EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-May-2026 11:16 ET (25-May-2026 15:16 GMT/UTC)

9-Apr-2026

Alzheimer’s-linked protein tau play a role in cell division

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

All processes such as wound healing, hair growth, and the replacement of old cells with new ones depend on cell division. During this process, chromosomes inside the cell must be evenly divided between two daughter cells. Even slight errors can lead to cellular abnormalities.

A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has recently uncovered new clues suggesting that a protein called tau plays an important role in this highly regulated process. The findings were published in the international journal Nature Communications.

Journal: Nature Communications

9-Apr-2026

Quitting tobacco could give major economic uplift to 20 million + households in India

BMJ Group
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Quitting tobacco could give a major economic uplift to the incomes of more than 20 million households in India, suggests an economic analysis published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health. While the greatest impact would be felt in rural areas and among the poorest households, 7 million middle income families would also stand to benefit, the estimates suggest.

Journal: BMJ Global Health

9-Apr-2026

Study identifies why nightmares persist in children and how to break the cycle

University of Oklahoma
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Recently published research from the University of Oklahoma and the University of Tulsa proposes a new model to explain why nightmares can persist over time in children and how therapy can be designed to break that cycle.

Journal: Frontiers in Sleep
Funder: Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology

9-Apr-2026

Stem Cell Reports appoints Hongmei Wang as associate editor

International Society for Stem Cell Research
Business Announcement

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) is pleased to announce the appointment of Hongmei Wang, Ph.D., as an Associate Editor of its journal, Stem Cell Reports. Dr. Wang is a professor of State Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

‍An internationally recognized leader in developmental and reproductive biology, Dr. Wang brings deep expertise in early embryo and placental development, and advanced in vitro modeling systems. Her laboratory investigates the mechanisms that govern embryonic and placental development in non-human primates and humans, with the long-term goal of improving understanding of pregnancy health and exploring culture systems that support extra-uterine embryogenesis. Her work advances understanding of developmental diseases and holds potential for improving reproductive health outcomes.

9-Apr-2026

Advanced CT scan analysis may help identify different forms of sarcoidosis

National Jewish Health
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have identified a new method for analyzing chest CT scans that may help physicians better understand the different forms of sarcoidosis, a complex inflammatory lung disease that affects more than 150,000 people in the United States. In a new study published in Scientific Reports(Opens in a new window), scientists at National Jewish Health and colleagues used a computer-based imaging technique known as radiomics to analyze subtle patterns in lung scans from 320 people with sarcoidosis. The approach identified four distinct imaging profiles that were linked to differences in lung function and disease severity and gave insight into potential uses of radiomics to advance diagnosis and patient care.

Journal: Scientific Reports

9-Apr-2026

Once active, always active

University of Montreal
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A sweeping study spanning a decade shows that playing actively with your toddler, limiting screen time and ensuring adequate sleep from age two leave a lasting imprint on how children move through life.

Journal: Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics
Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Sport Canada

9-Apr-2026

Study finds sex- and race-based disparities in IBS diagnosis rates among US adults

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

A national survey study led by UCLA Health and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found significant disparities in how irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is diagnosed across sex and racial groups in the U.S., with men and Black patients considerably less likely than women and white patients to receive a formal diagnosis.

Journal: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

9-Apr-2026

A pocket-sized personal trainer: AI-written texts aim to get older adults moving

University of Michigan
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Artificial intelligence can write text messages encouraging physical activity that most older adults consider appropriate and good quality, but their feelings about AI—and if they know AI wrote the message—impact their response, a new study in the Journals of Gerontology suggests.

Journal: Journal of Gerontology
Funder: U-M Roybal Center, which is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P30AG086637

9-Apr-2026

New grant supports better heart health with a human touch

Georgia State University
Grant and Award Announcement

A new five-year, $1.75 million grant from the Merck Foundation to the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University aims to address these barriers to good heart health by delivering more personal support to people in communities who need it most.