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Blood proteins may predict speed of brain aging: Researchers have identified 13 blood proteins that predict brain aging speed, with eight (8) linked to faster aging and five to slower aging, according to a study in Nature Aging. The study used a machine-learning model to analyze brain scans and blood samples from more than 10,000 people, finding that the brain ages of participants differed from their chronological ages by about three years on average.

Study with mice shows potential of engineered T-cells to treat Celiac Disease: A cell therapy for Celiac Disease that involves engineering regulatory T-cells to activate in the presence of gluten reduced the immune response associated with the disorder, according to a study in Science Translational Medicine. The study demonstrated the potential of this therapy in human cell cultures and mouse models, and could lead to the first treatment for Celiac Disease beyond a gluten-free diet.

Challenges and advances in HIV treatments: It was recently announced that a seventh (7th) person had been “cured” of HIV using a stem-cell transplant, a method that is effective in patients with both HIV and cancer that require bone marrow transplants; however, unsuitable for widespread use due to potential complications. Current HIV research is concentrated on long-acting injectable treatments, vaccines and gene therapies aimed at controlling latent reservoirs of infected cells or targeting the CCR5 receptor that HIV uses to enter cells, with some approaches in early clinical trials.

A team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has developed an eye drop that successfully slowed vision loss in mice with an inherited eye disease.

United State (US) manufacturing has not been hollowed out, writes a Senior Research fellow at George Mason University. “Industrial production is higher than ever.”

Tampon-based test shows promise in detecting endometrial cancer: The Mayo Clinic and Exact Sciences have developed a tampon-based test to detect endometrial cancer by analyzing vaginal fluid for methylated DNA biomarkers. This noninvasive method offers a potential alternative to traditional endometrial sampling, reducing discomfort for patients.

Despite the uncertainty currently sweeping through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. regulator has passed a final vote of confidence from the Senate with little friction.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly rescinding $11.4 billion in funds to states, cities and organizations receiving grants for COVID-19 efforts.

Industry groups call for significant reforms to MDR, IVDR: Industry stakeholders say the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation (IVDR) have created significant hurdles for manufacturers and threaten patient access to treatments. They are calling on European legislators to make significant changes to the regulations, as well as the Clinical Trials Regulation (CTR) to rectify the problems.

H5N1 is firmly entrenched in the United States, experts say: Avian influenza is evolving unpredictably, adapting to mammals and raising concerns about its potential to cause a human pandemic, says computational biologist Martha Nelson, a Scientist at the NIH who has been monitoring H5N1 outbreaks. Confirmation of infections in rodents near farms is particularly concerning, says veterinarian and epidemiologist Meghan Davis. “There is absolutely no chance of containment, and we now have to think about mitigation and monitoring,” said epidemiologist Natasha Bagdasarian.