medical research

Anthony Albanese will unveil a $10bn plan to construct 100,000 homes reserved for first-time buyers, forming the centrepiece of Labor’s federal election campaign launch in Perth. The scheme will allow first home buyers to secure homes with just a 5% deposit, while avoiding expensive mortgage insurance through a government guarantee.

A groundbreaking doctoral thesis by Andreea Badache at Örebro University has found that good hearing and vision are strongly associated with better cognitive health in older adults. The findings, based on extensive data analysis across Europe, offer significant implications for public health strategies, healthcare policy, and the quality of life in ageing populations.

In a breakthrough that reshapes the understanding of immune system dynamics, researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Helmholtz Munich have identified that the human body begins preparing for severe disease scenarios far earlier than previously believed. Even in cases of mild or moderate infections, the body produces a subset of T cells predisposed to exhaustion—a phenomenon previously associated only with chronic infections and tumors.

Dietary changes could reduce the pain of endometriosis for half of those living with the disease, a major new international study suggests.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), or the ability of microbes to withstand medications previously effective against them, has emerged as one of the most significant global health threats. Recent studies predict that superbugs—microorganisms resistant to antibiotics—could cause up to 40 million deaths annually by 2050.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and early detection and treatment have significantly boosted survival rates. With five-year survival at 91% and ten-year survival at 85%, millions of women are now living as breast cancer survivors. However, new research published in Aging reveals that surviving breast cancer comes with a hidden cost: accelerated biological aging. This study, which introduces the concept of Phenotypic Age Acceleration (PAA), examines how both the characteristics of the tumor and the treatments administered may contribute to an increased rate of aging among survivors.

Two recent studies have raised serious concerns about the cardiovascular health of young cannabis users. Despite the widespread legalization and increasing use of cannabis, emerging evidence suggests that even otherwise healthy individuals under 50 who consume cannabis may face a significantly higher risk of heart attacks compared to non-users. One large-scale retrospective study found that cannabis users were more than six times as likely to experience a heart attack, while a meta-analysis of 12 previous studies indicated a 50% increased risk.

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is one of the longest-living vertebrates on Earth, with estimates suggesting a lifespan of over 500 years. A groundbreaking new study has provided key insights into the genetic factors behind this remarkable longevity, shedding light on potential mechanisms that may one day inform human aging research.