From off to on in fractions of a second – researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have investigated a light-switchable drug for high blood pressure: They observed how the molecule transforms from one form to another and how this affects its effectiveness in the body. This could aid in the development of medications whose effects can be precisely controlled, within the body, using light. The study has now been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Lawrence Toll, Ph.D., has been named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, recognizing his impactful patented innovations. Honored for pioneering neuropharmacology research, his work has identified novel drug targets in opioid, nociceptin and nicotinic systems, including co-discovery of nociceptin. His decades of research, publications and patents have advanced safer pain therapies and new treatments for substance use disorders.

The World Institute of Kimchi (President: Hae Choon Chang), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, announced that a lactic acid bacterium isolated from kimchi can help promote the removal of nanoplastics from the body by binding to them in the intestine.

Professional dance is a high-performance discipline that carries significant risks of injury and physical wear. Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have now provided the first precise measurements of strain on the musculoskeletal system. The study involved 28 professional dancers wearing sensor-equipped suits during ballet training. The data revealed high levels of strain across all phases of training. The findings support the development of injury prevention measures and highlight the high physical demands of the profession.

As we age, the amount and distribution of fat in our bodies changes. Most fat is subcutaneous – meaning it is stored just under the skin. Subcutaneous fat generally does not have detrimental health impacts. In fact, we need some amount of fat to be healthy. Visceral fat, however, is stored in the gut and has been linked to negative health impacts including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Research has shown that testosterone levels play a key role in changing the distribution of fat from subcutaneous to visceral as we age. 

Earp led a novel study that looked at the impact of using a topical testosterone gel as part of treatment for older women who have suffered a hip fracture in conjunction with exercise.

He published the results of this study in Obesity Pillars.

A team from the University of Barcelona has designed and validated in animal models an innovative compound with a pioneering mechanism of action for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike current drugs, which mainly remove beta-amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brain, this new experimental drug reprogrammes the neuronal epigenome by correcting alterations in gene expression that contribute to the progression of the disease. The results of this study, published in Molecular Therapy, open the door to an epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy to fight Alzheimer’s disease.