EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 6-Jun-2026 14:16 ET (6-Jun-2026 18:16 GMT/UTC)

4-Mar-2026

Ludwig scientists are co-recipients of prestigious Cancer Grand Challenges award

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
Grant and Award Announcement

Ludwig Cancer Research is proud to announce that Director of the Oxford Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Xin Lu and the Institute’s CEO and Scientific Director Chi Van Dang are co-recipients of a 2026 Cancer Grand Challenges award as members of the ATLAS (for Antibody Tracking for Long-term Avoidance and Surveillance) team.

Funder: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

4-Mar-2026

Sparkling water helps keep minds sharp during long esports sessions

University of Tsukuba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A University of Tsukuba research team has found that drinking unsweetened, highly carbonated (sparkling) water during a three-hour esports session can help players maintain mental focus with less fatigue and greater game enjoyment than when drinking plain water. Sparkling water also helped curb cognitive fatigue, as evidenced by stronger executive function, reduced pupil constriction, and fewer in-game fouls. Notably, these benefits appeared without increases in heart rate, interstitial glucose levels, or salivary cortisol, highlighting sparkling water as a sugar- and caffeine-free option for reducing fatigue during long hours of digital gameplay.

Journal: Computers in Human Behavior Reports

4-Mar-2026

SimTac: A physics-based simulator for vision-based tactile sensing with biomorphic structures

Beijing Institute of Technology Press Co., Ltd
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research paper by scientists at King’s College London presented SimTac, a physics-based simulator for vision-based tactile sensors with biomorphic geometries, capable of generating accurate optical and mechanical responses in real time.

The research paper, published on Feb 24, 2026 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems.

4-Mar-2026

Nitrous oxide, a product of fertilizer use, may harm some soil bacteria

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An MIT study suggests the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide could be toxic to certain microbes at the plant root, perhaps influencing plant health.

Journal: mBio
Funder: MIT Research Support Committee, MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative Graduate Fellowship (HEALS)

4-Mar-2026

Experts uncover why cats are prone to kidney disease

University of Nottingham
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the University of Nottingham have uncovered a surprising biological quirk in domestic cats that may help explain why they are so prone to chronic kidney disease.

Unlike dogs and most other mammals, cats appear to accumulate unusual fats inside the cells of their kidneys, sometimes from a very young age.

This new study, published in Frontiers of Veterinary Science, and led by Professor David Gardner and Dr Rebecca Brociek from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at the University, shows they are anything but ordinary.

Journal: Frontiers in Veterinary Science

4-Mar-2026

Understanding how cells take up and use isolated ‘powerhouses’ to restore energy function

Tokyo University of Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Mitochondrial transplantation is an emerging technique aimed at restoring cellular energy production in diseases marked by mitochondrial dysfunction. However, how transplanted mitochondria interact with recipient cells has remained unclear. In a recent study, researchers from Japan investigated how isolated mitochondria are taken up by cells and proved they remain functional after uptake. Their findings help lay the groundwork for future mitochondrial therapies in regenerative medicine.