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Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 13-Jun-2026 23:15 ET (14-Jun-2026 03:15 GMT/UTC)

UC Irvine scientists create powerful enzyme that quickly, accurately synthesizes RNA

University of California - Irvine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

UC Irvine scientists used directed evolution to engineer a DNA polymerase that can quickly and accurately produce RNA, overcoming a fundamental limitation of natural enzymes.

The new enzyme, C28, synthesizes RNA with high fidelity, supports long sequences, and enables reverse transcription and DNA-RNA amplification, expanding experimental capabilities.

The National Science Foundation supported the research.

Journal: Nature Chemical Biology

Physicians are not providers: New ACP paper says names in health care have ethical significance

American College of Physicians
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new ethics policy paper from the American College of Physicians (ACP) says the term ‘provider’ should not be used to describe physicians, and using the blanket term undermines physicians’ ethical responsibility, clinical integrity, and professionalism.

Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine

Scientists propose new framework to track and manage hidden risks of industrial chemicals across their life cycle

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Industrial chemicals are essential to modern society, supporting products ranging from plastics and electronics to pharmaceuticals and agricultural supplies. However, scientists warn that many of these chemicals can transform and spread through the environment in ways that are difficult to track, creating complex pollution mixtures that threaten ecosystems and human health. A new study introduces an innovative framework designed to better understand and manage these risks across the entire life cycle of industrial chemicals.

Can the digital economy save our lungs and the planet?

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As high-speed internet, cloud computing, and digital platforms become the backbone of modern life, a vital question emerges: Is this digital explosion good for the environment? A sophisticated new economic simulation reveals that the answer is a resounding "yes"—provided we choose the green path.

Journal: Carbon Research

Firearm injury survivors face long-term health challenges

Rutgers University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Survivors of firearm injuries often experience long-term physical and functional health challenges that extend beyond the initial trauma, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

Their study, published in the Journal of Urban Health, examined the physical health needs, health care access and barriers to care for firearm injury survivors. The work was done in collaboration with street outreach workers from Cure4Camden, a Camden, N.J., community-based violence intervention program.

Journal: Journal of Urban Health
Funder: South Jersey Institute for Population Health

Breakthrough University of Cincinnati study sheds light on survival of new neurons in adult brain

University of Cincinnati
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, is revealing how immune cells in the adult brain regulate the generation of new neurons.

Journal: Nature Communications

Engineered immune cells help reduce toxic proteins in the brain

WashU Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at WashU Medicine and Weizmann Institute of Science designed a cellular immunotherapy that reduced amyloid beta plaques in the brains of mice.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

What would bring nurses back? New research shows how hospitals can reverse nursing workforce losses

University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Most registered nurses who recently left hospital employment are motivated to return to health care work—and safe nurse staffing levels is the top factor that would bring them back, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR).

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Study warns of nutritional risks of prolonged use of the drug omeprazole

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Research conducted on rats reinforces the idea that proton pump inhibitors, which are widely used to treat stomach problems, can affect mineral absorption and compromise bone health.

Journal: ACS Omega
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo