Lung cancer is the mortality king of malignancy, killing 1.6 million people yearly, with a five-year survival rate under 20%. With such grim statistics in mind, researchers are examining the causes of lung cancer with the aim of creating better treatments or even preventing it.

The issue of how to evaluate the fruits of academic research confronts scientists and policymakers all over the world. Each country has its own set of circumstances depending on its research infrastructure and wealth as well as its economic, environmental and developmental objectives. Australia and New Zealand might be neighbours, but their programmes of research assessment are very different. Focusing on the tools and methods used to measure the quality and impact of science in Australia and New Zealand should inform similar debates throughout the scientific world.

Epilepsy is a common neurological condition that affects 50 million people worldwide. For many patients, medication helps reduce seizure frequency; for drug-resistant epilepsy, treatments include diet therapy and neurosurgery. Although discussed and feared for millennia, progress towards understanding epilepsy has been slow — even with help from modern genetic and neurological analysis. Stigmatization of people with epilepsy continues in certain parts of the world and though lack of funding limits epilepsy research, new ways to treat and manage seizures are on the horizon.

Stroke is the second most common cause of death worldwide, yet it can often be prevented. Each year, some 17 million people worldwide will have a stroke and almost 6 million of them will die. Research seeks to guide rehabilitation, to help maintain brain function after a stroke, and to develop treatments to repair the physical damage caused by the condition.

Cancer kills millions of people across the globe every year. But the development of targeted medicines, novel drug delivery technologies and clinical research data offer a glimpse towards a cancer-free future. This Outlook — a joint publication by NatureandScientific American— examines the scientific advances that are needed to propel us into a world where this ancient scourge loses its lethality.

Antibiotic-resistant infections are increasing worldwide. For instance, nearly half a million people get infected with drug-resistant tuberculosis every year, one-third of whom die. Part of the problem arises from casual overuse of life-saving medicines, rendering them worthless. As this Outlook reveals, it will take agricultural and healthcare reforms to defeat the encroaching bacterial epidemic.

Given how common — and how dangerous — obesity is, it's amazing how little is known about the science underlying this condition. Why do some people seem predisposed to weight gain? And how does appetite actually work? Devising an effective strategy to combat the obesity epidemic will require the integration of Insights from neuroscience, genetics and the behavioural sciences.

About one in every one hundred people must endure the psychosis, disorientation, and social withdrawal that define schizophrenia. While there is still no effective treatment in development, scientists are learning more about the genetic and biochemical basis of this severe disorder. It is hoped that this new knowledge will one day result in new treatments that will let people living with schizophrenia lead more normal lives.

Vaccination is a triumph of preventative healthcare. But the project to erect immunological shields against deadly pathogens is far from complete — some of the most lethal diseases still lack effective vaccines. Moreover, major inequities exist in the global distribution of vaccines. Despite substantial advances in vaccine production and development, global efforts to eradicate disease through inoculation still face scientific, technological and economic hurdles.

A groundswell of research on the immune system is yielding a deeper understanding of how cancer progresses and offering new ways to stop it. As a result of these efforts, a range of cancer therapies are under development that work by turning our own immune cells against tumours.

Every year about a quarter of a million people suffer a spinal-cord injury. The consequences of such an injury can be devastating, with lifelong paralysis and economic burdens. Advances in healthcare — from stem-cell therapy and neuro-regenerative drugs to high-tech exoskeletons — can reduce pain and restore mobility.

Since the first X-rays were taken more than a century ago, the ability to see inside the body has been central to the advance of medicine. Progress in precision medical imaging is gathering pace, leading to new Insights in biology, with the potential for more accurate diagnoses and improved treatments.