Health

It sure would be nice if teeth could just repair themselves. Thankfully that’s not as far-fetched as it sounds – researchers have found a new population of stem cells in mice that are in charge of repairing tooth tissue and could be recruited to help us patch up cavities.

Feverfew is a common flower easily recognizable either from a home garden or the shelf of the local health store. Now, researchers from the University of Birmingham have engineered a compound from the leaves of this plant that might be a potent cancer killer.

Antibiotics aren’t picky, blasting good and bad bacteria alike and messing up the delicate balance of the gut microbiome. But now researchers have developed a more targeted approach, with drugs that are able to zero in on specific species of bacteria.

The FDA is cracking down on a number of companies selling cannabidiol (CBD) products accompanied by unsubstantiated health claims. The latest target is a company called Curaleaf, which sells CBD products claimed to treat everything from cancer and Alzheimer’s, to anxiety and inflammation in dogs.

Proteins are the workhorses of the cell, but nature sometimes has room for improvement. Now a team from the Institute for Protein Design and the University of California San Francisco has created a new artificial protein that acts like a switch, turning regular cells into “smart cells.”

One of the main reasons cancer is hard to beat is because it spreads through the body. But now researchers from Vanderbilt University have developed a new technique that uses nanoparticles to enhance immune cells, helping them hunt down cancer cells migrating through the bloodstream.

A massive umbrella study, encompassing 277 clinical trials, into the effects of nutritional supplements and dietary interventions has concluded almost all vitamin and mineral supplements play no role in protecting from cardiovascular disease, or extending one’s lifespan.

Red wine may have health benefits against cancer, obesity, aging, and even cavities. Now, a new study may add muscle loss to the list. In tests on rats, a Harvard team found that a red wine compound called resveratrol could help keep astronauts toned during trips in space or life on Mars.

Two new studies affirm the potential for a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of age-related dementia and cognitive decline. The research particularly suggests lifestyle factors can counteract genetic predispositions for Alzheimer’s disease.

Space travel is conducive to injuries. Now researchers from Dresden Technical University (TUD) have developed a 3D bioprinting method for use in space, creating new skin and bone tissue out of resources that might be available to astronauts.

By guiding evolution, scientists have managed to manipulate micro-organisms into producing useful new drugs and materials, but it’s a time-consuming process. Now, UNC researchers have developed a new tool that speeds up the process in mammalian cells, creating new therapeutics in a matter of days.

Researchers at EPFL have now reported a new step towards anti-aging medication. Human clinical trials of a fruit-derived compound showed promise in slowing mitochondrial aging in elderly patients, with no side effects found.