Health

Explore the latest breakthroughs in health research, covering everything from disease prevention to treatment advancements, mental health, and overall well-being.

New Research Supports Ivermectin As an Effective Strategy to Control Malaria Transmission

The BOHEMIA trial in Kenya showed a 26% reduction in new malaria infections among children aged 5-15

Ivermectin administered to the whole population significantly reduces malaria transmission, offering new hope in the fight against the disease. The BOHEMIA trial, the largest study on ivermectin for malaria to date, showed a 26% reduction in new malaria infection on top of existing bed nets, providing strong evidence of ivermectin’s potential as a complementary tool in malaria control. The results of this project, coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) -an institution supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation- in collaboration with the Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM) and the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, have been published July 23, 2025 in The New England Journal of Medicine. The open-access article is titled “Ivermectin to Control Malaria — A Cluster-Randomized Trial.”

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Researchers Find Missing Link in Autoimmune Disorder (SAVI)

Newly described protein drives immune response, offers potential target for treatment

Human cells prepare to release infection-fighting molecules called cytokines (magenta). WashU Medicine researchers identified a protein crucial to this process and how it is involved in a rare autoimmune disease. (Credit: David Kast)

Autoimmune diseases, which are estimated to affect more than 15 million people in the U.S., occur when the body responds to immune-system false alarms, and infection-fighting first responders are sent out to attack threats that aren’t there. Scientists have long understood how the false alarms get triggered, but the second step of dispatching the immune response has been a mystery. Now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, together with colleagues, have identified a key component to launching immune activity – and overactivity. The researchers identified a protein in cells that spurs the release of infection-fighting molecules. The protein, whose role in the immune system had not previously been suspected, provides a potential target for therapies that could prevent overreactive immune responses that are at the root of several debilitating illnesses. Their paper appeared online in Cell on February 12, 2025. The article is titled “ArfGAP2 Promotes STING Proton Channel Activity, Cytokine Transit, and Autoinflammation.”

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TNIP1 Knockdown Induces Growth Arrest and Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells by Activating NF-κB Pathway

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality among women worldwide. Tumor necrosis factor α-induced protein 3-interacting protein 1 (TNIP1) is a ubiquitin-binding protein that is widely expressed, but its function in breast cancer cells remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of TNIP1 regulation in the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells.

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ENTPD8 Enhances Anti-PD-L1 Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Regulating miR-214-5p

by Manisha Kashyap, PhD

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most challenging liver malignancies, ranking as the sixth most common cancer globally and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Late diagnosis, rapid progression, and limited therapeutic options significantly contribute to the high mortality associated with HCC. Recent advancements in immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-L1, have revolutionized cancer treatment. Nevertheless, resistance to these treatments remains a significant barrier. Addressing this challenge, researchers at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University in China have provided compelling new insights into the role of ENTPD8 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 8) in enhancing anti-PD-L1 therapy effectiveness. The study, published January 16, 2025 in iScience, under the title “ENTPD8 Overexpression Enhances Anti-PD-L1 Therapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via miR-214-5p Inhibition” identifies ENTPD8 as a novel and promising therapeutic target capable of boosting immunotherapy outcomes in HCC by regulating a microRNA (miR-214-5p).

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Lassa Fever Vaccine Enters Phase 1 Clinical Trial

Dose-ranging study will assess the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine for both the rabies virus and LASV

Thomas Jefferson University has initiated a phase 1 clinical trial for a Lassa virus (LASV) vaccine developed at Jefferson in collaboration with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), at the Center of Vaccine Development and Global Health, UMB. Currently, there are no approved vaccines against the Lassa virus. The clinical study is a dose-ranging study that will assess the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine for both the rabies virus and LASV. The experimental vaccine is based on an attenuated and killed rabies virus vaccine similar to current rabies vaccines and has an additional LASV protein. Rabies vaccines are safe for all people, including pregnant women and children, and have been administered to millions of people worldwide with few side effects.

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Micro Metal-Movers: MSU Biochemists Are One Step Closer to Better Cancer Treatments

Jian Hu, PhD

By unraveling the complex choreography of cellular machinery, Michigan State University (MSU) researchers are helping identify the next generation of drug targets and cancer therapies. Led by Jian Hu, PhD, and Kenneth Merz, PhD, the MSU team has unveiled new insights into a family of proteins that, while vital for cellular functions, are also linked to an array of diseases such as breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. Understanding these dynamic proteins found in cell membranes — called Zrt-/Irt-like proteins, or ZIPs for short — will contribute to the search for cutting-edge drug therapies and the improved health of patients. “The hope is to develop an inhibitor against this protein,” said Hu, a Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Chemistry.

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Travelers: Beware of Oropouche Virus. Is It the Next Zika?

Midges can transmit Oropouche virus

Heading south for the winter? Oropouche virus, a new infectious disease, has been reported in travelers from Canada and the United States who visited Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Cuba. An article published March 10, 2025 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) provides an overview of this emerging virus. The open-access article is titled “Oropouche Virus.” Similar to viruses like dengue and Zika, Oropouche virus symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and muscle aches. The incubation period is 3–10 days, and symptoms last 2–7 days and may recur weeks later in some people. The virus is transmitted by small biting midges and some mosquitos. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and using mosquito nets and insect repellents containing DEET can help prevent infection.

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MD Anderson Research Highlights (February 26, 2025)

In a February 26, 2025 news release, MD Anderson describes recent highlights featuring novel biomarkers for breast and cervical cancer, a new target for pancreatic cancer, insights into secondary AML, and immunotherapy benefits in rare kidney cancer. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back.

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Final Program for CRISPR Medicine Conference 2025 (CRISPRMED25) April 7-11 Available Now; Abstracts Can Be Viewed

The final program for the CRISPR Medicine Conference 2025 (CRISPRMED25) annual meeting is now available and may be viewed here. The in-person event will take place April 8-11 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The in-person meeting will be preceded by a half-day virtual event April 7 and the program for the virtual event can be viewed here. Registration for both events can be done here. Abstracts can be viewed here. The registration deadline for the in-person event in Copenhagen is March 28; day tickets (limited number) are available. The registration deadline for the virtual event is April 4. CRISPRMED25 is the second annual meeting of the global CRISPR Medicine community and will focus on tools, delivery, safety/off-target, diseases, pre-clinical/clinical, standards and regulations, functional genomics, target identification, and target validation. Participants will come from the following areas: University, Hospital, Biotech, Pharma, and CRO. There will be +500 delegates, 60 speakers, 100 poster presenters, 2x poster sessions, 30 sponsors, relevant student workshops, and social and networking events. There will also be a Founders’ Breakfast (new in 2025); this is an exclusive event for founders, investors and business development teams, working within the field of CRISPR Medicine. Here you can meet the early-stage startups and investors, and engage in B2B networking. There will also be a presentation by one of the first CRISPR medicine patients, who was successfully treated for sickle cell disease. The meeting is organized by the online publication CRISPR Medicine News (CMN). BioQuick News is a media partner of the CRISPR Medicine Conference 2025.

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The Fight Against TB Was Frozen in Time, Until Now. See Its Future

Leading UCSF physicians/scientists are developing targeted treatments, earlier diagnostics, and helping to solve tuberculosis’ biggest mystery.

Consumption, phthisis, the white plague – a killer by any other name, tuberculosis (TB) has stalked humanity since at least the ice age. Today, the disease – passed from those who are actively sick to others through airborne droplets – is the leading infectious disease killer globally. Still, for decades, the fight against TB has been frozen in time, even as the bacteria that causes it has become more resistant. The world’s only TB vaccine protects young infants and children but dates back to Prohibition. National Institutes of Health (NIH) support has enabled scientists from UC San Francisco and others from around the country to chart a new course. Three UCSF experts break down some of the biggest developments in the field and the promise that lies ahead.

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