Findings Point to Approaches for Staving Off Health Problems in Infected Individuals
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Over the four decades since it mysteriously began destroying the immune systems of Americans in New York and California, HIV has proven to be a frustratingly wily opponent for scientists. Even today, when treatments can fully suppress the virus in infected individuals, it continues to harm their health. A new IRP study has identified several ways dormant HIV might chronically stimulate the immune system, suggesting potential avenues for preventing the health problems that causes.
New Approach Could Enhance Existing Treatments for Debilitating Genetic Disease
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
The prospect of editing our DNA to treat genetic diseases may have captured the imaginations of scientists and the public in recent years, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways of combating these illnesses. Many promising therapies act not on DNA itself but rather on DNA’s often overlooked cousin, RNA. For instance, experiments in cells performed by IRP researchers have shown promising results or a RNA-targeting therapeutic developed to treat the debilitating genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy.
Unconventional Genetic Strategy Could Enhance Production of Medical Treatments
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
We all have bad days on the job — your colleague keeps bugging you, your boss yelled at you for an innocent mistake, and you skipped lunch because you have 10 different deadlines coming up. Understandably, many people find it much harder to get their work done under such stressful circumstances. Microbes that produce chemicals for medicine and scientific research experience similar struggles, but a recent IRP study has found that short-circuiting their stress response makes them far more efficient at that task.
Biomarker Discovery Could Aid Diagnosis and Therapeutic Development
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Our cells can’t afford to be wasteful, so they prefer to recycle broken components. However, when the mitochondria that provide their energy are damaged beyond repair, cells may have no choice but to throw them out. New IRP research suggests that more of this mitochondrial debris floats in the blood of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, potentially providing an easy, cost-effective way to diagnose or even possibly predict the illness.
IRP Study Examines Less Time-Intensive Method for Improving Mental Health
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
While working in healthcare can be extremely rewarding, it is also undoubtedly stressful. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has had severe repercussions on the mental health of medical professionals, as doctors and nurses struggle to care for unprecedented numbers of sick patients. Fortunately, new NIH research suggests that a relatively brief workplace mindfulness program can reduce stress and anxiety in healthcare workers.
IRP Research Overturns Common Concerns About ‘Weight Cycling’
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
With 2021 less than a month away, many of the more than 200 million Americans who are overweight or obese are beginning to consider making weight loss their New Year’s resolutions — perhaps not for the first time. While trying to lose weight only to ultimately regain it may be disappointing, a new IRP study suggests that repeated attempts at weight loss significantly reduce a person’s risk of dying.
Inhibiting Energy Production Pathway Delays Tumor Formation in Mice
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Despite the common misconception that sugary treats send kids bouncing off the walls, fat actually provides more than twice as much energy as sugar and other carbohydrates. This energy can be a double-edged sword, fueling not just healthy cells but also cancerous ones. A new IRP study in mice suggests that reducing the body’s ability to burn fat molecules for energy could slow the formation of tumors, potentially extending the lives of individuals with strong genetic predispositions to cancer.
First-Trimester Blood Analysis Could Enable Earlier, More Effective Intervention
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Imagine a world in which pregnant women routinely travel to places of healing and meet with wise sages who examine a bit of their blood to divine when their babies will be born. While this may sound like something out of Greek mythology, it may soon become a reality, as IRP researchers have developed a test that was able to use blood samples taken early in pregnancy to identify women who would later deliver their babies prematurely.
Mouse Study Suggests Common Fungus Could Worsen Respiratory Infections
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, both scientists and the media have focused on the factors that influence who experiences mild symptoms or none at all and who faces potentially life-threatening consequences from the disease. Other respiratory viruses like the flu also have widely varying effects on different patients. New IRP research has found that exposure to a common variety of mold primes the immune system to overreact to the flu virus, dramatically increasing the illness’s severity.
Mouse Study Identifies Neurological Obstacle to Dietary Improvements
By Brandon Levy
Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Every morning, thousands of Americans wake up intending to eat more healthfully, only to find themselves chowing down on a greasy burger at dinnertime. In addition to the many biological and socioeconomic obstacles to healthy eating, a salad can just plain seem unappealing compared to a plate of crispy fries. According to new IRP research, a high-fat diet can dramatically alter how the brain responds to food in ways that make a more wholesome meal less enticing and satisfying.
