Category: Science and Tech
Lilly Expands Infectious Disease Research Through Three Vaccine-Focused Acquisitions
Eli Lilly announced plans to acquire three biotechnology companies—Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company—to strengthen its infectious disease and vaccine development portfolio. The acquisitions focus on preventing viral and bacterial infections linked to long-term health complications such as neurological disease, cancer, infertility, and antimicrobial resistance. Key programs include an improved shingles vaccine with fewer side […]
May 27, 2026
Experts Answer Key Questions About the Growing Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa
A Texas State University microbiology and virology specialist outlined key concerns surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, which involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Unlike more common Ebola strains, Bundibugyo currently has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, complicating containment efforts as cases and deaths continue […]
May 27, 2026
Researchers Launch Faster, Adaptive Clinical Trials for New Ebola Outbreak
Researchers and global health agencies are moving quickly to launch adaptive clinical trials during the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, building on lessons learned from previous epidemics and the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier Ebola treatment trials during the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak were slow to organize and limited in scope, often […]
May 27, 2026
Inside the race to develop a hantavirus PCR test
Scientific American Researchers at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked round the clock to develop a test for the Andes virus at the center of the deadly cruise ship outbreak. The ongoing hantavirus outbreak carries disturbing echoes of the early days of COVID: people falling ill on a cruise ship from a relatively unknown pathogen, […]
May 20, 2026
Live Science: Hantavirus outbreaks could become more likely as virus-carrying rodents expand their range, model finds
Live Science New models chart how virus-carrying rodents may spread across Argentina as climate change reshapes weather patterns. New models chart how virus-carrying rodents may spread across Argentina as climate change reshapes weather patterns. Climate change is likely to shift the distribution of virus-carrying rodents, potentially increasing the risk of spillover, when viruses make the […]
May 13, 2026
What you eat for lunch could influence your immune system just hours later
Scientific American Our food choices could play an important, short-term role in how our bodies respond to infections, new research suggests. “Starve a cold, feed a fever” is a myth—but according to new research, the timing of when we eat in the short term may play a role in how our bodies fight off infections. Researchers analyzed […]
Apr 29, 2026
‘Truly transformative’ new diagnostic tools can help end tuberculosis
UN TB is caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs. Every day, over 3,300 people die from the disease, with Southeast Asia accounting for nearly 40 per cent of deaths. Yet it is both preventable and treatable, including by using the antibiotic rifampicin. WHO has issued new guidelines on testing, recommending that countries deploy innovations such as new near-point-of-care molecular diagnostic tests and tongue swabs, both of which can help with faster […]
Mar 25, 2026
Digital early warning systems essential as old diseases like cholera resurge in global crisis zones
JMIR Publications JMIR Publications today released a critical analysis in its News and Perspectives section regarding the global resurgence of cholera and the vital role of digital surveillance in fragile settings. The article, “When Old Diseases Return: Cholera, Crisis, and Digital Surveillance in Fragile Settings,” examines how the convergence of climate change, economic collapse, and conflict is bringing […]
Mar 18, 2026
Cancer drug protein target may also help fight influenza
Medical Express A protein already targeted by FDA-approved cancer drugs may also help the body fight influenza, according to new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX). Published in Cell Reports, the study found that Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), a protein best known for helping tumors evade immune attack, instead helped immunocompromised mice clear flu-infected lung cells […]
Mar 18, 2026
Scientists Can Finally Explain Rare Blood Clots Linked to COVID Vaccines
Science Alert COVID vaccines saved millions of lives, but months into the rollout, a small number of people began developing dangerous blood clots in unusual parts of the body. These only happened after vaccines that used a modified adenovirus to deliver their payload, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine. Why these blood clots formed was a […]
Mar 11, 2026