Human stem cells from Adelaide University’s Centre for Cancer Biology have successfully travelled to the edge of space and back as part of a landmark mission for Australian cancer research.

A major new report from the European Society of Cardiology sets out how health services need to protect vulnerable patients during heatwaves. It details the need for hospital surge capacity during heatwaves, proactive home healthcare to monitor patients and provide cooling resources – such as fans, suitable storage for medication and watching out for signs of dehydration and overhydration in vulnerable patients.

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 7, 2026 – Scientists have taken another important step toward vision restoration in people with certain inherited forms of blindness. In a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and international collaborators showed that an experimental, optogenetics-based treatment was safely administered to 10 patients and improved visual function in some participants when used in combination with a specially designed visual stimulation device.

An international research team has reported results from the first clinical cohort of 10 blind patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa treated with optogenetic therapy. The treatment, which combines gene therapy with light stimulating goggles, was considered safe in all participants. Six patients showed a clinically meaningful increase in light sensitivity, while several improved in tasks such as detecting or locating objects, finding doorways and following lines. Visual signals were also detected in the brain. The findings extend an earlier single patient result and provide a foundation for the further development of optogenetic therapies.