Navigating Next Steps in CLL: A Collaborative Dialogue Authors: Chaitra Ujjani, MD

https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/navigating-next-steps-cll-collaborative-dialogue-2026a1000i1d?page=1&src=mkmcmr_driv_stan_mscpedu_260928-OUS-HONC-navigating-next-steps-cll-collaborative-dialogue-2026a1000i1d-cta&uac=148436CN

Could scorpion venom inspire new treatments for liver disease?

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260908/Could-scorpion-venom-inspire-new-treatments-for-liver-disease.aspx?utm_source=azonetwork_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=drug_discovery_newsletter_18_september_2026 From blocking inflammatory immune pathways to disrupting hepatitis viruses, scorpion-derived peptides are attracting attention as potential drug candidates, but how close are they to becoming clinically useful therapies? In a recent review published in the journal iLIVER, researchers summarized the therapeutic potential, mechanisms, structural classes, applications, limitations, and future development of scorpion venom peptides for inflammatory and hepatic disorders.

Kangaroo care helps smaller babies. Now researchers are studying babies born at normal weight

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260927/Kangaroo-care-helps-smaller-babies-Now-researchers-are-studying-babies-born-at-normal-weight.aspx Kangaroo mother care is well established for small and preterm babies, but an Indian trial is testing whether extending skin-to-skin contact could also benefit newborns of normal birthweight. A recent paper published in the British Medical Journal Open describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial examining the benefits of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for babies born at normal birthweight. The study involves three centers in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Researchers mine cobra toxins to uncover a membrane-disrupting antimicrobial peptide

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260917/Researchers-mine-cobra-toxins-to-uncover-a-membrane-disrupting-antimicrobial-peptide.aspx A computational search of cobra cardiotoxins put 14 venom-inspired peptides through structural, antibacterial, and toxicity testing, providing a rigorous test of how far AI-guided peptide discovery can go. A recent study in the journal NPJ Drug Discovery identified and evaluated antimicrobial peptide candidates derived from cobra cardiotoxins using computational mining, machine learning prioritization, and experimental screening to test a toxin-inspired route to antimicrobial drug discovery.

New artificial intelligence tool identifies aging patterns in hematopoietic stem cells

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260928/New-artificial-intelligence-tool-identifies-aging-patterns-in-hematopoietic-stem-cells.aspx Aging progressively affects the functioning of our body and, among other things, deteriorates the ability of the hematopoietic system- the set of organs and tissues responsible for producing blood cells- to maintain adequate blood cell production. Understanding and measuring this process is especially relevant to study how blood stem cells age and to identify strategies to preserve or recover their function.

Semaglutide cuts major heart events, but researchers still cannot fully explain why

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260927/Semaglutide-cuts-major-heart-events-but-researchers-still-cannot-fully-explain-why.aspx A detailed analysis of the SELECT trial examined how much of the reduction in major heart events could be attributed to changes in weight, inflammation, blood glucose, and other cardiovascular risk factors. In a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers investigated which measured cardiovascular risk factors might help explain semaglutide's cardioprotective effects. The study comprised a pre-specified mediation analysis of the landmark SELECT trial, which evaluated 17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) without diabetes. Its primary objective was to estimate how much of the drug’s benefit could be explained by improvements in traditional risk factors.

Exam stress significantly raises blood sugar levels in medical students

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260927/Exam-stress-significantly-raises-blood-sugar-levels-in-medical-students.aspx Exam stress is associated with significant increases in blood sugar levels in medical students both during exams and the days leading up to them, according to new research being presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2). The findings highlight the measurable metabolic impact of acute psychological stress.