The Medical News

1. Screening approved medicines reveals potential treatments for preterm labor

   Shajila Siricilla, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and Jennifer Herington, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, led a team that systematically screened 1,191 FDA-approved drugs and found that several candidates met criteria supporting further evaluation as potential treatments for preterm labor.

2. Slow-growing progenitor cells cause smooth brains in common marmosets

   Most primate species have a relatively large brain with a surface marked by pronounced bulges and furrows. This is not the case with common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). The brains of these small monkeys are smooth and virtually unfolded.

3. Experimental drug reverses multiple sclerosis damage in mouse model

   A drug developed by a UVA Health scientist has not only stopped but reversed paralysis and vision loss in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

4. New AI tool detects signs of endometriosis in milliseconds

   Less than a second. That's how long it takes for an emerging AI tool to detect signs of endometriosis through one simple scan.

5. New 3D lipid atlas maps the chemistry of mouse brains

   The brain is often described in terms of cells and wiring. However, much of it is made of lipids that form the membranes of neurons, wrap nerve fibers with myelin, and help brain cells send and receive signals.

6. Discovery of receptor-free signaling reveals better targets for treating autoimmune diseases

   Our understanding of how cells interact with each other has been driven for decades by the central concept of receptor-mediated signal transduction.

7. Brain organoids reveal new clues for childhood epilepsy treatments

   Tiny, year-old human brain organoids that mimic the brain of a newborn are providing new clues to potential treatments for a leading genetic cause of childhood epilepsy that typically manifests as the brain matures shortly after birth.

8. Cutting ultra-processed foods may improve symptoms of depression

   A preliminary study led by UC San Francisco adds to growing evidence that reducing ultra-processed food may improve symptoms of depression.