The number of influenza infections could be reduced by an mRNA vaccine.Credit: Science Photo Library On 5 August, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine, mFLUSIVA, for adults aged 50–64, and accelerated approval for adults aged 65 and older. Moderna say it will be available “in a few
RESEARCH BRIEFINGS 05 August 2026 A study of more than one million people shows that rare genetic variants that disrupt the FNIP1 gene are associated with a favourable metabolic profile and a roughly 60% lower risk of cardiometabolic disease than the general population. Silencing genes in the FNIP1 pathway in mice induces fat breakdown and
Epstein–Barr virus (coloured electron microscope image) is among several viruses in the body that can be reactivated by severe bouts of COVID-19.Credit: James Cavallini/Science Photo Library A severe bout of COVID-19 can wake up an army of dormant viruses hiding inside the body. That’s according to a study of more than 1,000 people hospitalized with
Half a century ago, biochemists Georges Köhler and César Milstein kicked off a revolution in medicine. Their 1975 paper described how to mass-produce monoclonal antibodies: proteins that can be designed to recognize and bind specifically to almost any protein target1. These antibodies have since become a workhorse of biological research and the basis of blockbuster
Atahualpa, the last Incan emperor, was seized by troops in 1532 during the Spanish Conquest, but smallpox had already devastated the Inca Empire around 1524–1528.Credit: Florilegius/Alamy More than 400 years ago, two people living in modern day Chile died while infected with the smallpox virus. Viral DNA found in their mummified remains has now yielded
Polio vaccination in Pakistan, where the wild virus continues to circulate.Credit: Arif Ali/AFP/Getty If you are under 60, the global quest to eradicate polio has been with you for most of your adult life. During that time, the natural strain of the virus, also known as wild-type polio, has been eliminated from almost all countries.
