Xu and He et al. provide in vivo evidence that BDNF insufficiency exacerbates the symptoms and pathologies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and mouse models, leading to accelerated demise. They develop an agonistic antibody that boosts BDNF signaling and demonstrates therapeutic benefits in multiple models of ALS mice.
A human iPSC-derived sensory neuron platform for high-throughput discovery of neuroprotectants against chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
Petrova et al. develop a high-throughput human iPSC-derived sensory neuron platform for drug discovery in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. They uncover that inhibition of three members of the STE20 kinase family (MAP4K4/MINK1/TNIK) is neuroprotective against paclitaxel-induced axon damage, with validation in primary human and mouse models.
Bridging the gap in TB case detection
Nature Medicine, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41591-026-00026-2
The portable, low-resource MiniDock MTB test, evaluated across multiple countries, shows promise for detecting pulmonary tuberculosis using sputum and tongue swabs.
STAT+: Marc Tessier-Lavigne addresses new book’s allegations about his conduct in Stanford misconduct case
SAN FRANCISCO — Former Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne responded publicly for the first time Tuesday to allegations in a new book that he was forced to resign from the university not only because of flaws in his oversight of scientists but over how he handled the controversy.
At the STAT Breakthrough Summit West, STAT reporter Matthew Herper read aloud three paragraphs from Theo Baker’s book, “How to Rule the World.’’ Tessier-Lavigne sat with hands clasped in his lap as he listened to Baker’s description of the board meeting that led to his ouster.
According to Baker, the board concluded “that Tessier-Lavigne’s admit-nothing, deny-everything approach ‘did not reflect well on him and, by extension, the institution.’” The Stanford investigation, according to unnamed sources in the book, omitted yet another incident that contributed to the university turning on Tessier-Lavigne — a younger, female colleague challenging the conclusions of his work, and him dismissing her. By the end of the meeting, “there was no pro-MTL camp” and the board voted unanimously to replace him, Baker wrote.
Oncogenic Signaling Shaped by a Golgi Trafficking Protein Pair
A new study in Science Signaling identifies a previously overlooked control point in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, one that operates not at the plasma membrane, but at the Golgi. The research, published as “Oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase signaling is driven by the Golgi protein GOLPH3 and its interaction with MYO18A,” reveals that the Golgi‑localized proteins GOLPH3 and MYO18A act together to route RTKs to the cell surface, thereby setting the strength of growth‑factor signaling across multiple pathways.
The work was led by Kyle Starost and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of California, San Diego. Their findings help explain why GOLPH3 is frequently amplified in human cancers and why its overexpression correlates with poor prognosis across tumor types.
RTKs such as EGFR, insulin receptor, and PDGFR are central drivers of proliferation and survival in many cancers. Although RTK inhibitors are widely used clinically, resistance often emerges, underscoring the need for alternative strategies that modulate signaling upstream of the receptor. The new study identifies one such upstream node: the delivery of RTKs from the Golgi to the plasma membrane.
Using an unbiased signaling analysis, the team found that siRNA knockdown of GOLPH3 or MYO18A impaired phosphorylation of EGFR at Tyr1068 and Tyr1086, as well as downstream AKT and ERK signaling. These defects persisted even when PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling was pharmacologically blocked, demonstrating that GOLPH3 acts directly at the receptor level rather than through mTOR modulation.
To pinpoint the mechanism, the researchers turned to trafficking assays. Imaging of endogenous EGFR showed that loss of GOLPH3 or MYO18A caused the receptor to accumulate in intracellular puncta rather than at the plasma membrane. A quantitative PDGFR‑GFP surface‑delivery assay confirmed that both proteins are required for Golgi‑to‑surface transport. Treatment with brefeldin A or golgicide A, which disrupt Golgi structure, produced similar reductions in surface receptor levels, reinforcing the conclusion that the GOLPH3–MYO18A complex is essential for RTK delivery.
Overexpression experiments completed the mechanistic picture. Increasing GOLPH3 or MYO18A levels enhanced EGF‑stimulated phosphorylation of EGFR and AKT, while a GOLPH3 mutant unable to bind PI4P failed to do so. These results position the GOLPH3–MYO18A complex as a central determinant of RTK availability at the cell surface.
The authors wrote, “The GOLPH3-MYO18A complex at the Golgi apparatus was required and rate-limiting for RTK signaling across the cell types and receptors assessed.” The findings suggest that targeting Golgi‑based trafficking machinery could offer a new therapeutic angle for tumors that rely on hyperactive RTK signaling or have developed resistance to RTK inhibitors.
The post Oncogenic Signaling Shaped by a Golgi Trafficking Protein Pair appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
<![CDATA[Olanzapine-samidorphan keeps olanzapine efficacy yet limits weight gain, boosts negative symptoms, and cuts ER visits in real-world care.]]>
Trump’s cuts to foreign aid are undermining the Ebola response, insiders say
WASHINGTON — For years, the United States has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into programs to prevent and control infectious diseases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
But in the months leading up to a fast-moving Ebola outbreak, the Trump administration slashed aid to the country, leading to a cascade of consequences that probably hampered the detection of the outbreak and the response to it, six people involved in or familiar with the efforts in the region said.
Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Experiences of Individualized Digital Reminiscence Using the InspireD App in Care Home Placements: Qualitative Focus Group Study
<strong>Background:</strong> Care home placements offer important opportunities for student nurses to develop relational and person-centered approaches to dementia care. Digital reminiscence platforms are increasingly used to support the well-being of people living with dementia; however, little is known about how such platforms may shape student learning within practice settings. There is limited qualitative evidence examining how digital reminiscence is experienced by students and how it influences their understanding of personhood, relationships, and care practices. <strong>Objective:</strong> The aim of the study is to explore undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of engaging with individualized digital reminiscence using the InspireD reminiscence app during care home placements. <strong>Methods:</strong> Following a pilot implementation of the intervention, a qualitative exploratory study was conducted, in which 13 undergraduate nursing students participated in 4 focus groups. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. <strong>Results:</strong> Three themes were developed to capture how participants made sense of their learning and practice experiences when engaging with individual reminiscence using the InspireD reminiscence app. The first theme, “deepening empathy and understanding through reminiscence,” describes how participants developed a greater appreciation of residents’ life histories and personhood. The second theme, “learning through connection,” reflects how relationships with residents and families shaped communication, confidence, and emotional engagement. The third theme, “growing as person-centered practitioners within the realities of care home practice,” highlights how participants reflected on translating this learning into practice while navigating organizational constraints and everyday care demands. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Findings suggest that the InspireD reminiscence app can support the development of person-centered learning within care home placements, although successful implementation is contingent on supportive organizational cultures. These findings contribute to wider discussions in health professions education by illustrating how digital platforms can mediate experiential learning in practice settings and support the preparation of future health professionals to use digital tools in relational and values-based ways. Future research should examine longer-term learning outcomes and implementation across diverse placement contexts.
COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices and Perceived Risk: Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was marked by rapidly evolving and inconsistent public health messaging, contributing to confusion regarding recommended preventive behaviors. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and perceived risk frameworks offer a structured approach to examine how education, personal beliefs, and contextual factors influence health behaviors during public health emergencies. Vulnerable populations, such as patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), experience heightened risk perception compared with the general population, which may further shape behavioral responses. Objective: This study aimed to examine COVID-19–related KAP and perceived risk among patients with MS, health care providers, and laypeople during the first 6 months of the pandemic. The aim of mixed methods was to explore quantitative factors associated with KAP and perceived risk and to qualitatively describe participants’ perceptions and emotional responses to the pandemic. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional, partially mixed methods explanatory sequential design was used. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and completed an online demographic questionnaire and a COVID-19 KAP instrument that included perceived risk items. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analyses to examine group differences and associations between perceived risk and preventive behaviors. Chi-square testing was applied to compare perceived risk across groups, and correlational analyses were used to examine the relationships between perceived risk and behavioral practices. Qualitative comments provided by participants were analyzed using thematic analysis to further contextualize quantitative findings and to explore perceived risk experiences. Results: A total of 148 participants were included, comprising 43 (29%) individuals with MS, 50 (33.8%) health care providers, and 55 (37.2%) laypeople. Overall, 90% (n=133) of participants demonstrated basic knowledge of COVID-19 transmission and prevention. Attitudes toward public health guidance and self-reported preventive behaviors varied across groups. Lay participants most frequently reported a moderate perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, whereas participants with MS and health care providers more commonly reported high perceived risk (²=12.65, =.049). Neither immunosuppressive treatment status nor vaccine hesitancy significantly predicted perceived risk. However, higher perceived risk was significantly associated with greater avoidance of crowded and public places. Qualitative analysis yielded 5 interrelated themes describing participants’ perceived risk experiences: uncertainty related to evolving scientific information; anxiety regarding personal and family safety; fear of infection and long-term consequences; vulnerability, particularly among individuals with chronic illness and frontline exposure; and accountability toward protecting others through adherence to preventive measures. These themes provided contextual insight into the emotional and cognitive processes underlying reported attitudes and behaviors. Conclusions: Knowledge of COVID-19 is associated with favorable attitudes and engagement in preventive practices across populations. Differences in perceived risk highlight the importance of tailoring risk communication and educational strategies to specific populations. KAP-focused educational interventions that explicitly address uncertainty, emotional responses, and behavioral translation may strengthen preparedness and promote sustained protective behaviors during future public health emergencies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07021716; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT07021716
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Effects of an Eye-Tracking Digital Serious Game on Cognitive Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Pilot Intervention Study
<strong>Background:</strong> Cognitive decline in aging populations underscores the need for early interventions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), where pharmacological treatments show limited benefit. Eye-movement metrics serve as sensitive markers of cognitive deficits in MCI, and digital programs integrating these tasks offer scalable, data-driven training approaches. <strong>Objective:</strong> This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital cognitive training program incorporating eye-movement tasks in individuals with MCI, and to determine whether eye-movement indicators can serve as objective markers of cognitive improvement. <strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 12 participants aged 60-85 years with MCI (Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment [K-MoCA] score of ≤22) completed baseline and postintervention assessments using the K-MoCA and Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean version (MMSE-K). Longitudinal changes in visuospatial attention and oculomotor performance were examined using Spearman correlations across sessions, and pre-post comparisons of eye-tracking metrics were conducted to assess training-related improvements. <strong>Results:</strong> Cognitive scores improved significantly, with K-MoCA increasing by 1.5 points (from mean 20.3, SD 1.1 to mean 21.8, SD 1.7; <i>P</i>=<i>.</i>004; Cohen <i>d</i>=1.38) and MMSE-K by 1.3 points (from mean 21.9, SD 2.0 to mean 23.2, SD 2.2; <i>P</i>=<i>.</i>002; Cohen <i>d</i>=1.29). Fixation duration decreased (<i>r</i>=0.248; <i>P</i>=<i>.</i>003), and saccade velocity increased (<i>r</i>=0.258; <i>P</i>=<i>.</i>002), indicating enhanced visual processing efficiency and faster attentional shifts, whereas fixation count and saccade amplitude showed no consistent changes. In addition, saccade duration decreased by 21.72 ms, and saccade velocity increased by 114.54 °/s. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Digital cognitive training yielded measurable gains in visuospatial attention and oculomotor efficiency in MCI, with optimized fixation and saccade patterns indicating enhanced attentional control and information processing. These findings support eye-movement metrics as sensitive indicators of cognitive change and highlight digital interventions as scalable, noninvasive tools for cognitive support in aging populations.
