EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-Dec-2025 10:11 ET (31-Dec-2025 15:11 GMT/UTC)

WPI researcher receives CAREER Award for project focused on fibrosis

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

Worcester Polytechnic Institute researcher Catherine Whittington has been awarded a prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to develop three distinct laboratory models for the study of fibrosis in pancreas, skin, and uterine fibroids.

Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation

Why mental health advice often adds to your to-do list

University of Bath
Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Bath & University of Hong Kong study finds people and AI are far more likely to suggest “doing more” than “cutting back,” risking self-care overload

Journal: Communications Psychology

New statistical tool reveals hidden genetic pathways in complex diseases, paves way for personalized genetic medicine

Rice University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A collaboration between Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital’s Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (NRI) has produced a breakthrough in how to study and classify complex diseases. The new method, called the Causal Pivot, gives researchers a powerful way to detect hidden genetic drivers and subgroup patients by true biological causes of their illnesses using new computational tools developed in the research, paving the way for major advances in personalized genetic medicine. The research was recently published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Journal: American Journal of Human Genetics

Threats of weather disasters for drug manufacturing facilities in the US

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this nationwide assessment of the frequency with which climate-related disaster events affected counties with U.S. drug production facilities, researchers determined that nearly two-thirds of all facilities were located in counties that experienced at least one disaster declaration. These disaster events posed risks of disruptions to facilities active in all aspects of the supply chain, from active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacture to packaging, disruptions that could be further magnified by the time needed for Food and Drug Administration reinspection of damaged facilities.

Journal: JAMA

Blocking brain damage may slow growth of brain cancer

University College London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Blocking brain damage triggered by a glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, may slow the growth of the cancer and allow the brain to keep working better for longer, according to a new study led by UCL (University College London) researchers.

Journal: Nature
Funder: Cancer Research UK, Brain Tumour Charity

Drought, extreme heat, and intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income countries

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of 42 low- and middle-income countries, drought conditions with various durations were associated with increased intimate partner violence risk. Given the increasing extreme events under climate change, there is a pressing need for enhanced initiatives to prevent domestic violence.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Family socioeconomic position and eating disorder symptoms across adolescence

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This cohort study using Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children data found that eating disorder symptoms were more common in individuals experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. Potential socioeconomic inequalities in eating disorder presentation and diagnosis in clinical settings require further investigation. Reducing population-level socioeconomic inequalities could also aid eating disorder prevention.

Journal: JAMA Network Open