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Beef is making a comeback – does it fit into a healthy diet?
The protein craze is in full swing and beef consumption is on the rise, particularly in the US, where health agencies are promoting red meat as part of an optimum diet. So, how much beef should we really be eating, and how does it impact our well-being?
How to Use Google Chrome’s New AI-Powered ‘Skills’
The premade Skills available through the Gemini sidebar in Chrome include ways to maximize protein in recipes or summarize YouTube videos.
Health Sciences Teams Show Off Their Knowledge at Game Night
Eating too much protein can stiffen vessels.
Health Sciences Teams Show Off Their Knowledge at Game Night
Eating too much protein can stiffen vessels.
Scottish Association for Marine Science: Unlocking red seaweed for food flavor, color & hybrid proteins
Inside Tinder HQ, from a Lego station to roof-deck espresso
Tinder's West Hollywood headquarters has seaweed snacks, protein bars, and beer on tap. For those with a sweet tooth, there's full-size candy bars.
Costco Just Introduced the Kirkland Product Fans Have 'Been Waiting For,' and It's Selling Out Fast
Costco’s Kirkland Signature Ultra-Filtered Reduced Fat Milk, which is remarkably similar to Fairlife 2% Lactose-Free Milk, boasts 13 grams of protein per serving and half of the sugar compared to regular milk, at a fraction of the cost.
Hidden weak spots in HIV and Ebola revealed with breakthrough nanodisc technology
A new nanodisc-based platform lets scientists study viral proteins in a form that closely mimics real viruses, revealing how antibodies truly recognize them. This approach uncovered hidden interactions in viruses like HIV and Ebola that traditional methods missed. By recreating the virus’s membrane environment, researchers can better understand how immune defenses work. The technique could speed up the development of more effective vaccines.
Americans are eating up the meat industry's health claims
Consumer appetites for protein are fueling record meat sales, raising experts’ concerns about the risk of heart disease and other illnesses.
A Hematology Science Researcher’s Experience of the Present Funding Environment
Rinku Majumder, PhD, gave a status update on her laboratory’s investigations of anticoagulant protein S.
My favorite health foods from Costco, from 65-year-old fitness trainer
As a personal trainer focused on longevity and healthy eating, I stock up on protein-filled foods like frozen chicken and Greek yogurt at Costco.
Science history: Doctor hypothesizes that 'transmissible proteins' can cause disease, contradicting a 'central dogma' of molecular biology
Prion diseases, such as "mad cow," are caused by transmissible proteins that were identified in the 1980s.
Your DNA has a secret “second code” that decides which genes get silenced
Not all parts of our genetic code are equal, even when they appear to say the same thing. Scientists have discovered that cells can detect less efficient genetic instructions and selectively silence them. A protein called DHX29 plays a key role in this process by identifying and suppressing weaker messages. This finding reveals a hidden layer of control in how genes are used.
Baton Rouge General's Health Tip of the Week: What to know about new cholesterol guidelines
Sponsored by Baton Rouge General Heart health is getting a head start—and the new guidelines say your 30s are the time to begin. Updated recommendations call for annual cholesterol screenings starting at age 30, lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) targets (under 100, or 70 if you’re higher risk), and additional tests like lipoprotein(a) at least once. […]
How simple choices boost health after 50
A mostly plant-based diet with healthy proteins and fats can help you thrive as you age.
Protein is personal. Here's how to calculate your optimal intake
Protein is having a moment. Coffee chains are adding it into lattes. Many snack companies are labeling their products as high-protein. But how much protein do you really need? Host Marielle Segarra talks with NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey about the different factors to consider when planning your protein intake.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekit
Study Reveals the Single Cause of Cognitive Decline—and a Cure
Researchers pinpoint a lone protein that speeds up the dysfunction of an aging brain. Eliminating it, they claim, can reverse the damage.
Scientists found a protein that drives brain aging — and how to stop it
Scientists have uncovered a powerful new clue in the mystery of brain aging: a single protein called FTL1. In aging mice, higher levels of this protein weakened connections between brain cells and led to memory decline. But when researchers reduced FTL1, something remarkable happened — the brain began to recover, rebuilding lost connections and restoring memory performance.
Kraft Heinz’s post-split future: More protein, less sugar
Kraft Heinz is reinventing some of its well-known pantry staples that have fallen out of favor with consumer tastes.
‘Impossible for Chinese’: Yale scientist Zhang Kai leaves US for China
Pioneering work involves observing proteins inside the body during exercise, effectively capturing their activity in a natural state.
Scientists discover hidden “winds” inside cells that could explain cancer spread
Cells aren’t as passive as scientists once thought—they actively create internal currents to move proteins quickly and efficiently. These “cellular winds” push materials to the front of the cell, enabling faster movement and repair. Discovered by chance and confirmed with advanced imaging, this system challenges decades of textbook biology. It may also reveal why some cancer cells spread so rapidly.
Scientists solve 40-year-old biological mystery behind sleeping sickness
To survive in the human bloodstream, the African trypanosome parasite wears a "cloak" made of proteins known as a variant surface glycoprotein (VSG). The study, published in Nature Microbiology, identifies ...
Ingredion and Holobiome map gut microbiome to unlock targeted health benefits
Ingredion has partnered with Holobiome to use AI and its database of two million bacterial genomes to predict how specific ingredients will interact with human health before clinical trials. The research expands beyond digestion to explore how sweeteners, plant proteins, and texture solutions influence the gut-brain axis, including sleep and mental health.
A newly-discovered molecular process explains how our bodies perceive the cold
Research by Nobel laureate David Julius has captured how the TRPM8 protein changes when exposed to low temperatures, opening a new avenue for treating cold-induced pain
New cholesterol guidelines could change when you get tested
A major new U.S. cholesterol guideline is shifting the focus toward earlier, more personalized prevention of heart disease. It urges people to start screening sooner—sometimes even in childhood—and highlights the importance of tracking not just LDL (“bad”) cholesterol but also genetic risk factors like lipoprotein(a). A new, more advanced risk calculator now uses broader health data to better predict heart attack and stroke risk over decades.
Power Hours: A day in the life of Orangetheory president Lauren Cody
Orangetheory president Lauren Cody said she loves plane rides, green tea, and history. Her routine prioritizes protein and energizing supplements.
Scientists discover a hidden system that turns brown fat into a calorie burner
Scientists have identified a key biological system that helps brown fat burn energy by building the networks it needs to function. A protein called SLIT3 splits into two parts, with each piece guiding the growth of blood vessels and nerves inside brown fat. These structures allow the tissue to pull in nutrients and rapidly convert them into heat instead of storing them as fat.
Understanding protein motion could greatly aid new drug design
For many of us, “protein” is the key element of a food order. However, beyond your preferred choice of meats or plant-based alternatives, proteins encompass a large class of complex biomolecules whose chemical structure is encoded in our genes. Proteins have critical functions in living cells: They help repair and build body tissues, drive metabolic reactions, maintain pH and fluid balance, and keep our immune systems strong.
Scientists find gut bacteria inject proteins that control your immune system
Gut bacteria aren’t just passive passengers—they can actively send proteins straight into our cells. Using microscopic injection systems, even harmless microbes can influence immune responses and metabolic pathways. Researchers found these interactions may play a role in inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s. It’s a major shift in how scientists understand the microbiome’s power over human health.
Cardiologist's 3 Favorite High-Protein Foods to Boost Heart Health
In TODAY.com's Expert Tip of the Day, a cardiologist shares her favorite foods to add more healthy protein to her diet in a heart-healthy way.
The brain's cleaning system can be boosted to rid Alzheimer's proteins
A duo of drugs that boosts our glympathic system, which clears waste from our brain, also improves the removal of proteins associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease
Scientists discover why this deadly lung cancer keeps coming back
Scientists have discovered that losing a key protein in small cell lung cancer triggers inflammation that actually helps tumors grow and spread. Even more surprising, it pushes cancer cells into a more aggressive, neuron-like state linked to relapse.
Mediterranean diet may boost mitochondrial signals linked to heart and brain health
A study led by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology suggests that the benefits of the Mediterranean diet may be driven, in part, by tiny proteins hidden within our mitochondria, ...
Danone to buy protein shake maker Huel as health nutrition craze drives demand shift
Merging the companies is an opportunity in fast-growing nutrition space, said Danone CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique.
How Healthy Are Meat Sticks and Jerky as Protein Sources?
These convenient snacks are rich in protein and low in calories, but they are considered processed meats. Here's how often you should eat them.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Kennedy’s latest MAHA-approved plan could supercharge peptide boom
He indicated that the FDA will soon widen access to the small proteins, which biohackers tout as therapies for a range of ills
Seattle’s biotech scene is world-class — Life Science Washington is teaching it how to brag
Despite world-class AI-biotech research, a Nobel Prize-winning protein design lab and proximity to global AI expertise, Washington's life sciences sector is still learning to tell its story.
High-Protein Mac & Cheese, Broccoli Chips Target Health-Conscious Diners
Packaged food is getting a makeover with options that are aligned with today’s eating habits.
A David Protein lawsuit alleges the buzzy bars have far more calories than listed. Does science agree?
A class action lawsuit alleges that David Protein bars contain significantly more calories and fat than advertised.
The Paleo Diet Never Existed. Scientists Found What Early Humans Were Really Eating.
Humans are actually limited in how much protein they can metabolize for energy, meaning early humans really needed a more well-rounded diet to survive.
Wellness businesses skyrocket as Americans prioritize health
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon discusses the economic turn to wellness and fitness and addresses America’s protein craze on ‘Fox & Friends First.’
A dietitian and doctor review RFK Jr's new food pyramid
The new food pyramid was released earlier this year. It emphasizes protein, full-fat dairy and what Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calls “healthy fats.” These guidelines influence the standards for school lunches, food labeling and programs like SNAP. Today on the show, Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong chats with registered dietitian nutritionist Shana Spence, and Dr. Sarah Kim, a diabetes specialist, about the new guidelines. Plus, NPR’s Reflect America fellow Kadin Mills unpacks how the new food pyramid could change school lunch trays. Check out more of Kadin’s coverage about the changes in dietary guidelines.Interested in more health science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Scientists discover ALS protein that links DNA repair to cancer and dementia
A protein tied to ALS and dementia may have a much bigger role in disease than scientists realized. Researchers found that TDP43 controls a key DNA repair process, but when the protein becomes imbalanced, the repair system can spiral out of control, harming neurons and destabilizing DNA. The team also discovered that high levels of the protein are linked to increased mutation rates in cancer. The discovery places TDP43 at the center of both neurodegeneration and cancer biology.
Fishwife, other tinned sardine brands are cashing in on protein craze
Hate 'em or love 'em, our shared obsession with protein has made a stinky little fish from brands like Fishwife the new superfood.
2 science-backed ways to improve your breakfast
Eating the majority of your calories earlier in the day can be beneficial, but so can adding more fiber and protein.
2 science-backed ways to improve your breakfast
Eating the majority of your calories earlier in the day can be beneficial, but so can adding more fiber and protein.
Scientists discover tiny plant trick that could supercharge crop yields
Researchers have uncovered a molecular trick used by hornwort plants that could help future crops capture carbon dioxide more efficiently. A unique protein feature called RbcS-STAR causes the key photosynthesis enzyme Rubisco to cluster into dense compartments, helping it work more effectively. When scientists added this feature to other plants, Rubisco reorganized in the same way. The finding raises the possibility of engineering more efficient photosynthesis into major crops.
Single protein could dramatically alter trajectory of Alzheimer's disease
In people destined to get Alzheimer's in their mid-40s, one protein can delay the onset of the disease by about 20 years.
Stanford Scientists Uncover the Molecular Mistake That May Trigger Brain Aging
Scientists have identified a critical breakdown in the cellular machinery that produces proteins in aging brains.
Lowering Your A1C: Expert-Backed Tips for Better Heart Health
Lowering your A1C can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. You can lower your A1C by eating more fiber and protein, cutting back on refined carbs, and more.
Science & Medicine: APOBECs and the fight against cancer
One of the handiest tools in our immune system is an enzyme called apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide — better known as APOBECs.
Scientists discover a brain signal that may trigger autism’s domino effect
Researchers have uncovered a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain that may play a role in some forms of autism. The study suggests that nitric oxide, a tiny signaling molecule normally involved in fine-tuning communication between brain cells, can sometimes trigger a cascade of changes inside neurons. When nitric oxide activity rises, it can alter a protective protein called TSC2, weakening an important cellular brake and allowing the mTOR pathway, which controls growth and protein production, to become overactive.
Scientists discover protein that triggers diabetic blindness
A newly identified protein may hold the key to preventing diabetic blindness. Researchers discovered that LRG1 triggers the earliest damage in diabetic retinopathy by constricting tiny retinal blood vessels and reducing oxygen supply. In mice, shutting down this protein stopped the damage before it could take hold. The finding could pave the way for treatments that protect vision before symptoms ever begin.
Scientists Cut Amyloid Plaques by 50% in Mice With Engineered Cells
"This study marks the first successful attempt."
Scientists discover a hidden force that helps wire the brain
Growing neurons rely on chemical cues to find their targets, but new research shows that the brain’s physical properties help shape those signals. Scientists discovered that tissue stiffness can trigger the production of guidance molecules through a force-sensing protein called Piezo1. This protein not only detects mechanical forces but also helps maintain the structure of brain tissue. The discovery reveals a powerful link between the brain’s physical environment and how its wiring is built.
Scientists discover the protein that malaria parasites can’t live without
Scientists have uncovered a crucial weakness in the malaria parasite that could open the door to new treatments. Researchers identified a protein called Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) that acts like a traffic controller during the parasite’s unusual cell division process, ensuring its genetic material is properly separated as it multiplies. When scientists switched off ARK1 in laboratory experiments, the parasite could no longer replicate correctly and failed to complete its life cycle in both humans and mosquitoes—effectively halting its ability to spread.
A History of HeLa Cells: How the Immortal Cells Advanced Biomedical Science
HeLa cells are the most famous human cells in science. Discover how cervical cancer, HPV proteins, and bioethics shaped one of medicine’s biggest breakthroughs.
Microbes That 'Disarm' Peanut Allergy Proteins Discovered in Mouth And Gut
Hidden allies.
Scientists just found the brain’s hidden defense against Alzheimer’s
A new study has uncovered why some brain cells are more resistant to Alzheimer’s damage than others. Researchers found a natural cleanup system that helps remove toxic tau protein before it can form harmful clumps. The study also shows that cellular stress can produce a dangerous tau fragment linked to Alzheimer’s. Strengthening the brain’s natural defenses could point the way to new treatments.
Scientists find the genetic switch that makes pancreatic cancer resist chemotherapy
Scientists have identified a crucial molecular switch that decides whether pancreatic cancer cells resist chemotherapy or respond to it. The key player, a gene called GATA6, keeps tumours in a more structured and treatable form—but it gets shut down by an overactive KRAS-driven pathway. When researchers blocked that pathway, GATA6 levels rebounded and cancer cells became more sensitive to chemo. The discovery could help turn some of the toughest pancreatic tumours into ones doctors can better control.
America’s Protein Obsession, Explained | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Most Americans get plenty of protein—but under-consume other important nutrients.
Scientists discover microbe that breaks a fundamental rule of the genetic code
Scientists at UC Berkeley have discovered a microbe that bends one of biology’s most sacred rules. Instead of treating a specific three-letter DNA code as a clear “stop” signal, this methane-producing archaeon sometimes reads it as a green light—adding an unusual amino acid and continuing to build the protein. The result is a kind of genetic coin flip: two different proteins can emerge from the same code, influenced partly by environmental conditions.
Ballerina Farm’s Hannah Neelman is having her ninth baby. For mom influencers like her, every family milestone is a business opportunity.
In an ad for protein powder, Hannah Neelman, the mega-mom influencer behind @ballerinafarm which boasts 10.3 million followers on Instagram alone, announced she is pregnant with her ninth child with h...
Scientists discover diet that tricks the body into burning fat without exercise
Researchers found that cutting two amino acids common in animal protein—methionine and cysteine—made mice burn significantly more energy. The boost in heat production was nearly as powerful as constant exposure to cold temperatures. The mice didn’t eat less or exercise more; they simply generated more heat in their beige fat. The discovery hints that diet alone might activate the body’s calorie-burning machinery.
How A $200 Million Pea Protein Business Is Fueling The Ozempic Generation
Since the 1980s, the Lorenzen family has grown its protein powder business, Puris, into an AgTech power player. Now the preferred supplier for food brands seeking craveable recipes for GLP-1 users—it’s helping America become ‘protein independent
Popular brain supplement linked to shorter lifespan in men
A massive study of more than 270,000 people has uncovered a surprising link between a common amino acid and how long men live. Researchers found that higher levels of tyrosine—an amino acid found in protein-rich foods and often marketed as a focus-boosting supplement—were associated with shorter life expectancy in men, potentially trimming nearly a year off lifespan.
Scientists Found a Protein That Could Keep Your Brain From Growing Old
As we age, neuron production declines in the human brain, but scientists just identified the protein key to regenerating neural stem cells.
NASA study finds ancient life could survive 50 million years in Martian ice
Mars’ frozen ice caps may be time capsules for ancient life. Lab experiments show that key building blocks of proteins can survive tens of millions of years in pure ice, even under relentless cosmic radiation. Ice mixed with Martian-like soil, however, destroys organic material far more quickly. The findings point future missions toward drilling into clean, buried ice rather than studying rocks or dirt.
Manipulating gene activity to reverse aging
By altering levels of molecules called transcription factors in mice, researchers were able to reverse some of the effects of aging.
Scientists reverse muscle aging in mice and discover a surprising catch
A UCLA study in mice reveals that aging muscle stem cells accumulate a protein that slows repair but boosts survival. This protein, NDRG1, acts like a brake, preventing cells from activating quickly after injury. When researchers blocked it in older mice, muscle healing sped up dramatically — but stem cells became less resilient over time. The work suggests aging may reflect a survival trade-off rather than straightforward decline.
Simple blood test can forecast Alzheimer’s years before memory loss
Scientists have created a blood test that can estimate when Alzheimer’s symptoms are likely to begin. By measuring a protein called p-tau217, the model predicts symptom onset within roughly three to four years. The protein mirrors the silent buildup of amyloid and tau in the brain long before memory loss appears. This advance could speed up preventive drug trials and eventually guide personalized care.
Plasma proteomic profiles linked to suicidal behaviors
Nature Mental Health - Using plasma proteome profiles from over 53,000 UK Biobank participants, Zhang et al. examined proteins associated with suicidal behavior and investigated pathways that could...
What to know about protein in your diet, according to dietitians
From popcorn to Pop-Tarts, protein-packed food is everywhere, and politicians want you to eat more of it. What’s the right amount for you?
The Blurry Line Between Protein Bar and Candy Bar
The line between protein bar and candy bar is blurring.
Common pneumonia bacterium may fuel Alzheimer’s disease
A common bacterium best known for causing pneumonia and sinus infections may also play a surprising role in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that Chlamydia pneumoniae can invade the retina and brain, where it sparks inflammation, nerve cell death, and the buildup of amyloid-beta—the hallmark protein linked to Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of the bacterium were found in people with Alzheimer’s, especially those carrying the high-risk APOE4 gene, and were tied to more severe cognitive decline.
Scientists reveal how exercise protects the brain from Alzheimer’s
Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain’s protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age. In older mice, dialing down this protein reduced inflammation and improved memory. The discovery points to a surprising body-to-brain pathway that could inspire new Alzheimer’s therapies.
5 Dietitians Share Their Top 9 Go-To High Protein Snacks
Protein is an important nutrient for muscle health and blood sugar control. From Greek yogurt to plant-based picks, there's something for every taste.
Has the vegan business bubble burst? : It's Been a Minute
Is veganism in its flop era?There was a time when veganism – or plant-based food – seemed to be in ascendency: from the early 2010s when Beyoncé adopted a plant-based diet to its height in 2020, when the retail market for plant-based meat made over a billion dollars in sales. And then… things started getting a little more… meaty. From protein-maxxing to the new food pyramid, the culture seems to have shifted. But what does the plant-based food flop era say about our culture, how we think about our food, and how we feel about our future? Special guest host Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent, discusses with writer Rachel Sugar, who wrote a piece on the boom and bust of veganism for New York Magazine, and Mark Bittman, long-time food journalist and former New York Times columnist who has written about veganism since the early 2010s.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
We're creating cutting-edge AI science tools for Google DeepMind—and 3 million researchers across 190+ countries
Five years ago, our AlphaFold AI system solved the 50-year grand challenge of protein structure prediction. But that's not the whole story.
When AI meets physics: Unlocking complex protein structures to accelerate biomedical breakthroughs
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how scientists understand proteins—these are working molecules that drive nearly every process in the human body, from cell growth and immune defense to ...
Scientists completely eliminate toxic tau proteins from human neurons for the first time
Targeting OTULIN has proven to eliminate toxic tau proteins in human neurons for the first time, opening a new avenue for treating dementia.
Scientists Discovered An Organism That Can Become Two Different Life Forms
Knowing which genes are responsible for the transformations could help with developing antifungal treatments, and may have other pharmaceutical and industrial applications.
These Proteins Harm Your Brain. Scientists Say They Might Also Help Form Your Memories.
Amyloid proteins are typically considered bad guys, but researchers been investigating whether a version may be key to forming long-term memories.
Scientists discover protein that rejuvenates aging brain cells
A newly identified protein may hold the key to rejuvenating aging brain cells. Researchers found that boosting DMTF1 can restore the ability of neural stem cells to regenerate, even when age-related damage has set in. Without it, these cells struggle to renew and support memory and learning. The findings raise hopes for treatments that could slow or even reverse aspects of brain aging.
Gut bacteria can sense their environment and it’s key to your health
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that constantly “sense” their surroundings to survive and thrive. New research shows that beneficial gut microbes, especially common Clostridia bacteria, can detect a surprisingly wide range of chemical signals produced during digestion, including byproducts of fats, proteins, sugars, and even DNA. These microbes use specialized sensors to move toward valuable nutrients, with lactate and formate standing out as especially important fuel sources.
New drug resets the body clock and cuts jet lag recovery nearly in half
Scientists have identified a promising new compound, Mic-628, that can reliably shift the body’s internal clock forward—something that’s notoriously hard to do. By targeting a key clock-control protein, Mic-628 jump-starts the gene that sets daily rhythms, synchronizing both the brain’s master clock and clocks throughout the body. In mice experiencing simulated jet lag, a single dose cut recovery time nearly in half.
Is this blood test a better predictor of heart disease than LDL cholesterol?
Recent research suggests that more people should be screened for a protein called apoB. A growing number of doctors agree.
Why has food become another joyless way to self-optimise?
Women of my age are told we neglect protein at our peril – but you can’t cheat death with chia seeds alone. So, could we rein back on the self-optimisation – and ramp up the joy, writes Emma Beddington
Light-based Ising computer runs at room temperature and stays stable for hours
A team of researchers at Queen's University has developed a powerful new kind of computing machine that uses light to take on complex problems such as protein folding (for drug discovery) and number partitioning ...
This tiny molecular trick makes spider silk almost unbreakable
Scientists have cracked a key mystery behind spider silk’s legendary strength and flexibility. They discovered that tiny molecular interactions act like natural glue, holding silk proteins together as they transform from liquid into incredibly tough fibers. This same process helps create silk that’s stronger than steel by weight and tougher than Kevlar.
Journalists Describe Drivers of High Health Costs and Spell Out the Science of Protein
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Journalists Describe Drivers of High Health Costs and Spell Out the Science of Protein
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
A Dietitian's No. 1 Plant-Based Protein for People Trying to Eat Less Meat
Add more healthy protein — and fiber — to your diet with this plant-based favorite.
RFK Jr. says he is 'ending the war on protein.' Experts say it doesn't exist.
The new dietary guidelines prioritize protein and whole milk, but experts say the 'war on protein' RFK Jr. has talked about doesn't match reality.
Can Health Guru Dr. Attia ‘Outlive’ His Epstein Friendship?
The popular wellness influencer was cut from his C-suite seat at a protein-bar company and could be out at CBS News.
A hidden cellular process may drive aging and disease
As we age, our cells don’t just wear down—they reorganize. Researchers found that cells actively remodel a key structure called the endoplasmic reticulum, reducing protein-producing regions while preserving fat-related ones. This process, driven by ER-phagy, is tied to lifespan and healthy aging. Because these changes happen early, they could help trigger later disease—or offer a chance to stop it.
Anchovies vs. Sardines: Which Is Better for Protein, Healthy Fats, and Micronutrients?
Though anchovies boast more protein and omega-3 fatty acids, sardines are richer in many vitamins and minerals.
The science of why chia seeds are a superfood
Chia seeds are full of fiber and protein. Here’s how to make them easier on your digestive tract.