Health

a head of lettuce on a colorful background

Insulin grown in lettuce can be taken orally

New synthetic insulin harvested from lettuce plants can be made cheaply, taken orally, and transported at room temperature.

Kristin Houser

Brain

Cancer med appears to prevent brain aneurysms

Japanese researchers have discovered that the cancer drug sunitinib can prevent the formation of brain aneurysms in mice.

Kristin Houser

“Nature’s own Ozempic” or berberine is all over social media

Does berberine work as well as Ozempic to help people lose weight? Social media seems to think so, but it’s not likely.

Rebecca Roubin and Nial Wheate and Tina Hinton

Robotics

The best therapy dog may be a robot

A life-life robot dog might be an effective — or even preferable — alternative to a living therapy dog, according to a new study.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

The new coronavirus mutation: What we know & what we need to figure out

A new coronavirus mutation is spreading quickly in the U.K. Here’s what we know about the coronavirus strain and what we need to figure out.

Kristin Houser

Mental Health

Tweaked psychedelic drug could treat addiction, depression

A modified ibogaine molecule could be a safer and more accessible treatment for addiction and depression than the psychedelic drug in its natural state.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Tobacco-based COVID-19 vaccine moves to human trials

British American Tobacco has FDA approval to begin human trials on a tobacco-based COVID-19 vaccine that could potentially be stored at room temperature.

Kristin Houser

Coronavirus

Your questions about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine answered

If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in the U.S., this is your place to find answers.

Kristin Houser

Virology

A universal flu vaccine has aced phase 1 trials

Influenza’s constant genetic shifting means flu vaccines aim at a moving target. But a universal flu vaccine just passed its phase 1 trials.

B. David Zarley

CRISPR

HIV can hide inside human cells for years. Can CRISPR cut it out?

Using CRISPR to stop the replication of SIV, a primate virus closely related to HIV, researchers may have taken a step to wiping the virus out in the body.

B. David Zarley

Genetics

Genetically engineered tomato can grow drug to treat Parkinson’s

The latest biopharmaceutical is a drug for Parkinson’s disease, Levodopa, produced by genetically modified tomato plants.

Kristin Houser

Drugs

MDMA couples therapy could help couples dealing with PTSD

A small study out of Canada investigated the potential of using MDMA-assisted couples therapy to treat PTSD.

B. David Zarley

Coronavirus

FDA authorizes first over-the-counter COVID-19 test

The FDA has authorized the first over-the-counter COVID-19 test for home use, but buyers still have to send their samples to a lab for processing.

Kristin Houser

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