EurekAlert! National Institutes of Health - NIH-funded News

Latest news releases from NIH-funded organizations

Funded Research News

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jan-2026 13:11 ET (22-Jan-2026 18:11 GMT/UTC)

In pneumonia’s tug-of-war, lung microbiome could tip the balance

Northwestern University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists collected and analyzed lung samples from pneumonia patients. Samples fell into one of four distinct microbial patterns. Lung microbiomes resembling oral microbiomes were associated with recovery. Dynamic, rather than static, microbiomes also were associated with recovery.

Journal: Cell Host & Microbe
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Science Foundation

NIH-led study reveals role of mobile DNA elements in lung cancer progression

NIH/Office of the Director
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using lung cancer biospecimens from the Sherlock-Lung study, an international team led by National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers, identified key factors that drive tumor evolution and influence outcomes. Overall, the findings, published Dec. 10, 2025, in Nature, describe a previously unknown origin of some aggressive lung cancers.

Journal: Nature
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Cancer Institute, University of California-San Diego

Older age, chronic kidney disease and cerebrovascular disease linked with increased risk for paralysis and death after West Nile virus infection

University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Older people with a history of chronic kidney disease or conditions affecting blood flow to the brain such as stroke face about double the risk for developing neuroinvasive disease that can lead to paralysis and death following infection with West Nile virus. The findings suggest that the US's aging population faces escalating West Nile threat as chronic diseases and immunosuppression rates climb.

Journal: JAMA Network Open
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases

New 15-minute hepatitis C test paves the way for same-day treatment

Northwestern University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists at Northwestern University have developed the fastest test yet for diagnosing hepatitis C virus (HCV). The highly accurate diagnostic delivers results to patients in just 15 minutes — up to 75% faster than other rapid HCV tests. This speed is crucial for kickstarting patients’ treatment before they leave their appointment, potentially preventing painful, expensive complications and even death.

The research behind the new test will be published Dec. 10 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

HCV can lead to a chronic hepatitis C infection, which affects an estimated 50 million people globally and causes approximately 242,000 deaths annually, largely due to resulting cirrhosis and liver cancer. While the infection is curable with an 8- to 12-week course of medication, treatment rates remain low partially due to lack of affordable and easily accessible diagnostic tests.

Journal: The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Funder: NIH/National Cancer Institute, NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering, NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering, NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Researchers develop models to help diagnose ALS earlier through blood biomarkers

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using machine learning models, researchers at Michigan Medicine have identified a potential way to diagnose amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, earlier from a blood sample, a study suggests. They also have the potential to predict disease severity — and how long a person might live with the neurodegenerative condition.

Journal: Nature Communications
Funder: NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH/National Institute on Aging, NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ALS Association

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