March 6, 2025
Higher levels of the minerals copper and manganese in pregnant women were associated with lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of developing high blood pressure decades later, according to a long-term study.
Levels of select vitamins and minerals in pregnancy may be linked to lower midlife BP risk
March 6, 2025
More than 120 million Americans suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetes. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive form of breast cancer, and TNBC patients with obesity-driven diabetes often have worse outcomes. A new study helps explain why this happens and suggests a potential way to improve treatment for these patients.
March 6, 2025
A landmark study reveals that bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition affecting nearly a third of women worldwide and causing infertility, premature births and newborn deaths, is in fact an STI, paving the way for a revolution in how it is treated.
New STI impacts 1 in 3 women: Landmark study reveals men are the missing link
March 5, 2025
Oxytocin, a hormone already known for its role in childbirth, milk release, and mother-infant bonding, may have a newfound purpose in mammalian reproduction. In times of maternal stress, the hormone can delay an embryo's development for days to weeks after conception, a new study in rodents shows. According to the authors, the findings about so-called 'diapause' may offer new insights into pregnancy and fertility issues faced by humans.
Findings may advance understanding of infertility in mothers
March 4, 2025
New research reveals that a mother's diet during pregnancy -- characterized by a Western dietary pattern high in fat and sugar and low in fresh ingredients -- may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and autism in children. Researchers see potential for targeted dietary interventions during pregnancy to reduce this risk.
March 4, 2025
New research from kinesiologists is challenging the internet belief that timing resistance training to specific phases of the menstrual cycle boosts the body's ability to build muscle and strength.
February 27, 2025
Using an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have created a four-dimensional brain map that reveals how lesions similar to those seen in human MS form. These findings, published in Science, provide a window into the early disease state and could help identify potential targets for MS treatments and brain tissue repair.
New 4D Brain Map reveals potential early warning signs of multiple sclerosis
February 19, 2025
Despite decades of research, understanding the precise biological mechanisms behind the disease has remained a challenge. Now, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at Purdue University, led by Professor of Biological Sciences, Peristera Paschou, has made significant strides in uncovering genetic and biological factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s—particularly in women. Their work, published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications, provides new insights that could pave the way for more personalized treatment approaches.
Purdue News: Tackling Alzheimer’s: Purdue scientists map genetic risks for women
February 13, 2025
Liquid biopsies may change the way we find and treat cancer Over the last decade, researchers have made huge strides in learning how to detect signs of cancer in bodily fluids like blood, saliva, and urine. This special Research in Context feature looks at how these liquid biopsies are now being tested to aid early detection and guide treatment.
February 7, 2025
With syphilis cases soaring 80% in adults and an astounding 183% in congenital cases — when a pregnant person passes syphilis to their baby during pregnancy or childbirth — from the years 2018-22, the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) launched a nationwide call to action for the improvement and innovation of diagnostics for the sexually transmitted infection. This fall, the NIAID awarded $2.4 million in grants spread over 10 research projects that will work toward the simplification and acceleration of the syphilis testing process. The initiative will help expediate test results, therefore reducing the spread of the infection caused by the bacterium treponema pallidum.
