accelerated or delayed by environmental risk (air pollution, public housing conditions) and protective factors (socioeconomic equality, access to healthcare). The stronger effects arise from interactions among environmental, social, and political conditions. The paper is published today [Friday, 3^rd April 2026] in the journal Nature Medicine.

Journal: Nature Medicine

2-Apr-2026

The influence of sleep and diet on human peripheral immunity and chronic health conditions

Research
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Recent advances in research have focused on immune system variation mainly from a genome perspective. This population-based study (N=1,001 from The Human Phenome Atlas (THPA) cohort) investigated the immune variability from an exposure perspective, and further focused on the roles of the transcriptome and metabolome.

Journal: Research
Funder: Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project, National Key Research and Development Project, Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Project, CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

2-Apr-2026

Softens inside the body? The emergence of ‘transformation electrodes’

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

POSTECH develops a spinal cord neural interface using variable stiffness and liquid metal; ensures ease of insertion and long-term electrical stability.

Journal: npj Flexible Electronics

2-Apr-2026

Childhood cancer is a substantial contributor to global childhood mortality and global cancer burden

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New global study shows 85% of the world’s new cases and 94% of deaths estimated to occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Journal: The Lancet

2-Apr-2026

Study shows association between obstructive sleep apnea, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events

European Association for the Study of Obesity
Reports and Proceedings

*Note – this is an early press release from the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May. Please credit the congress when using this research*

New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, 12-15 May) shows that those living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a 71% higher risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) or death from any cause (all-cause mortality) compared with those not living with OSA. The study is a collaboration between Imperial College Health Partners; Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK; and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly). The study is sponsored by Lilly, the manufacturer of obesity and diabetes medications, including tirzepatide.

Meeting: European Congress on Obesity 2026 (ECO2026)

2-Apr-2026

University Hospitals receives 2026 Innovation in Regulatory & Compliance Award at RLDatix Connected Healthcare Summit

University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Grant and Award Announcement

University Hospitals has been recognized by RLDatix with the Innovation in Regulatory & Compliance Award at the 2026 Connected Healthcare Summit. The award honors healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in compliance readiness, documentation quality, and proactive policy alignment driving safer care.

2-Apr-2026

Linking loneliness to inflammation in wound care

Medical University of South Carolina
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Medical University of South Carolina researchers report in Advances in Skin & Wound Care that they have linked loneliness in patients with chronic leg and foot wounds to increased expression of inflammatory genes and slower wound healing. They found higher expression of these genes in the high-loneliness group than the low-loneliness group. This finding adds to the growing body of evidence that feelings of loneliness have an impact on our ability to heal.

Journal: Advances in Skin & Wound Care

2-Apr-2026

Magnetic biochar gel offers breakthrough solution for arsenic and antimony contamination in rice fields

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A newly developed magnetic biochar material could help farmers grow safer rice in soils contaminated with toxic elements, while also improving crop yields and soil health.

Journal: Biochar