Medicine & Healthcare Internal medicine
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30 Sep 2026
Researchers at the University of Osaka found that simultaneous stimulation of the primary somatosensory cortex and insular cortex may produce richer artificial bodily sensations than stimulating either region alone. In three patients, dual-site stimulation evoked sensations including gentle touch and combined numbness and warmth. These preliminary findings suggest that multisite stimulation may influence how sensory qualities are integrated, with potential applications in sensory neuroprosthetics and functional brain mapping in humans.
30 Sep 2026
Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a simple two-step culture system that turns human blood-derived B cells into germinal center-like B cells using CD40L, IL-4, and IL-21 in a specific sequence. The resulting cells closely resemble genuine human germinal center B cells and undergo somatic hypermutation. The platform provides a practical tool for studying antibody formation directly in human cells and may support future vaccine and autoimmune disease research.
10 Sep 2026
Among adults with type 2 diabetes recovering from dialysis-requiring acute kidney injury, starting an SGLT-2 inhibitor within 30 days of hospital discharge was associated with fewer serious kidney events than starting 31 to 90 days later. The study found no significant differences in death, major cardiovascular events, or recorded short-term safety outcomes.
09 Sep 2026
A team led by the University of Osaka researchers discovered that cells producing IgG1 antibodies multiply more, are less prone to cell death in the spleen, and migrate more efficiently to the bone marrow, where long-lived antibody-producing cells can become established. Understanding how these cells gain these advantages could help researchers design vaccines that provide longer-lasting protection against infection.
03 Sep 2026
A nationwide Japanese birth cohort study of 101,864 children found that ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization were associated with a higher risk of Kawasaki disease before age five compared with spontaneous conception. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection showed no clear difference in risk. The findings remained broadly consistent after adjustment for maternal comorbidities and highlight the need for further research into underlying mechanisms.
21 Aug 2026
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for roughly 15–20% of all breast cancer cases and is difficult to treat. Patients are often left with chemotherapy as their only treatment option. This is because TNBC tumors contain a large number of T cells that suppress the immune system. Yet researchers from Tohoku University have come up with a three-pronged approach to overcome this problem.
19 Aug 2026
Researchers at the University of Osaka discovered that people who reach extreme old age have an unusual immune system. Around the age of 100, they develop large numbers of rare immune cells that resemble those seen in people fighting cancer, allowing them to remain highly active in their supercentenarian years. The findings suggest that the immune system can adapt with age and may help protect some people from disease to support exceptional longevity.
10 Aug 2026
A spinout from the University of Osaka is developing a slim, lightweight, single-use endoscope designed specifically for gastric cancer screening. By simplifying conventional endoscope design, the device aims to reduce patient discomfort, lower costs, and lessen the burden on healthcare professionals. Its disposable format removes the need for cleaning and disinfection, while future integration with AI and digital platforms could support more accessible and efficient screening.
07 Aug 2026
Growth impairment is a common late effect of childhood stem cell transplantation. A Japan-wide study found that growth hormone therapy improves adult height, but prior radiation therapy and transplant-related complications negatively affect how much children benefit.
07 Aug 2026
C/EBPγ coordinates cancer cell plasticity and DNA repair in lung adenocarcinoma, revealing a potential target against therapy resistance.
03 Aug 2026
Researchers at the University of Osaka found that Bofutsushosan, a Kampo medicine used for obesity, reduced fibrosis-related changes in fat tissue and the liver of aged male mice. Cell experiments suggested that Bofutsushosan also had a direct effect on fibrosis-related signals, partly through the TGF-β/SMAD2/3 pathway. Four ingredients showed particularly strong anti-fibrotic activity, while some mineral ingredients showed the opposite effect under cell-culture conditions. Adjusting the formula strengthened the suppression of some fibrosis-related markers in cultured cells. However, the modified formulas have not been tested in animals or people, and further research is required before the findings can guide treatment.
31 Jul 2026
Hiroshima University researchers show that natural tooth count serves as a prognostic marker associated with long-term overall survival following pancreatectomy for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
22 Jul 2026
Photothermal therapy is a cancer treatment option lacking the negative side effects associated with chemotherapy. Near-infrared laser light selectively heats and destroys cancer cells. However, two issues have stopped this less invasive treatment from becoming mainstream. Scientists have long sought to find a way to prevent nanoparticle clearance - where the immune system clears the nanoparticles carrying therapeutic agents before they can reach tumors - and better laser efficacy so it can reach deeper tumors. Now, a research team has overcome these challenges.
21 Jul 2026
Certain blood types may have increased risk of mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis
15 Jul 2026
Researchers at Kanazawa University report the blood-based gene expression tests may enable early pancreatic cancer screening and improve long-term survival.
10 Jun 2026
Physician-scientists at Kanazawa University have demonstrated, for the first time worldwide, the clinical efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy in patients with ultra-rare urachal cancer. Furthermore, their reverse translational research elucidated the mechanism by which the addition of immunotherapy enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy.
02 Jun 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka found that nanomicelle-mediated delivery of five mRNAs involved in angiogenesis, heart cell contraction, immune and hematopoietic stem cell recruitment, and immune response suppression promoted cardiac repair and increased overall survival in a mouse model of myocardial infarction–induced heart failure. These findings suggest that a multifactorial treatment approach effectively addresses the complex nature of heart failure and could aid new treatments in regenerative medicine for cardiovascular disease.
26 May 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that the rat brain differs from other mammals in the proportion of upper and deep layer neurons in the cortex. This change likely arises from differences in the timing of signaling pathways during early brain development. Importantly, this identified mechanism may have future applications in regenerative medicine for developmental and neurological disorders.
26 May 2026
Researchers studied 23 cases of oral cancer with a burrowing growth pattern and found that rare carcinoma cuniculatum has a unique genetic fingerprint. The research found genetic alterations in FAT1, NOTCH1, PIK3CA, and CASP8, suggesting a potential explanation for its slow growth and favorable prognosis. These findings suggest that genetic testing could improve diagnosis and inform treatment decisions in oral cancer.
21 May 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka found that only a small subset of tumor-killing T cells undergoes extensive expansion during immunotherapy for multiple myeloma. By tracking individual cells, the team showed that the T-cell clones that later became dominant had already begun expanding shortly after the treatment started. The findings also suggest that highly proliferative immune cells show lower levels of exhaustion-related markers, offering new insights into why some patients respond better to immunotherapy.
23 Apr 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka have discovered a new class of antibodies, called iTabs, that naturally suppress specific immune responses by blocking immune cell activation. These antibodies can reduce autoimmune disease severity in mice, suggesting a new way to treat conditions like multiple sclerosis without weakening the immune system overall.
31 Mar 2026
Hiroshima University researchers have developed a practical framework to identify candidate pathogenic variants hidden among the large number of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) detected in comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of cancers. This framework could improve the accuracy of precision oncology by more reliable prioritization of VUS.
25 Mar 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka found that leukemia caused by NUTM1 rearrangements is distinguished from other forms of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) by a unique pattern of gene activity and gene regulation. Unlike the common form of B-ALL caused by KMT2A rearrangement, which is resistant to treatment, leukemic cells with NUTM1 rearrangements are highly sensitivity to chemotherapy.
16 Mar 2026
Through protein binding, molecular heavy drugs are effectively transported to cancerous tissues
06 Mar 2026
Researchers at the Cancer Research Institute and the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have uncovered a critical mechanism that enables gastric cancer to spread to distant organs. Their study shows that cancer cells stimulate Wnt signaling in surrounding stromal fibroblasts to produce hyaluronan, creating a supportive microenvironment that promotes metastasis.
These findings provide new insight into how metastatic tumors establish themselves and suggest promising strategies to prevent gastric cancer progression.
04 Mar 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that potassium KCNQ2/3 channels in the brain, which are important for suppressing cell excitability, need to be fully functional to be trafficked to the appropriate part within the nerve cell and work properly. This link between channel functionality and localization may have important consequences for the development of therapies against KCNQ2/3-related epilepsy.
02 Mar 2026
Researchers at Hiroshima University and Gifu Kyoritsu University identified Hepatitis B RNA serum levels as a biomarker that more accurately stratifies risk of liver cancer in individuals who have been functionally cured of chronic hepatitis B.
27 Feb 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka have found that a specific signaling pathway, the integrin αV–YAP–CTGF axis in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, may be associated with the development of liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer in patients with chronic liver congestion. These findings have important implications for the development of therapies aimed at preventing more severe forms of liver disease.
05 Feb 2026
Study highlights the uniqueness of individual brain functional connectomes as a promising approach to identify biomarkers for major depressive disorder.
29 Jan 2026
Researchers from The University of Osaka report the development of two fluorescent indicators, Gachapin and Gachapin-C, that can be used to monitor cell–cell contacts and contacts between different processes of the same neuronal cell. Unlike split GFP indicators, the reversible and instant fluorescence from the Gachapin/Gachapin-C chromophore upon contact enables real-time imaging of dynamic contact events.
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Researchers
Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad Shah (اشفاک), born on 6 June 1992 and hailing from Doderkoot (ددیرکوٹ), Kulgam, South Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India, is an Indian microbiologist, biomedical scientist, academic researcher, scientific reviewer, and annotation engineer whose professional interests span infection biology, immunology, medical microbiology, antimicrobial research and One Health, pharmacology, natural-product science, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Shah has developed an interdisciplinary scientific career focused on understanding the complex interactions between microorganisms, bioactive compounds, and host immune responses, with particular interest in infection–immunity relationships and the discovery of novel antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory agents. He has been associated with Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, where he pursued research activities from 2020 to 2025 and subsequently continued his academic and research journey in the health sciences/medicine domain, including his role as an assistant professor and scientist in the University Center for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India. His scientific interests encompass a broad spectrum of contemporary biomedical research, including host–pathogen interactions, infection immunity, antimicrobial resistance, immunomodulation, natural-product pharmacology, microbial metabolites, plant-derived bioactive compounds, disease-model studies, protein–antigen interactions, and novel therapeutic discovery. A distinctive component of his research involves investigating the biological significance of phytoalexins, phytoanticipins, phenolic compounds, and other secondary metabolites, particularly their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and potential immunomodulatory properties. His work seeks to establish meaningful links between the chemical characterization of naturally occurring compounds and their biological effects, thereby contributing to the broader field of infection biology and therapeutic research. Dr. Shah has experience with advanced analytical and biochemical approaches, including GC–MS, HPLC, FTIR, and related hyphenated analytical techniques, for the identification and characterization of microbial and plant-derived metabolites and other biologically active compounds. His wider scientific interests also include **tyrosinase inhibition, polyphenol oxidase inhibition, bioactive compounds relevant to pharmaceutical and dermatological applications, and experimental approaches for evaluating antimicrobial and pharmacological activity. Over the course of his academic career, Dr. Shah has contributed to scientific literature through research publications, academic books, book chapters, scientific reviews, and editorial activities. He has published more than 40 scientific papers in national and international journals, including publications in Scopus- SCIE, and Web of Science-indexed journals (Q1, Q2), and has contributed to international academic books and scholarly chapters. His work reflects an interdisciplinary approach in which microbiology is integrated with immunology, pharmacology, analytical chemistry, biotechnology, and biomedical science. In recognition of his academic contributions and scientific work in the area of infection and immunity, Dr. Shah received the Young Scientist Award in August 2023. Alongside his research and academic responsibilities, he has served as a scientific reviewer and editorial contributor associated with scholarly journals, books, and academic initiatives, enabling him to participate in the broader international process of scientific communication and peer review. Dr. Shah has also developed an international academic network through professional interactions and research-related collaborations with scientists and scholarly communities from different parts of the world, including the United States of America, Japan, Malaysia, and other international research environments. These interactions have supported scientific exchange, collaborative discussions, and exposure to diverse approaches in microbiology, immunology, biomedical research, and emerging scientific technologies. His international engagement complements his core research activities and reflects his commitment to developing a globally connected scientific career. Beyond conventional research and academic publishing, Dr Shah has made sustained contributions to the dissemination of medical and scientific knowledge through **Wikipedia**, where he has been an active contributor to medical-science content since 2015. With more than 1,000 edits related to medical and scientific topics, he has contributed to the organisation and accessibility of scientific information for a worldwide readership.Dr Shah has also submitted his NGS work, like nucleotide sequences of mutated genes, to the gene banks like the National Library of Medicine (NCBI) USA.gov.
Giants in history
Barry Paw (29 August 1962 – 28 December 2017) was a biologist and oncologist who discovered several novel genes and their functions in red blood cells.
A Japanese surgeon, Tetsuzo Akutsu (20 August 1922 – 9 August 2007) built the first artificial heart capable of keeping an animal alive.