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ALLERGY & ASTHMA • CANCER • COVID • IMMUNOLOGY • NEUROSCIENCE • PROFILES • STEM DIVERSITY • TECH • FOR KIDS • THIS & THAT
ALLERGY & ASTHMA
ALLERGY & ASTHMA
Virtual clinics move in on allergy drops
An under-the-tongue treatment is popular in Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Why don't US allergists offer it?
UNDARK
There's a much safer food allergy immunotherapy. Why don't more doctors offer it?
Some allergists offer oral immunotherapy. However, allergic reactions are common during treatment, and the hard-earned protection can fade if not maintained with regular dosing. An alternate approach, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), delivers food proteins through liquid drops held in the mouth—a site rich in tolerance-inducing immune cells.
MEDSCAPE
Could gut microbes be key to solving food allergies?
New therapeutics are testing whether protective bacteria can dampen harmful immune responses to food.
KNOWABLE
+ more ALLERGY & ASTHMA
ALLERGY (cont.)
Medscape
Omalizumab vs oral immunotherapy: No clear winner March 2025
Stock inhalers relieve asthma symptoms at schools, prevent costly ER trips. March 2025
Antibiotics during infancy induce microbiome changes, raise risk for childhood asthma by 30 percent. March 2025
Harms of race-specific spirometry in Black children extend to asthma diagnosis and treatment. March 2025
Most doctors fail to discuss weight loss when caring for patients with obesity and asthma. March 2025
How does farm life protect children from asthma and allergies? August 2022
Needle-free epinephrine products could be available in 2023. March 2022
Managing overuse of food IgE panels: Multiple approaches needed. March 2022
Digital monitors can relieve asthma burden by boosting medication adherence and inhaler technique. March 2022
Dupilumab shows histological and clinical benefit in larger eosinophilic esophagitis cohort. March 2022
Asthma: Easy strategy reduces exacerbations, improves control. Feb 2022
Peanut oral immunotherapy is safe and effective in toddlers in large placebo-controlled trial. January 2022
Peanut allergy patients reap continuing benefits past first year, Palforzia study shows. August 2021
There's a much safer food allergy immunotherapy. Why don't more doctors offer it? (Part 1 of 3; PDF) July 2021
Direct-care allergy clinic specializes in sublingual immunotherapy (Part 2 of 3; PDF) July 2021
Sublingual immunotherapy: Where does it stand? (Part 3 of 3; PDF) July 2021
Nature Biotechnology
IgGenix: engineering antibodies to fight food allergies. June 2021
NPR
Allergists debate anticipated FDA approval of a peanut allergy drug. September 2019
A new treatment can relieve food allergies, but few doctors offer it. February 2019
Real Simple
What's new in food allergy etiquette? June 2020
Science News
Fecal transplant pills helped some peanut allergy sufferers in a small trial. February 2020
An experimental toothpaste aims to treat peanut allergy. February 2020
Liquid mouth drops could one day protect people from peanut allergies. September 2019
Science News for Students
New success in treating allergies to peanuts and other foods. February 2020
Food allergies can trigger stress and anxiety. February 2020
Undark
Virtual clinics move in on allergy drops. August 2023
An unorthodox allergy clinic seeks to disrupt medicine. April 2021
Book review: Targeting the bane of food allergies. October 2020
Why parents are turning to a controversial treatment for food allergies. August 2019
WebMD
Needle-free epinephrine options are on the horizon (PDF). April 2022
Food allergy families seek out hard-to-find immunotherapy (PDF). October 2021
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CANCER
CANCER
Sugars on cell surfaces help tumors hide from the immune system.
SCIENCE NEWS
*Winner of 2018 Biedler Prize for Cancer Journalism
Scientists and parents band together to research cures for rare childhood cancer
A research start-up is connecting parents with scientists in hopes of sparking new research on diseases whose survival rates haven't budged in 30 years.
NPR
Two mothers, each with a son who died of brain cancer, worked together to increase awareness and acceptance of tumor tissue donation.
CANCER TODAY
+ more CANCER
CANCER (cont.)
Chemical & Engineering News
A new breed of cancer immunotherapy. July 2019
Nature
How engineers and drug developers are working to change childhood cancer's deadly calculus. May 2022
Scientific American
The biology of sugars points to a sweet strategy for treating cancer. November 2018
Could brain stimulation slow cancer? July 2018
Scientists tackle lethal childhood brain cancer. Oct 2016
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COVID
COVID
How primary care physicians can recognize and treat Long COVID
First she had heart palpitations, a bad headache, a spike in blood pressure. Then came tingling and numbness . . .
JAMA
Cheap generics might treat COVID-19, but obstacles abound
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, the clinical trial system in the United States is inhospitable to independent researchers.
MEDSCAPE
Investigating antidepressant's surprising effect on COVID deaths
Researchers are still puzzling over what this drug does at the molecular level to help COVID patients.
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
+ more COVID
COVID (cont.)
Kaiser Health News
Scientists seek covid treatment answers in cheap, older drugs. March 2021
Turning anger into action: Minority students analyze COVID data on racial disparities. August 2020
Medscape
The challenge and promise of getting oral COVID drugs into practice. December 2021
Antidepressant helps prevent hospitalization in COVID patients. August 2021
Popular Mechanics
These data science wizards tell us what's really hapening with coronavirus. April 2020
Quanta
'Trained immunity' offers hope in fight against coronavirus. September 2020
Science News
The antidepressant fluvoxamine could keep mild COVID-19 from worsening. February 2021
Scientific American
What does 'protection' against COVID really mean? May 2022
Here's who should get a second COVID booster. April 2022
These are the latest COVID treatments. January 2022
An immune protein could prevent severe COVID-19 — if it is given at the right time. September 2020
COVID-19 vaccine developers search for antibodies that 'first do no harm.' May 2020
'Spider-Man' immune response may promote severe COVID. April 2020
Could newly found 'peacekeeping' cells be a weapon against COVID-19? March 2020
Undark
From a Grassroots Survey to Long Covid Treatment Trials October 2023
Wired
How a Medication for OCD Ended Up in a Covid-19 Trial. November 2020
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IMMUNOLOGY
IMMUNOLOGY
'Trained immunity' offers hope in fight against coronavirus
A novel form of immunological memory that was mostly ignored for a century extends the benefits of vaccines. It could be of help in ending the COVID pandemic.
QUANTA
Tiny particles cloaked in cell membranes sop up blood toxins and calm inflammation.
SCIENCE NEWS
Could the immune system be key to Alzheimer's disease?
Increasing evidence suggests that chronic inflammation takes a toll on the brain over the course of a lifetime.
KNOWABLE
+ more IMMUNOLOGY
IMMUNOLOGY (cont.)
Nature
Single cell approaches to immune profiling. May 2018
NPR
A new treatment can relieve food allergies, but few doctors offer it. February 2019
Scientific American
'Spider-Man' immune response may promote severe COVID-19. April 2020
Why your immune system doesn't eat you alive. May 2015
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NEUROSCIENCE
NEUROSCIENCE
Could blood transfusions and tissue transplants spread certain dementias?
Scattered evidence suggests that aberrant proteins act as "seeds" to transmit neurodegenerative disease, but the jury is still out.
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
Researchers call for a major rethink of how Alzheimer's treatments are evaluated
An approach that aims to quantify how long a drug can delay or halt the progression of disease is gathering steam.
NATURE INDEX
Neuroscientists are starting to share and integrate data—but shifting to a team approach isn't easy.
NATURE
+ more NEUROSCIENCE
NEUROSCIENCE (cont.)
Nature
Thumb-sized microscope captures images deep inside the brains of active animals. October 2022
Ultrasound for the brain. Nov 2017
NPR
Could a zap to the brain derail destructive impulses? Dec 2017
Quanta
The brain can recall and reawaken past immune responses. November 2021
Quartz
Red flags: A simple, five-minute test could make earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's possible. Jan 2016
Science
Finding may explain why women more likely develop Alzheimer's. April 2014
Scientific American
Experimental Huntington's therapy shows promise in a small trial. Jan 2018
Brain imaging identifies different types of depression. February 2017
Do DIY brain booster devices work? January 2017
Obscure disease may offer backdoor to new treatments for Alzheimer's and other killers. June 2016
Uncovering new players in the fight against Alzheimer's. Apr 2016
Is dementia risk falling? Jan 2016
Two companies seek FDA approval for brain games to treat ADHD. Nov 2015
Catching Alzheimer's before memory slips. February 2015
Scientific American Mind
Curb the aging brain's distractibility with practice. February 2015
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PROFILES
PROFILES
Elizabeth Berry-Kravis: Running a marathon for fragile X syndrome
Elizabeth Berry-Kravis has spent decades uncovering molecular clues to fragile X syndrome and crafting trials of treatments. Her efforts are paying off.
SPECTRUM
As a pioneer in plant behavioral studies, Joanne Chory set the stage for a generation of scientists.
HHMI
They never told her that girls could become scientists
Now she knows they can. Mireille Kamariza, who grew up in Burundi, is a Stanford graduate student developing a cheaper, faster test to detect TB.
NPR
+ more PROFILES
PROFILES (cont.)
Nature
11 reasons why we've stayed in academia. Mar 2024
Science Careers
This Chicana chemist is paying it forward to support students from underrepresented groups. Oct 2017
Rare diseases and rare opportunities. Sep 2016
Science News for Students
Lack of diversity in his field has troubled this mathematician. April 2020
This scientist wants to know how racial discrimination gets 'under the skin.' March 2020
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STEM DIVERSITY & DISPARITIES
STEM DIVERSITY & DISPARITIES
To diversify the scientific workforce, postdoc recruitment needs a rethink
Biased hiring practices are limiting efforts to attract and retain researchers from minority ethnic groups.
NATURE
Tackle negative thinking head-on to boost diversity in biomedicine
One California university is trying a new strategy to help minority students perform in STEM classes and develop the mental resilience to face future challenges.
NPR
Atopic dermatitis underrecognized, undertreated in patients of color
Skin disease images that are found online or in medical textbooks mostly show white patients, yet atopic dermatitis can be more common and more severe in certain other ethnic groups.
MEDSCAPE
+ more STEM DIVERSITY
STEM DIVERSITY & DISPARITIES (cont.)
Kaiser Health News
Turning anger into action: Minority students analyze COVID data on racial disparities. August 2020
KQED MindShift
Using expressive writing to keep students grounded and engaged in science courses. March 2018
Nature
To diversify the scientific workforce, postdoc recruitment needs a rethink. May 2023
NPR
They never told her that girls could become scientists. Jan 2017
Science Careers
This Chicana chemist is paying it forward to support students from underrepresented groups. Oct 2017
Science News for Students
Lack of diversity in his field has troubled this mathematician. April 2020
This scientist wants to know how racial discrimination gets 'under the skin.' March 2020
The Scientist
Making STEM education more welcoming to underrepresented minorities. June 2019
Undark
Building diversity in science, one interaction at a time. Oct 2018
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TECHNOLOGY & STARTUPS
TECHNOLOGY & STARTUPS
A new breed of cancer immunotherapy
Glycoscience-focused start-ups look to broaden the benefits of immuno-oncology with drugs that target a protein family called Siglecs and their glycan ligands.
CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS
How engineers are drug developers are working to change childhood cancer's deadly calculus
A non-profit organization merges engineering and biology to accelerate drug development for childhood cancers.
NATURE
Be Biopharma: B cells as protein factories
Plasma cells can be turned into protein factories for patients with protein deficiencies for whom one-and-done gene therapy is not an option.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
+ more TECH
TECHNOLOGY & STARTUPS (cont.)
Nature
Thumb-sized microscope captures images deep inside the brains of active animals. May 2022
An expanding molecular toolbox untangles neural circuits. November 2021
Seven technologies to watch in 2021. March 2021
Probing fine-scale connections in the brain. October 2020
Deep learning takes on tumours. April 2020
Technologies to watch in 2020. January 2020
Microbial chemistry gains fresh focus. September 2019
Tapping into the brain's star power. October 2018
Single cell approaches to immune profiling. May 2018
Ultrasound for the brain. November 2017
Glycobiology: Sweet success. July 2017
Nature Biotechnology
Nature Biotechnology's academic spinouts 2021. November 2022
Ensoma and Interius BioTherapeutics: in vivo veritas. August 2022
Nature Biotechnology's academic spinouts 2020. September 2021
IgGenix: engineering antibodies to fight food allergies. June 2021
Nature Biotechnology's academic spinouts of 2018. June 2019
Quanta
Her machine learning tools pull insights from cell images (Q&A). November 2021
Technology Review
A technique called Cell Painting could speed drug discovery. March 2023
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FOR KIDS
FOR KIDS
Researchers are studying why some people think eating insects is gross—.and how to change that.
SCIENCE NEWS FOR STUDENTS
Superbugs: A silent health emergency
Bacteria are outsmarting antibiotics to an alarming degree.
SCIENCE NEWS FOR STUDENTS
Learning how ants search is helping scientists design robots and may help them better understand the brain, the Internet and other complex systems.
MUSE
+ more FOR KIDS
FOR KIDS (cont.)
Science News Explores (formerly Science News for Students)
Lack of diversity in his field has troubled this mathematician. April 2020
This scientist wants to know how racial discrimination gets 'under the skin'. March 2020
New success in treating allergies to peanuts and other foods. February 2020
Food allergies can trigger stress and anxiety. February 2020
Cool Jobs: Drilling into secrets of teeth. February 2018
Bullying hurts — but peer support really helps. February 2017
Implant traps cancer cells on the move. December 2016
Bananas under attack: Understanding their foes. October 2016
Gotcha! New test stalks diseases early. April 2016
Fattier yeast live long and prosper. April 2016
Plant 'vampires' lie in wait. September 2015
Phoning in earthquakes. August 2015
Bacteria become source of 'greener' blue jeans. July 2015
Do mosquitos love you? Blame your parents. May 2015
Skip the soft drinks, period. February 2015
Resilient hearts for deep-sea divers. January 2015
Thunderstorms can generate powerful radiation. January 2015
Why animals often 'stand in' for people. December 2014
Can soft drinks speed aging? November 2014
Repelling germs with 'sharkskin'. October 2014
Plants 'listen' for danger. September 2014
Some of chocolate's health benefits may trace to 'bugs.' March 2014
Ask
Could we clone a mammoth? March 2016
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THIS & THAT
THIS & THAT
Why aren't more people buying over-the-counter hearing aids?
In the US, millions of adults have hearing loss. Will consumer tech help sway them toward hearing aids?
UNDARK
Wanted: More data, the dirtier the better
The computational immunologist Purvesh Khatri embraces messy data as a way to capture the messiness of disease. As a result, he's making elusive genomic discoveries.
QUANTA
Medical cargo could be the gateway for routine drone deliveries
Proposals for drones to carry blood, trauma supplies and lab samples are awaiting approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.
NPR
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