Stories by Sara Reardon

The bioengineered immune players called CAR T cells last longer and work better if pumped up with a large dose of a protein that makes them resemble stem cells

The FDA recently approved semaglutide (Wegovy) for preventing serious heart conditions in some people, but questions remain about how it works

A genetically modified pig liver successfully filtered the blood of a human who had completely lost brain activity and did so for three days. The achievement offers a potential temporary treatment for people with acute liver failure

A huge cache of ancient genomes spanning tens of thousands of years reveals the roots of traits in modern Europeans

Experts hope a recent FDA approval for the first commercial at-home test for sexually transmitted diseases may help increase access to testing and curb rising rates

Most people with sickle cell disease who received a new gene editing treatment saw their pain resolve for at least one year, but longer follow up is needed

The active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes in a large trial of people with cardiovascular disease who were considered overweight or had obesity, but the cost and side effects remain barriers

Novavax’s protein-based vaccine is the latest FDA-authorized COVID booster available this fall. Here’s what you should know

Draft CDC guidelines recommend doxycycline for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections in some populations

For the first time in the U.S., research with cephalopods might require approval by an ethics committee

New research suggests that blood clotting from COVID infections could contribute to long-term brain fog and other cognitive issues

An Alzheimer’s drug that attacks the protein amyloid does not work as well in people with more advanced disease

Ozempic and similar medications may target brain circuitry involved in addiction as well as appetite control

Therapy apps are incorporating AI programs such as ChatGPT. But such programs could provide unvetted or harmful feedback if they’re not well regulated

Genetic resilience found in a person predisposed to early-onset dementia could potentially lead to new treatments

Findings suggest that the amyloid-targeting drug candidate slows cognitive decline in some people, but questions remain over its potential side effects

These elements, dubbed “UNICORNs,” sit close to genes that affect smell, sleep and ways that people and other mammals interact with their surroundings

A federal judge in Texas ruled to withdraw the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, potentially making medication abortion less accessible nationwide

As more people turn to chat-based AIs for medical advice, it remains to be seen how these tools stack up against—or could complement—human doctors

The risks associated with a bone marrow transplant used to treat HIV mean the procedure is unlikely to be widely used in its current form

With cases declining in the U.S. and Europe, here are some scenarios of how the outbreak might play out

An unvaccinated person in New York State’s Rockland County developed paralysis from a polio infection, emphasizing the need to target vaccination efforts to vulnerable communities

The virus circulating in the current outbreak has mutated 50 times in the past four years

The model, which uses machine learning to track the fitness of different viral strains, accurately predicted the rise of Omicron’s BA.2 subvariant and the Alpha variant