Introduction Weight-loss medicines have transformed obesity treatment in recent years, with injectable medications such as Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy helping many people achieve significant weight loss. Now, new oral treatments offer an alternative for people who would prefer a tablet to an injection. Two medicines attracting attention are Wegovy 25 mg tablets, containing semaglutide, and Foundayo, containing a new medication called orforglipron. Both target the glucagon-li

The 2026 Noble Prize for Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, and George Nagel for their work in the field of optogenetics. This begs the question what is optogenetics and its implications. What is Optogenetics? It is a technology developed by scientists, that used light to control the activity of neurons (brain cells) that are genetically defined. It is a widely used tool in neuroscience and is finding its way in clinical r

Introduction When we think of drug discovery, design, and development, what comes to mind is a rigorous, time-consuming, and resource-intensive process. It begins with identifying a disease target, followed by the search for a potential lead compound. The amount of work required in identifying a suitable lead compound is enormous. Researchers have to screen millions of molecules from large chemical libraries to determine whether any of them can effectively interact with the t

A new hypothesis called “Digital Dementia” suggests that forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and decreased ability to focus are symptoms of technology overexposure. Traditionally, the medical use of the term “dementia” describes a decline in a person’s ability to think due to changes in areas of the brain responsible for memory, language, and reasoning. Is it possible that technology may induce these changes in healthy adults and children, or is the term “digital dementi

Abida Mozid, BSc Biomedical Science Figure 1: Depiction of anitbodies (17) Biologics are a group of medications derived from living organisms, such as yeast, bacteria or plant and animal cells. (1) They have transformed how many autoimmune diseases are treated. Most biologics are intended to target pathways of the immune system implicated in inflammation and disease, in contrast to traditional medications that may impact multiple immune processes in the body. They are typical

Medical Cannabis: What You Need to Know About THC, CBD, CBN, and CBC

New research suggests a bacterium found in food may help trap tiny plastic particles and carry them out of the body. Plastic pollution is everywhere, from oceans and rivers to the food and water we consume. As larger pieces of plastic break down, they can become extremely tiny particles called nanoplastics. A new study has found that a food derived bacterium called Leuconostoc mesenteroides CBA3656 may have an interesting ability: it can attach to nanoplastics and help move t

If you have ever undergone a colonoscopy, dental procedure, or surgery, you may have been told that you would be “sedated” or “put under.” Although these phrases are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, sedation and general anesthesia are not the same thing. Both involve medications that help patients remain comfortable during medical procedures, but they differ in how deeply they affect consciousness, breathing, responsiveness, and recovery. Understanding the

A model of the pancreas highlights the organ where pancreatic cancer develops. Researchers are now testing new immune-based approaches, including personalized cancer vaccines, to help the body recognize and target tumour cells more effectively. Introduction Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Even when a tumour can be completely removed with surgery, microscopic cancer cells may remain in the body and the disease can return. Chemotherapy after sur

If you've scrolled through social media lately, you may have noticed people wearing a small, round sensor on the back of their arm, paired with a smartphone app full of colorful glucose graphs. These devices, called continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), were originally designed for people with diabetes. Today, they are showing up on marathon runners, biohackers, and wellness enthusiasts with no diabetes diagnosis at all. This shift accelerated in 2024, when the FDA cleared the

Introducing Organ-on-a-chip Towards Women’s Hormonal Imbalances and Ovarian Cancer Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) technology displays a direct correlation to benefiting the treatment of women's hormonal imbalances. Historically, women's hormonal health has been understudied, leading to a landscape of medical solutions that often fail to provide long-term relief. By integrating OOC technology into the development of women’s therapeutics, the quality of life for millions of women can b

The recent surge in common mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, while having a limited number of mental health specialists has resulted in many individuals having to seek treatment of such disorders by their Primary Care Provider (PCP). Current research conducted by Physicians, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and health systems experts have attempted to develop the means to combat the rising rate of mental health disorder seen in the population. Thus a newer

Photo Credit: Wix What is Down Syndrome Down syndrome is the most common type of chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States with about one in every 640 babies born with it. It occurs due to presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21 (Trisomy of chromosome 21), resulting in multiple complications. With improved medical care, life expectancy of people born with down syndrome has greatly increased between 1960 to 2007 from 10 years of age to 47 years of age. Down Syn

Photo Credit: Wix Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive disorder, causes by mutations in the CFTR gene. It affects approx. 105,000 people worldwide. Before CFTR modulators were developed to treat cystic fibrosis, patients with CF rarely survived beyond their 20’s. With the advent of these transformative therapies patients with CF live well into their 60’s and 70’s. While CFTR modulators offer hope to 90% of the patients, many still are unable to benefit. About 10% of pati

Motion sickness is a common condition that occurs when the brain receives conflicting signals about movement from the body’s sensory systems. It can be triggered by traveling in a car, boat, or airplane, as well as by virtual reality or other simulated environments. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and fatigue. The severity of these symptoms varies among individuals based on their sensitivity and susceptibility to motion. Although motion sickness

Natalie Orlov Neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and glioblastoma, affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide and remain among the most difficult diseases to treat. One of the greatest obstacles in neuroscience is the inability to accurately model the human brain in a laboratory. Traditional two-dimensional cell cultures fail to recreate the complex interactions between neurons, while animal models often do not fully

Getting a medication to the right place in the body is often more difficult than simply developing the drug itself. Conventional drug-delivery systems, including nanoparticles, can face challenges such as limited targeting and rapid removal from the body. Researchers are exploring a different approach: using living cells as therapeutic delivery vehicles. Rather than acting as passive containers, these cells can naturally interact with their surroundings, remain in circulation

Introduction Nanomedicine is often associated with cancer therapy or the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Yet researchers are now using nanoparticles to deliver antibiotics, cross the blood–brain barrier, repair damaged tissues, and even improve vaccine design. As nanotechnology matures, its role in medicine is expanding far beyond oncology. What is nanomedicine? A nanometre (nm) is one-billionth of a metre (10⁻⁹ m), or roughly the length of three atoms lined up. To put this into pers

GLP-1 receptor agonists (often called “GLP-1s”) are medicines commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss. Researchers are now looking at whether these medicines might also help with addiction. Early studies and patient reports suggest that some people taking medicines like semaglutide or tirzepatide notice fewer cravings—for example, they may feel less urge to drink alcohol or smoke. Because of these reports, more studies are underway to see if GLP-1s co

Neurographic art, a relatively new therapeutic practice developed by Russian psychologist Dr. Pavel Piskarev, is attracting growing interest among therapists, educators, and artists as a tool to reduce stress, express emotions, and aid self-reflection.