Medicine
From advancements in the fight against malaria to new cancer treatments, to novel medical technologies, find all positive news about incredible medical breakthroughs and life-saving technology from all corners of the globe.
A microscopic upgrade with massive potential: scientists block malaria with a single gene edit
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Fighting malaria has always been a game of adaptation. As mosquitoes evolve resistance to insecticides and Plasmodium parasites dodge existing drugs, scientists have been racing to find smarter solutions. Now, a team from the University of California, San Read More...
Canine cancer research is helping both pets and people live longer, healthier lives
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In the wake of a 2023 chemical train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, residents were exposed to cancer-linked toxins. But as doctors monitor the long-term effects on humans, researchers are also turning their attention to another group: the town's dogs. Read More...
New techniques preserve donor hearts after death—and could reshape transplant medicine
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In January 2020, surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed a groundbreaking procedure that restarted a donor’s heart after it had stopped beating. The heart was then transplanted into a patient in need. While effective, the method sparked significant ethical Read More...
UK scans 100,000 people to uncover hidden signs of disease before symptoms strike
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Imagine being able to spot the earliest clues of heart disease, dementia, or cancer long before symptoms ever show up. That’s exactly what scientists around the world can now explore, thanks to the UK Biobank’s groundbreaking full-body imaging Read More...
A major first in malaria care: newborn treatment approved for use in Africa
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For the first time ever, newborn babies have a malaria treatment made just for them. Swissmedic, Switzerland’s drug regulator, approved the world’s first malaria drug formulated specifically for infants under five kilograms. This is an enormous step Read More...
A new study could change Alzheimer’s treatment by unlocking the brain's sugar code
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A quiet but powerful ally in the brain may be reshaping how we understand and treat neurodegenerative disease. New research from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging uncovered the overlooked role of glycogen, a stored form of sugar, in brain cells. The Read More...
Turning plastic into pain relief: scientists transform PET waste into paracetamol
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a groundbreaking blend of biotechnology and sustainability, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have figured out how to turn plastic bottle waste into paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen), one of the world’s most widely used painkillers. Read More...
Could your breath reveal who you are—and how you feel? Researchers say yes
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every person breathes, but no two people do it quite the same. In a new study that blurs the line between biology and biometric tech, scientists have found that breathing patterns are remarkably unique; so much so that they can be used to identify individuals Read More...
MPs vote to decriminalize abortion in England and Wales in historic victory for women’s rights
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM British lawmakers have voted to decriminalize abortion, ending the threat of prosecution for women who terminate pregnancies outside legal parameters. The amendment to the government’s crime and policing bill represents the most significant change to Read More...
New rules allow thousands more Australians to donate plasma, regardless of sexuality
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a historic shift for both public health and LGBTQIA+ rights, Australia is lifting long-standing restrictions that effectively barred many gay and bisexual men from donating blood and plasma. Beginning in July, the country will become the first in the world Read More...