Personalized Medicine

A new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine reveals that sex hormones like testosterone and estradiol influence heart disease risk in type 2 diabetes differently for men and women. In men, higher testosterone levels were linked to lower risk, while rising estradiol was associated with higher risk; no such patterns emerged in women. The findings suggest potential for more personalized prevention strategies.

January 30, 2026 Reported by AI

Researchers in Brazil have uncovered how pancreatic cancer uses a protein called periostin to invade nerves and spread early. This discovery explains the disease's aggressiveness and suggests new treatment targets. The findings, published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, highlight the tumor's ability to remodel surrounding tissue.

Preclinical research from McGill University indicates that peripheral nerve injuries can cause long-term changes in the immune system across the body, with distinct patterns in male and female mice. Male mice showed strong and persistent inflammatory responses in the blood, while females did not show the same increase, yet serum from both sexes transmitted pain hypersensitivity when transferred to healthy mice. The findings point to previously unrecognized pathways involved in chronic pain and may open the door to more personalized treatments.

December 08, 2025 Reported by AI Fact checked

In a rare deep-brain recording study of a woman with severe obesity and loss-of-control eating, tirzepatide — sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound — temporarily silenced activity in a key reward region linked to “food noise,” or intrusive thoughts about food. About five months later, those brain signals and intense food preoccupation reappeared, suggesting the drug’s effects on this patient’s cravings were short‑lived.

Scientists from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany have created a genetic test using polygenic risk scores to help predict which antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications will work best for individuals. The approach, tested on research databases, could reduce the trial-and-error process that affects nearly half of patients with depression or anxiety. Lead researcher Professor Fredrik Åhs envisions a future with cheap, effective tests to speed up relief for millions.

November 07, 2025 Reported by AI Fact checked

An international team has identified an early 'Big Bang' moment in colorectal (bowel) cancer when tumor cells first evade immune surveillance, a finding that could refine who benefits from immunotherapy. The work, funded by Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust, analyzed samples from 29 patients and was published in Nature Genetics on November 5, 2025.