Sophie Nicklaus has been officially appointed Scientific Director of Food & Health for a four‑year term, by Philippe Mauguin Chair and CEO of INRAE, following consultation with its Board of Directors on 13 October. She becomes a member of the institute’s Management Board. Since April 2024, she has served as Deputy Scientific Director of Food & the Bioeconomy under Monique Axelos, who will retire at the end of the year. Given the critical challenges of food security and sovereignty, the sustainability and cost of food, as well as the intersecting issues of public health and innovation, INRAE has chosen to orient the remit of the new Scientific Director toward the domains of food and health, in order to contribute to the food of tomorrow: food that is healthy, sustainable, and accessible to all. A dedicated Scientific Directorate for Bioeconomy — first outlined under Monique Axelos — will be established by the end of the year.

Consumption of plant-based products is associated with better cardiovascular health—provided they are of good nutritional quality and with little or no industrial processing. This is the finding of a research team from INRAE, Inserm, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, and Cnam, based on an analysis of health data from a cohort of 63,835 adults. The results have been published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

A groundbreaking study analyzing data from over 5 million older Americans has found that those who migrate within the U.S. have significantly better health outcomes than those who remain in their birth state, offering compelling evidence of a “healthy migrant effect” within U.S. borders.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are well known as a form of cancer treatment. Researchers at UZH have now identified a new, important function of these inhibitors: promotion of tissue healing. This finding could help advance the treatment of fibrosis and chronic wounds.

Older adults, especially those living with health conditions, who hold positive views about ageing are more likely to engage in vigorous physical activity, according to a study led by the University of Surrey.