News Feature in 2022

99% of clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease fail to show positive results, but researchers remain optimistic that new disease-modifying treatments are on the horizon

Dogs develop diseases similar to those of humans, and their inbred genetics makes them a useful model for disease biology, allowing the development of new therapies for veterinary and human use.

Polio and Guinea worm disease are top of the list for eradication, but some targets have been pushed back as campaigns hit myriad challenges.

Leading researchers explain how the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred research on wearables, genomic surveillance, behavioral interventions and drug discovery.

How monitoring wildlife can prevent the next pandemic

Designing a new drug is not enough; it has to be delivered to its target, which can be achieved via a cornucopia of vehicles, from nanoparticles and microneedles to red blood cells and microalgae.

Cancer immunotherapy is generating huge excitement, but the future may lie elsewhere, in antibody–drug conjugates, proteolysis-targeting chimeras, and liquid biopsy for early detection.

Theranostics aim to both diagnose and treat cancer. Although few such drugs are on the market, many are being tested in clinical trials, with early results showing promise.

Drones are increasingly used to deliver essential health supplies in remote, underserved and Indigenous communities, but drone suppliers are keen to expand into the lucrative prescription drug market in the US.

The pandemic is far from over in Africa, but there is also a funding gap in preparing for endemic COVID-19, which will require long-term investment in healthcare infrastructure.

Local communities protect the rainforest, but lack adequate healthcare.

Flying to space takes its toll on the human body, and this has spurred new research on radiation and microgravity, as well as advances in remote medicine and telehealth, all of which have potential benefits for people on Earth.

Medical discoveries have been shared at an unprecedented pace during the COVID-19 pandemic, but so have fraudulent studies, which has led to worries about scientific integrity.