February 4, 2026

Blocking pain at the source: Hormone therapy rewires nerve signals in aging spines

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / aging spines

Researchers reveal that hormone treatment reduces abnormal nerve invasion and improves chronic back pain Peer-Reviewed Publication Editorial Office of West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University image: Damage to the vertebral endplates can promote abnormal growth of pain-sensing nerves, increasing pain sensitivity. Researchers reveal that parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates bone cells to release signals that […]

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Half of all men over 60 have prostate cancer – an AI diagnostic tool could identify which need followup

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / prostate cancer

Not all cases of prostate cancer need followup and treatment, but determining which are serious and which are benign has been challenging. Peer-Reviewed Publication Norwegian University of Science and Technology image: Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men in Western countries. The disease is naturally linked to aging. Professor Tone Frost

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Pigs and grizzlies, not monkeys, hold clues to youthful human skin

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / human skin

Peer-Reviewed Publication Washington State University PULLMAN, Wash. — The secret to youthful appearance and repairing scars may lie in a microscopic skin structure humans share with pigs and grizzly bears — but, surprisingly, not monkeys. While it had been thought these ridge and valley-like skin microstructures — called rete ridges — form during fetal growth,

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Epigenetic therapy could ‘switch off’ cancer genes for good

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / cancer genes

by Monash University edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source H3K79me2/3 is sufficient to antagonize the histone ubiquitin ligase activity of PRC1. Credit: Nature Cell Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41556-025-01859-8 Monash University researchers, in collaboration with Harvard University, have discovered how to permanently “switch off” cancer-causing genes, revealing a new approach to

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Certain brain injuries may be linked to violent crime. Identifying them could help reveal how people make moral choices

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / violent crimes

by Christopher M. Filley, Isaiah Kletenik, Patricia Churchland, The Conversation edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Credit: CC0 Public Domain On Oct. 25, 2023, a 40-year-old man named Robert Card opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at a bowling alley and nearby bar in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people

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Rethinking weight loss in the Ozempic era: Researchers urge a more holistic view

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / Weight loss

by George Mason University edited by Stephanie Baum, reviewed by Andrew Zinin Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In the world of obesity research, the arrival of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic feels seismic. At a recent conference, Martin Binks, a leader in obesity research, found himself marveling with a colleague: “Can you

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Eczema in older people is more than a skin condition—its effects can extend to mood

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / eczema

by University of Oulu edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Eczema is a group of inflammatory and chronic skin conditions, and it is the most common skin disease among older people. As many as one in two people aged over 60 suffer from some

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A fungus living in our body can make melanoma more aggressive

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / melanoma

by University of the Basque Country edited by Stephanie Baum, reviewed by Andrew Zinin Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Candida albicans effect in melanoma cells phenotype. Credit: Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-24055-y Cancer is one of the causes responsible for the most deaths worldwide. In 2020, for example, it resulted in ten million deaths. It has been

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Novel antibody targets fat cell protein, offering new approach to treating metabolism-related liver cancer

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / metabolism

by Hong Kong Polytechnic University edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2025). DOI: 10.1172/jci182322 Liver cancer is one of the three deadliest cancers worldwide, and metabolic dysfunction-related cases have become increasingly common in recent years. A research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic

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Sleep medication linked to safer outcomes than antipsychotics for older adults with delirium

February 4, 2026 / Research update / InnovateMed Author / sleep medication

by Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Robert Egan Editors’ notes The GIST Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A large U.S. study suggests that older adults hospitalized with delirium may experience better outcomes when treated with trazodone, commonly used to treat depression and sleep problems, rather than

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