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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 29-May-2026 18:15 ET (29-May-2026 22:15 GMT/UTC)

David J. Segal appointed chair of UC Davis Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

University of California - Davis Health
Business Announcement

The UC Davis School of Medicine is pleased to announce the appointment of David J. Segal as chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. Segal holds appointments in the departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, the UC Davis Genome Center and the UC Davis MIND Institute.

Statins do not cause the majority of side effects listed in package leaflets

University of Oxford
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Statins do not cause the majority of the conditions that have been listed in their package leaflets, including memory loss, depression, sleep disturbance, and erectile and sexual dysfunction, according to the most comprehensive review of possible side effects. The study was led by researchers at Oxford Population Health and published in The Lancet.

Journal: The Lancet

Before crisis strikes — smartwatch tracks triggers for opioid misuse

University of California - San Diego
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Opioid overdoses continue to take a devastating toll across the United States. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2023, the nation recorded roughly 105,000 drug overdose deaths overall, with nearly 80,000 deaths involving opioids. Worldwide, opioids are also responsible for the majority of drug-related deaths. A University of California San Diego study is working on a potentially life-saving measure that may be as simple as strapping on a smartwatch.

Journal: Nature Mental Health

Papadelis to lead new pediatric brain research center

University of Texas at Arlington
Business Announcement

Christos Papadelis, a pioneering researcher at The University of Texas at Arlington and leader in the Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health at Cook Children’s Health Care System, will serve as the founding director of the UTA Pediatric Brain Health and Neurosciences Center.

Scientists uncover hidden role of microalgae in spreading antibiotic resistance in waterways

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Antibiotic resistance is widely recognized as one of the greatest global public health threats, but scientists are now uncovering an unexpected contributor to the problem living quietly in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. A new review highlights how microalgae, microscopic photosynthetic organisms that support aquatic food webs, may also help concentrate and spread antibiotic resistance genes in natural water environments.

University of Houston study offers potential new targets to identify, remediate dyslexia

University of Houston
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A University of Houston psychology professor is challenging the notion that dyslexia, or specific reading disorder, stems from a single faulty gene in the brain, suggesting instead that it is caused by an overall brain network vulnerability.

Stadium fever measured—why live football raises the pulse

Bielefeld University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Fans of DSC Arminia Bielefeld experience matchday excitement far more intensely in the stadium than in front of the television when watching football (soccer). A study from Bielefeld University demonstrates clear differences in heart rate and stress levels during the 2025 cup final of the German Football Association (DFB).

Journal: Scientific Reports

UMD team finds E. coli, other pathogens in Potomac River after sewage spill

University of Maryland
Reports and Proceedings

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Following one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history, University of Maryland researchers have detected high levels of fecal-related bacteria and disease-causing pathogens in the Potomac River, raising urgent public health concerns and underscoring the risks posed by aging sewer infrastructure.

Powerful AI can help diagnose substance use disorder

University of Cincinnati
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati developed a novel artificial intelligence to predict substance use defining behaviors with up to 83% accuracy and 84% accuracy to predict the severity of the addiction.

Journal: npj Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Naval Research