Lung

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a nasty bacteria that can cause pneumonia. It’s a tough one to fight, but now researchers have developed an inhalable vaccine that, in mouse tests, can invoke a strong immune response against several strains of the bacteria.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung condition involving excessive scarring that affects patients’ breathing, and currently can’t be cured. But now, scientists have found a way to reverse the condition in mice, using a drug already available for other uses.

A new type of imaging tech has detected lung damage not visible on MRI or CT scans in patients suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19. The technology will help clinicians understand the breathing impairments seen in long COVID.

A new study has delved into the kind of damage microplastics can cause to human lungs, with researchers observing changes to the shape of lung cells and a slowdown in their metabolism and growth when exposed to these tiny plastic particles.

In the largest and longest follow-up study to date investigating the lingering effects of COVID-19, researchers have found more than two-thirds of hospitalized patients report at least one ongoing symptom six months after contracting the disease.

A new study is the first to investigate the relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the gut microbiome. The preliminary investigation confirms patients suffering from COPD present with changes to microbial populations in the gut.

Cancer spreads easily, and a common location for secondary tumors to appear is the lungs. Now, scientists at Harvard’s Wyss Institute have developed a way to treat metastatic tumors in the lungs, by attaching immune-baiting drugs to red blood cells.

A proof-of-concept study proposes a novel, cheap and surprisingly simple way to rapidly reduce blood alcohol levels. The research suggests a low-tech device aiding safe hyperventilation can more than triple the rate of alcohol elimination from the body.

An international team of scientists has identified a protein in the lungs that offers a new target for asthma treatments, along with another common condition affected by inflammation in the lungs, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Treatments for blood clots in the body naturally come with a risk of excessive bleeding from an injury. But a new synthetic blood thinner bypasses this side effect, fighting thrombosis while still allowing blood to clot normally in a wound.

A new type of nanoparticle developed at MIT deposits volatile molecules onto proteins linked to various diseases, to act as synthetic biomarker and reveal signs of pneumonia and other lung conditions in exhaled breath.

A tiny new sensor that can be worn in items of clothing could offer a new way to tap into the subtle vibrations produced by a wearer's heart and lungs, and even alert the user when it might be time to head for a checkup.