Latest news from Johns Hopkins Medicine on Newswise en-us Copyright 2025 Newswise 115 31 / /images/newswise-logo-rss.gif /articles/new-analysis-underscores-health-risks-of-e-cigarettes/?sc=rsin /articles/new-analysis-underscores-health-risks-of-e-cigarettes/?sc=rsin Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:00:37 EST A Johns Hopkins Medicine-led analysis of medical information gathered on a diverse group of almost 250,000 people over four years has significantly clarified the link between the "exclusive" use of e-cigarettes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as high blood pressure in a sub-group of adults 30 to 70 years of age.  Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/immune-cell-research-identifies-potential-new-target-for-treating-cancer-and-autoimmune-disease/?sc=rsin /articles/immune-cell-research-identifies-potential-new-target-for-treating-cancer-and-autoimmune-disease/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:45:12 EST In a study of the immune systems of mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have found a new role for a protein, QRICH1, which could become a target for drugs to dial up or down the activation of T cells to fight cancers and autoimmune diseases. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/two-angels-a-robot-and-23-a-johns-hopkins-medicine-organ-transplant-story/?sc=rsin /articles/two-angels-a-robot-and-23-a-johns-hopkins-medicine-organ-transplant-story/?sc=rsin Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:45:17 EST A Johns Hopkins Medicine Organ Transplant Story Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/proteins-shown-to-act-as-guardians-to-keep-cells-energy-making-mitochondria-safe/?sc=rsin /articles/proteins-shown-to-act-as-guardians-to-keep-cells-energy-making-mitochondria-safe/?sc=rsin Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:15:00 EST Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have discovered how a group of proteins linked to Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis act as "guardians" of mitochondria, small organelles, or subunits, within a cell that make and store energy and are found in almost all plants and animals. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/pancreatic-cells-remember-epigenetic-precancerous-marks/?sc=rsin /articles/pancreatic-cells-remember-epigenetic-precancerous-marks/?sc=rsin Fri, 04 Apr 2025 11:00:31 EST Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have found a pattern of so-called epigenetic "marks" in a transition state between normal and pancreatic cancer cells in mice, and that the normal cells may keep at least a temporary "memory" of those cancer-linked marks. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/advisory-media-briefing-on-the-disease-fighting-promise-of-mrna/?sc=rsin /articles/advisory-media-briefing-on-the-disease-fighting-promise-of-mrna/?sc=rsin Thu, 03 Apr 2025 20:45:39 EST Researchers are studying messenger RNA's potential to treat and prevent an array of serious conditions--including cancer. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/experimental-blood-test-shown-to-accurately-indicate-severity-and-predict-potential-recovery-from-spinal-cord-injury/?sc=rsin /articles/experimental-blood-test-shown-to-accurately-indicate-severity-and-predict-potential-recovery-from-spinal-cord-injury/?sc=rsin Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:00:37 EST By analyzing DNA and proteins in the blood of people with and without acute spinal cord injuries (SCIs), researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have developed a novel blood test that has the potential to rapidly predict severity and likelihood of sensory and motor recovery within six months in a cost-effective manner. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/brain-channels-stopped-in-time-reveal-chemical-flow-that-enables-learning-and-thinking/?sc=rsin /articles/brain-channels-stopped-in-time-reveal-chemical-flow-that-enables-learning-and-thinking/?sc=rsin Fri, 28 Mar 2025 18:45:38 EST A study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers could advance the development of new drugs that block or open such signaling channels to treat conditions as varied as epilepsy and some intellectual disorders. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/baltimore-student-athlete-is-winning-match-against-multiple-sclerosis/?sc=rsin /articles/baltimore-student-athlete-is-winning-match-against-multiple-sclerosis/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 18:05:46 EST Gabryelle "Gabby" Scholfield, a 16-year-old student-athlete at Edmondson Westside High School in Baltimore, who plays center on her basketball team, is known for getting rebounds on the basketball court. However, only about a year ago, she was rebounding from serious complications of multiple sclerosis (MS). Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/two-johns-hopkins-medicine-researchers-named-2024-fellows-of-american-association-for-the-advancement-of-science/?sc=rsin /articles/two-johns-hopkins-medicine-researchers-named-2024-fellows-of-american-association-for-the-advancement-of-science/?sc=rsin Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:55:49 EST Two researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have been elected 2024 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest scientific society in the world and publisher of the Science family of journals. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/managing-spring-sniffles-johns-hopkins-children-s-center-experts-available-for-interviews-on-seasonal-allergies/?sc=rsin /articles/managing-spring-sniffles-johns-hopkins-children-s-center-experts-available-for-interviews-on-seasonal-allergies/?sc=rsin Tue, 25 Mar 2025 17:55:50 EST In the spring, the grass turns green, trees begin to bud and flowers blossom again. However, the change in season also can bring runny and stuffy noses, sneezes and itchy, watery eyes. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/scientists-identify-potential-new-genetic-target-for-sickle-cell-disease-treatment/?sc=rsin /articles/scientists-identify-potential-new-genetic-target-for-sickle-cell-disease-treatment/?sc=rsin Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:05:38 EST Scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine and eight other institutions in the United States, Africa and Europe say they have identified a potential new gene target that could be edited to treat sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder marked by sickle-shaped red blood cells that cause intense pain and shorten lifespans. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/new-study-sheds-light-on-how-bacteria-vaccinate-themselves-with-genetic-material-from-dormant-viruses/?sc=rsin /articles/new-study-sheds-light-on-how-bacteria-vaccinate-themselves-with-genetic-material-from-dormant-viruses/?sc=rsin Fri, 21 Mar 2025 17:45:44 EST Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have shed new light on how bacteria protect themselves from certain phage invaders -- by seizing genetic material from weakened, dormant phages and using it to "vaccinate" themselves to elicit an immune response. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/global-warming-can-lead-to-inflammation-in-human-airways-new-research-shows/?sc=rsin /articles/global-warming-can-lead-to-inflammation-in-human-airways-new-research-shows/?sc=rsin Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:20:36 EST In a recent, cross-institutional study partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, researchers report that healthy human airways are at higher risk for dehydration and inflammation when exposed to dry air, an occurrence expected to increase due to global warming. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/johns-hopkins-medicine-experts-available-to-discuss-measles-prevention/?sc=rsin /articles/johns-hopkins-medicine-experts-available-to-discuss-measles-prevention/?sc=rsin Thu, 13 Mar 2025 20:30:07 EST Johns Hopkins Children's Center pediatric infectious diseases specialists Aaron Milstone, M.D., M.H.S., and Erica Prochaska, M.D., M.H.S., M.H.S., are available to discuss the following topics related to measles. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/worldwide-study-finds-high-rates-of-depression-and-anxiety-in-people-with-chronic-pain/?sc=rsin /articles/worldwide-study-finds-high-rates-of-depression-and-anxiety-in-people-with-chronic-pain/?sc=rsin Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:30:14 EST A novel analysis of more than 375 published studies concluded that the association between chronic pain and rates of depression and anxiety is staggering. The study, led by investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine found that 40% of adults with chronic pain experienced "clinically significant depression and anxiety." Among those most at risk, the analysis showed, were women, younger adults and people with fibromyalgia. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/feeling-is-believing-bionic-hand-knows-what-it-s-touching-grasps-like-a-human/?sc=rsin /articles/feeling-is-believing-bionic-hand-knows-what-it-s-touching-grasps-like-a-human/?sc=rsin Wed, 05 Mar 2025 19:50:53 EST Johns Hopkins University engineers have developed a pioneering prosthetic hand that can grip plush toys, water bottles, and other everyday objects like a human, carefully conforming and adjusting its grasp to avoid damaging or mishandling whatever it holds. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/scientists-design-experimental-protein-booster-for-rare-genetic-diseases/?sc=rsin /articles/scientists-design-experimental-protein-booster-for-rare-genetic-diseases/?sc=rsin Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:50:06 EST Johns Hopkins Medicine laboratory scientists say they have developed a potential new way to treat a variety of rare genetic diseases marked by too low levels of specific cellular proteins. To boost those proteins, they've created experimental versions of a genetic "tail" that attaches to so-called mRNA molecules that churn out the proteins. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/36th-annual-mix-106-5-radiothon-raises-more-than-1-4-million-for-pediatric-patients-at-johns-hopkins/?sc=rsin /articles/36th-annual-mix-106-5-radiothon-raises-more-than-1-4-million-for-pediatric-patients-at-johns-hopkins/?sc=rsin Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:25:12 EST Audacy's 36th annual Mix 106.5 Radiothon last week raised $1,141,307.64 for Johns Hopkins Children's Center. The final total was announced on Mix 106.5 (WWMX-FM) on Monday, March 3. During the event, Mix 106.5 broadcast live from the Children's Center for a total of 26 hours. Johns Hopkins Medicine /articles/johns-hopkins-medicine-study-shows-how-recently-approved-drug-for-food-allergies-compares-to-oral-immunotherapy-whether-it-allows-patients-to-eat-their-food-allergens/?sc=rsin /articles/johns-hopkins-medicine-study-shows-how-recently-approved-drug-for-food-allergies-compares-to-oral-immunotherapy-whether-it-allows-patients-to-eat-their-food-allergens/?sc=rsin Sun, 02 Mar 2025 14:00:00 EST New research, led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center investigators and sponsored by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), finds that omalizumab, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved (FDA) injectable drug for food allergies, performed better than oral immunotherapy. A subsequent phase of the study also found that patients may be able to introduce allergenic foods into their diets after stopping the medicine. Johns Hopkins Medicine