Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed an ER-targeted gold nanorod platform that combines anticancer drug delivery with photothermal therapy. Featuring the first reported integration of gold nanorods with cisplatin and indomethacin for ER-targeted cancer treatment, the platform triggered ER stress, autophagy and apoptosis, and reduced the viability of colon, cervical and breast cancer cells while showing negligible toxicity towards tested non-cancerous cells. The approach offers a promising direction for developing more precise cancer therapies, although further studies are needed for clinical translation.

As populations expanded in Medieval England, key changes occurred in the uses of cattle and sheep to produce food and materials, according to a study published September 2, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Matilda Holmes of the University of Leicester, UK, David Orton of the University of York, UK, and colleagues.

MUSC startup OncoBLAZE is developing a new imaging system that could help cancer researchers see experiments unfold in real time. Created by Hollings researcher Dieter Haemmerich, Ph.D., SphynxVision uses fluorescence imaging to track cancer cells, drugs and other biological processes under normal room lighting. Unlike conventional systems that require samples to be placed inside dark, closed chambers, its open design allows researchers to perform procedures while continuously capturing high-resolution images. The technology grew out of Haemmerich’s own need to track chemotherapy as it was delivered to tumors and could ultimately help scientists uncover biological changes that current imaging systems miss. OncoBLAZE is now preparing to place early versions of SphynxVision in research laboratories for testing ahead of a broader commercial launch.

University of Missouri researchers are leading the fight against one of the world’s deadliest health threats: high blood pressure. Recently, they identified a protein that contributes to arterial stiffening and inflammation, opening the door to a new approach for preventing and treating the condition before it leads to heart attacks or strokes.