The American Ornithological Society (AOS) today announced our 2026 Kessel Fellowships for Ornithological Research for early-career researchers. The AOS Kessel Fellowship funding supports the full range of ornithological research by early-career scientists currently published in peer-reviewed journals, such as avian biology, ecology, behavior, conservation, genetics, and interdisciplinary work. One arctic research 2026 Kessel Fellowship of $30,000 was awarded to Dr. Audrey Le Pogam; and six individual $15,000 fellowships were awarded to Drs. Carrie Ann Adams, David Diez-Méndez, Jennifer L. Houtz, Abby Kimmitt, Amy Yanagitsuru, and Laura E. Nuñez-Rosas to support their ornithological research projects.

The epigenetic modifier MLL4 has a paradoxical nature: It drives disease progression in one type of leukemia but in other contexts suppresses solid tumors. Researchers used a combination of biochemistry, genetics, and structural biology to reveal surprising new characteristics that could be linked to MLL4’s unusual behavior. The findings could illuminate how the MLL4 complex helps switch genes on—including cancer genes in leukemia.

A Boston University study published in Symbiosis, found that small coral reef fishes form previously undocumented associations with Christmas tree worms and other tube-dwelling worms on Caribbean coral reefs. This discovery is potentially the first time this symbiotic behavior has been observed between fish and worms.

Scientists at the Department of Cell Biology of the University of Malaga have taken a step forward in the search for more effective treatments for pain with a new study that continues advancing in mitigating the addictive effects of morphine –one of the main drugs used for this purpose– as well as the development of analgesic tolerance to this drug.

Prolactinomas are the most common hormone-secreting pituitary tumors, but their diagnosis and management can be challenging because of diverse symptoms and complex treatment decisions. An updated Chinese multidisciplinary consensus integrates the latest clinical evidence and expert experience into 36 recommendations covering screening, diagnosis, imaging, treatment, and follow-up. The guidance promotes individualized care through multidisciplinary collaboration and may help improve long-term outcomes for patients with prolactinomas across diverse healthcare settings and populations.

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests that skeletal muscle does more than power movement. Using three complementary mouse models, researchers found that two oxygen-sensing proteins, HIF1α and HIF2α, have sharply different roles in skeletal muscle physiology. HIF1α reshaped muscle fiber identity but impaired exercise performance, while HIF2α improved glucose tolerance, protected against diet-induced obesity, and unexpectedly triggered erythropoietin production from muscle tissue itself.

New results from an Alliance Foundation Trials (AFT) study reveal that a simple weekly electronic symptom check-in with care team, significantly improves the quality of life for individuals undergoing treatment for advanced cancer. The study found that the biggest improvements were seen among patient groups that have historically faced the greatest barriers to care, including Black patients and individuals with less formal education. The findings, published in JCO Oncology Practice, show that using remote check-ins help bridge communication gaps between patients and their treatment teams, offering a powerful way to make cancer care more effective.

In a study published in Nature Communications, Saurja DasGupta, a biochemist at the University of Notre Dame, and colleagues present a key mechanism for sustaining RNA-based life: an engineered enzyme that selectively recognizes and repairs broken RNA.