Blood-based test could personalize treatment for patients with HPV-associated throat cancer

Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) are advancing the understanding of a promising blood test that could personalize treatment and surveillance for patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated throat cancer. The research, published in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head … Read more

Researchers develop low-cost scalable sensors to study genetic brain disorders

Researchers have demonstrated a new class of low-cost, scalable sensors that can be used to monitor electrical activity in human cerebral organoids. Because electrical signals are key to understanding brain function, this advance facilitates research into both neurodevelopment and genetic disorders such as Angelman syndrome. Human cerebral organoids are millimeter-sized tissues comprised of cell types … Read more

Occasional heavy drinking may triple the risk of liver damage

LOS ANGELES — People may assume that if they drink lightly during the week or month, heavy drinking on the occasional Friday or Saturday may not cause their liver harm.  New research suggests otherwise, according to a Keck Medicine of USC study published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  Researchers discovered that people with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the most common liver condition in the country … Read more

State-run insurance plans for foster kids leave some of them without doctors

Ollie Super has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care. Now 8, the second grader is dealing with it again. Her cancer came back late last year. Ollie’s parents, who adopted her in 2020, tried to sign her up for a clinical trial … Read more

NCCN conference highlights advances in global cancer care strategies

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)-a non-profit alliance of leading cancer centers-brought together more than a thousand oncology professionals at the NCCN 2026 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, with hundreds more joining virtually. This year’s event featured educational sessions on the latest breakthroughs in cancer prevention and treatment, clinical guidelines updates, guidance for improving cancer … Read more

NIH funds AI project to advance Alzheimer’s research and treatment

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer’s Disease, or AI4AD. The new $12.6 million award to advance the project’s next phase, AI4AD2, brings its total investment in AI4AD to $30.7 million. Led by Paul M. Thompson, PhD, associate director of the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) … Read more

New wearable detects fatigue accurately using AI and advanced sensors

Burnout and chronic fatigue carry a substantial economic cost and pose serious risks in professions where alertness is critical. Yet diagnosing fatigue and related mental health conditions today relies largely on self-reported questionnaires, which tend to be subjective, intermittent and poorly suited to real-time evaluation. Wearable devices could fill the gap by continuously tracking cardiovascular … Read more

New brain circuit discovery offers hope for chronic pain treatment

A new map of a brain circuit specific to chronic pain suggests a promising route to treatment for the roughly 60 million Americans living with persistent pain, according to a study published in Nature. The study showed that silencing the specific cells that drive this circuit eased chronic pain while preserving acute pain responses-in other words, the body’s … Read more

Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients

People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine. The results show that the risk of conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias and coronary artery disease is higher even among those who were not hospitalized during the acute infection. Long COVID has … Read more

Vitamin D levels in midlife tied to lower dementia risk marker

Having higher levels of vitamin D in the blood in middle age is associated with lower levels of tau protein in the brain, which is a sign of dementia, years later, according to a study published April 1, 2026, in Neurology® Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does … Read more