Researchers have demonstrated a new and sustainable way to make the chemicals that are the basis of thousands of products – from plastics to cosmetics – we use every day.

Tetrandrine, a compound isolated from the root of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Stephania tetrandra, has shown promise in combating Ebola virus infection in previous studies. Its precise mechanism of action, however, had remained unclear. Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have discovered that tetrandrine works by blocking the transport of sphingosine – a lipid molecule essential for cellular signalling – and inhibiting the calcium channels. Their research has revealed the critical mechanism of tetrandrine for the first time, opening new avenues for drug discovery and disease treatment.

BUFFALO, NY — October 10, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Volume 12 of Oncoscience on September 30, 2025, titled “Lifestyle and hormonal factors affecting semen quality and sperm DNA integrity: A cross-sectional study.”

How can clinical guidelines be designed in such a way that they enable (contextually) equitable and inclusive healthcare – and at the same time promote research and innovation in a targeted manner? Professor Dr. Sabine Oertelt-Prigione, head of the Sex- and Gender-sensitive Medicine working group, and her colleagues discuss these questions in the Perspective article Designing clinical practice guidelines for equitable, inclusive, and contextualised care. The article is part of the current special edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on “Innovations in Womens Health”. Nine international authors were invited to publish their innovative approaches to women’s health in a global context in the issue, including the Bielefeld research team from the Medical School OWL.

Researchers are developing a promising approach to detecting patients at risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD), an increasingly common condition that is a leading reason for lung transplants. The approach could accelerate the development of new and better treatments with more tolerable side effects than existing options.