Health Disparities News and Research

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Health disparities (also called healthcare inequality in some countries) refer to gaps in the quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic groups.

Researchers Redesign the Future of mRNA Therapeutics

Scientists have unearthed that errors in the interpretation of therapeutic mRNA by the cell’s decoding apparatus can incite an inadvertent immune reaction within the body.

7 Dec 2023

Study Uncovers Ancestry-Specific Genetic Factors in IBD

The advent of whole genome sequencing technology has prompted an explosion in research into how genetics are associated with disease risk.

17 Nov 2023

Study Highlights Critical Development Window During Which Racial Differences in Gut Microbiome Emerge

Early social and environmental exposures can have large and lasting effects on child development and adult health.

18 Aug 2023

Lieber Institute awarded $1 million grant to foster racial diversity across neuroscience

The Lieber Institute for Brain Development has received a $1 million, two-year grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support the work of the African Ancestry Neuroscience Research Initiative (AANRI) to promote racial equity throughout the field of neuroscience.

28 Feb 2023

UC Davis launches new center to accelerate the development of promising cancer therapies

UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has launched a Center for Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer to accelerate promising cancer therapies from the lab to the bedside.

From The University of California, Davis 10 Oct 2022

Researchers use gene-editing in tomatoes to boost vitamin D content

Researchers employed gene editing to switch off a specific component in the tomato plant’s DNA, which led to an increase in provitamin D3 in both the fruit and leaves. After that, UVB light was used to convert it to vitamin D3.

27 May 2022

New technique uses genetic data that may better predict disease risk in a population

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) are promising tools for forecasting disease risk, but current versions have bias built-in, which can reduce their accuracy in some populations and lead to health disparities.

10 May 2022

Researchers provide a roadmap to get genetic ancestry right for science and society

In a Policy Forum, Anna Lewis and colleagues argue that, for researchers and others who want to invoke genetic ancestry, there is a scientific and ethical imperative to move away from continental ancestry categories and to instead embrace a view of genetic ancestry that reflects continuous variation and historical depth.

15 Apr 2022

NIH’s research program publishes genomic information of nearly 100,000 individuals

The National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program currently has access to about 100,000 extremely varied whole genome sequences.

21 Mar 2022

Inclusive new tool for genomic research boosts efforts to develop more precise treatments for diseases

Scientists have developed a powerful, inclusive new tool for genomic research that boosts efforts to develop more precise treatments for many diseases by leveraging a better representation of the genetic diversity of people around the world.

11 Mar 2022

Mice study shows how air pollution reduces sperm count by causing brain inflammation

Researchers have long known that air pollution can increase the risk of disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and fertility, but they did not know the exact mechanism for how it can lead to these health conditions.

26 Oct 2021

Study finds spike in calories among children, adolescents due to consumption of ultraprocessed foods

The calories that children and adolescents consumed from ultraprocessed foods jumped from 61% to 67% of total caloric intake from 1999 to 2018, according to a new study from researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University.

12 Aug 2021

Studies highlight different aspects of link between obesity and cancer

Multi-factorial metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities in obesity, independently or in combination, seems to be the critical biological link of obesity, cancer and racial/gender health disparities. However, the specific cross-talk between these factors remain elusive.

24 May 2021

Genetic makeup of more than 53,000 people offers valuable insights into dangerous diseases

A new analysis of the entire genetic makeup of more than 53,000 people offers a bonanza of valuable insights into heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders, paving the way for new and better ways to treat and prevent some of the most common causes of disability and death.

7 Apr 2021

New study explores the role of genetics in prostate cancer

When compared to other groups, certain ethnic and racial groups tend to suffer more often, and fare worse, from common ailments.

5 Jan 2021

Study examines impact of “Front Style Labels”

Researchers from Illinois State University, North Carolina State University, University of South Carolina, and University of Maryland published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the impact of moving nutrition labels, typically placed on the back of product packages, to the front.

9 Nov 2020

Many consumers are confused by whole grain labels on food packaging

Whole grain labels on cereal, bread, and crackers are confusing to consumers and could cause them to make fewer healthy choices, according to the results of a study that tested whether people are able pick out the healthier, whole grain option based on food package labels.

11 Aug 2020

Study: LGBT-friendly medical practices can improve HIV and STD screening rates

This report--describing the first national quality improvement collaborative focused on providing culturally affirming care for LGBT people--finds that making primary care practices more LGBT-friendly and inclusive may improve STD and HIV screening rates among this vulnerable population.

15 Jul 2020

Genomics study in Black Americans could lead to precision prostate cancer therapies

Black men in the United States are known to suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer, but few studies have investigated whether genetic differences in prostate tumors could have anything to do with these health disparities.

13 Jul 2020

Report highlights role of genomics in perpetuating racism and inequality

Genomics is crowding out ways of reducing inequality, has thwarted medicine from advancing justice, and is creating new forms of social classification and surveillance.

9 Jul 2020