Blood

A large gene study has discovered several genomic regions linked to longer and healthier lives are also involved in metabolizing iron in the blood. The research suggests abnormal blood iron levels may fundamentally underpin many age-related diseases.

Researchers looking for biomarkers to predict rheumatoid arthritis flare-ups have discovered a never-before-seen type of cell. Dubbed PRIME cells, they accumulate in the bloodstream seven days before a flare, but strangely disappear during the flare.

Researchers have for the first time studied the gut microbiome of subjects with prediabetes, revealing a person’s unique gut bacteria population could be used to predict their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at Harvard have developed a new platform for producing vaccines. Red blood cells are loaded with antigens to generate a specific immune response, and in tests in mice the team showed that it was effective in slowing the growth of cancer.

Researchers have developed an ultrafast-acting form of insulin that promises to work up to four times faster than current formulations. The novel drug has only been tested in animals so far but the researchers hope to test it in human trials soon.

A new blood test is promising a non-invasive way for clinicians to diagnose and classify brain tumors. The test will need further verification before it is available but it points to a novel way to detect brain cancer without needing tissue biopsies.

Many readers are likely already familiar with the oximeters that measure blood oxygen levels via the patient's finger. Well, scientists have now developed a device that works on the same principle, but it can be non-invasively used on unborn fetuses.

Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics presented new data from one of the first trials testing gene-editing therapy in human subjects. Fifteen months on from first patient treatment, the therapy is showing remarkable efficacy treating two rare blood diseases.

New research has shown how diluting the blood plasma of older mice can have strong rejuvenation effect on tissues and organs, by reducing the concentration of inflammatory proteins that typically increase with age.

Researchers have created synthetic red blood cells that have all of the useful properties of the real thing, plus a few new tricks. These new cells could be put to work carrying oxygen or drugs through the body, sensing toxins, and other tasks.

A study from Stanford University has delivered the most thorough investigation into a human body’s molecular response to exercise ever conducted. The research points to a future blood test that could objectively measure a person’s general fitness.

A team of scientists has developed software that could make diagnoses of blood disorders much more straightforward, using a smartphone camera to assess levels of hemoglobin as a way of detecting conditions like anemia.