Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC developed an experimental oral therapy that protected mice from harmful radiation while preserving radiation’s ability to fight cancer. The treatment reduced damage to vulnerable tissues and improved survival after whole-body radiation exposure. The findings could lead to better protection for cancer patients and new medical countermeasures for radiological emergencies.

Japan has one of the world’s longest-living populations, yet predicting which octogenarians will lose their independence remains difficult. Now, researchers identify two blood proteins—beta-2-microglobulin and cystatin C—that are consistently associated with future disability in adults aged 85 years and older. The findings, independently replicated in an Italian aging cohort, suggest that kidney dysfunction and chronic inflammation contribute to disability risk and could support earlier preventive interventions in rapidly aging populations worldwide.