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Health Foundation of South Florida Invests $225,000 to Establish Overtown Youth Center as a Community Health Access Hub

Health Foundation of South Florida and Overtown Youth Center (OYC) leadership The three-year investment pairs onsite telehealth with dedicated Community Health Navigators to connect local families to screenings, chronic disease management, and primary care MIAMI, FL [Sept. 16, 2026] — The Health Foundation of South Florida today announced a $225,000 investment over three years to […]

Sep 30 • 10:31 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Glendy Jimenez, M.D., Joins Baptist Health Primary Care as an Internal Medicine Physician

September 15, 2026 – Board-certified internal medicine physician Glendy Jimenez, M.D., has joined Baptist Health Primary Care. Dr. Jimenez provides comprehensive primary care for adults, with a focus on preventive medicine, women’s health and chronic disease management. She is passionate about helping patients prevent illness through early detection, education and personalized care and promoting healthy […]

Sep 30 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Brian Grose, M.D., Joins Baptist Health Primary Care as a Family Medicine Physician

September 11, 2026 – Board-certified family medicine physician Brian Grose, M.D., has joined Baptist Health Primary Care. He provides comprehensive primary and preventive care, with clinical interests that include chronic disease management, health optimization and screening for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. He is particularly interested in helping patients better understand their […]

Sep 30 • 9:53 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Sarah Medley, M.D., Joins Baptist Health Primary Care as a Family Medicine Physician

September 10, 2026 – Board-certified family medicine physician Sarah Medley, M.D., has joined Baptist Health Primary Care. Dr. Medley provides comprehensive primary care for patients across the lifespan, with particular experience caring for adults and older adults. Her clinical interests include women’s health, preventive medicine, chronic disease management, healthy aging and comprehensive outpatient primary care. […]

Sep 30 • 9:50 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Children Are Back in School. Measles Is, Too

Now that children are back in school, we must use the tools we know work to keep this preventable disease out of the classroom, writes Dr. Debra Houry.

Sep 30 • 9:50 AM EDT • Health • time.com

Ahmad Ali Daher, D.O., Joins Baptist Health Primary Care as a Family Medicine Physician

September 4, 2026 – Family medicine physician Ahmad Ali Daher, D.O., has joined Baptist Health Primary Care. Dr. Daher provides comprehensive primary care, including preventive care, chronic disease management, wellness and lifestyle counseling and care for acute illnesses. His clinical interests include preventive medicine, sports medicine and ringside medicine. Prior to joining Baptist Health, Dr. […]

Sep 30 • 9:41 AM EDT • Health • southfloridahospitalnews.com

Biokineticists fight disease using exercise science: how to bring their skills to rural patients

Biokineticists can help identify NCD risk in rural communities, but gaps in referral pathways and public healthcare integration may limit access to follow-up care.

Sep 30 • 9:25 AM EDT • Science • theconversation.com

What Does Anthropic’s Wet Lab Mean for Pharma?

Anthropic has established a wet lab in the San Francisco East Bay. In this article, experts explore what this means for scientific oversight, data ownership, and AI’s potential to transform drug discovery and rare disease research.

Sep 30 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • technologynetworks.com

When “DEI” research is cut, what happens to community health?

“I’m just going to run to the grocery store!” How many times have we said this without thinking about it? For most of us, it's usually an easy walk or a short drive to get the cheese we forgot. In reality, though, 13% of the U.S. population (about 39 million people) live in “food deserts,” which means living more than a mile from a grocery store in urban areas and more than 10 miles in rural areas. This was the case for people in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, where a quick run to buy food wasn’t an option. In the 1930s, federal maps marked the Hill as "hazardous" for lending, a practice known as redlining that steered investment away from Black neighborhoods. Decades of disinvestment followed, and residents went about 30 years without a nearby grocery store. This made it hard to keep healthy eating habits and contributed to chronic disease. When a grocery store finally opened in the area in 2013, researchers saw the opportunity and launched the PHRESH study, which initially compared the health of participants from the Hill district to those in the Homewood district. Over time, the study expanded to other factors such as brain health and Alzheimer's risk. Residents like Roderick Blair overcame initial hesitation to share their health data, trusting it would benefit their neighborhood. Then, in August 2026, the NIH abruptly canceled the study’s grant, citing that it was “subjective” and fell outside their scientific scope—an effect of the administration’s interpretation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Research like PHRESH can help determine what changes in a neighborhood actually improve health, so cutting it has left that question unanswered. Other canceled studies have examined health issues like maternal health, preterm birth rates, or sickle cell disease. Courts have reversed some of these grant cancellations, but not all of them. If we really want America to be healthier, research into why some communities get sicker than others is absolutely critical. The law that created the federal minority health research institute passed with bipartisan support in 2000. But these days, as evidenced by grant cancellations, the political shift in attitudes toward DEI means we often lose access to the health information we need to help all communities thrive. DEI vs. health equity vs. equality and the overlap (or lack thereof) The letters “DEI” evoke very different reactions depending on who you are in the U.S. DEI programs can address gender, disability, age, and other factors, but the fiercest debate centers on race. For some people, hearing DEI brings to mind policies that may have cost them a job or a college seat because they are white. Others see DEI as a matter of justice: a way to expand representation and opportunity for groups that have been historically marginalized. Both perspectives are rooted in lived experience, and both center on the same question: whether hiring and admissions practices are fair. Hiring and admission practices, though related, are not the same as health equity. Health equity is “the attainment of the highest level of health for all people.” It’s the recognition that some groups of people consistently experience worse health outcomes than others. For instance, black mothers die from pregnancy-related complications at three times the rate of white mothers, and rural Americans are more likely to die from issues such as heart disease and cancer. Equity is also often conflated with “equality,” which leads to misunderstanding of how to actually best support communities. Equality ignores the fact that we aren’t all starting life with the same resources or circumstances, whereas equity is about helping people get what they specifically need based on their situation so they have the chance to achieve the same outcome as anyone else. For example, if every household in Pittsburgh got a $30 grocery gift card, that would be equal. But during the decades the Hill District went without a grocery store, that card wouldn’t have helped much. Equity means making sure everyone can actually access a store in the first place. DEI policies can overlap with health equity in many ways. For example, they may help expand access to quality education and stable, well-paying jobs, which in turn can provide health insurance, safer housing, and improved finances—all of which can reduce health disparities. But to make that happen, we first need data to identify disparities in communities and to develop solutions that effectively address them. What we lose when the research stops Community data is important to health equity because: You can’t fix what you don’t see: Data show which communities are most affected by health factors such as infection, heart disease, and cancer. If we don’t know what is happening and where, then we can’t develop interventions to help. Poor health costs everyone: Chronic disease is expensive—both to the individual person and to the overall economy. Understanding what groups of people are most at risk allows us to develop interventions that can save everyone money. Disparities exist for many communities: Health equity includes disparities that exist due to a whole host of factors, such as family background, race and ethnicity, rural vs. suburban residence, gender and sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, and lower income. This means many Americans can benefit from research into differences in health outcomes and how to improve them. Trust is easy to lose: Some participants in the PHRESH study were initially vocal about their concerns about participating. But that trust was earned because the researchers kept their promises and centered their work on the community. When projects are canceled mid-cycle, researchers have no choice but to leave behind communities they had promised to help. This hurts trust in the long run. It’s also a very inefficient use of resources, and it will take significant time and effort to redo the work when the government realizes this work is important again. How should we talk about health equity? This is hard because the words “equity” and “DEI” are currently very politically charged. So whether you’re a public health professional, teacher, or friend, how we talk about this topic matters. The right framing can help people who might otherwise be skeptical see why health equity research is important and deserves funding. Here are some suggestions to help your conversations: Choose your words strategically: Who are you trying to reach with your message? Are they likely to be resistant to terms like “diversity” and “equity”? If so, find alternative words to use to still get the message across. It is frustrating to be in that position, but the goal of improving health is too important not to try to make inroads. Sometimes simply reframing can help the message reach those who need to hear it. Focus on the problem: The terms “health equity” and “DEI” are abstract. Make it more specific. For example, discuss differences in maternal death or ways to improve health outcomes in rural communities. These still have equity at their core but will likely be better understood by those you’re talking with. Focus on systems: Disparities exist, but if they are communicated poorly, people can mistakenly think the issue is the individual’s fault. Disparities are largely driven by failures of the system—such as lack of access to health care and a long legacy of racism. When discussing the disparities, frame them around these systemic issues to ensure blame isn’t placed on the individuals impacted. Tell stories: Personalize these policies by using stories from those impacted that connect to the data you’re trying to convey. This helps make the policies and outcomes more concrete and meaningful. Bottom line Some communities end up sicker than others. That’s just the facts. We can argue about the best way to do that research, but canceling it simply because it may be linked to DEI doesn’t make anyone healthier. It just leaves communities like the Hill district behind. And in the end, it causes us all to move backward in our efforts to improve health in this country. Love, EM Big thanks to MacKenzie Isaac & Legairre Radden, who reviewed this piece and generously shared their expertise and lived experience to help improve it. Dr. Liz Marnik, PhD, is Executive Director of The Evidence Collective and a science communicator and immunologist working at the intersection of public trust, science, and public health. To discuss communication training on topics like health equity and storytelling, email Liz at liz@yle.health or learn more on our website. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Your Local Epidemiologist is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe

Sep 30 • 5:05 AM EDT • Health • yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

Vaccines may counter Alzheimer's disease. New position paper explains how

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Sep 30 • 3:16 AM EDT • Science • haaretz.com

ACLM position statement links lifestyle medicine to planetary health

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has released a new position statement asserting that lifestyle medicine offers a practical, evidence-based framework to address both the chronic disease epidemic and the growing environmental challenges affecting health worldwide.

Sep 29 • 3:53 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net

9 Best Fruits to Help Reduce Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk

The soluble fiber in fruit can improve cholesterol, a cardiologist says. Certain fruits show “potent cardiovascular protective action” thanks to their beneficial plant compounds.

Sep 29 • 1:36 PM EDT • Health • today.com

Strengthening Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in USAPI

Learn about four jurisdictions' efforts to strengthen heart disease and stroke prevention in USAPI through a learning collaborative led by ASTHO and CDC.

Sep 29 • 12:00 PM EDT • Health • astho.org

RFK Jr outlines expansive vision for collecting US health data at Maha event

Health secretary calls for medical and lifestyle details to be sent to doctors and AI to address ‘chronic disease epidemic’

Sep 29 • 10:41 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com

Nearly 40% of disease burden in the Americas could be averted, PAHO report finds

Health in the Americas 2026 shows that millions of years of healthy life are being lost to preventable conditions and calls for stronger primary health care and smarter health investments

Sep 29 • 10:09 AM EDT • Health • paho.org

Scientists discover how excess dietary salt drives 'lean MASH'

Fatty liver disease is commonly associated with obesity, yet a growing number of people with normal body weight develop a severe form of the condition.

Sep 29 • 9:57 AM EDT • Science • news-medical.net

Top U.S. Health Officials to Address Rare Disease Leaders at 2026 NORD Breakthrough Summit in Washington, D.C.

/PRNewswire/ -- Three of the nation's leading federal health officials will join more than 900 rare disease leaders across patient advocacy, industry, policy,...

Sep 29 • 9:30 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com

Yemen health system at 'breaking point': WHO

The escalating fighting in Yemen is pushing the country's health system to "breaking point", the World Health Organization said Tuesday, warning that diseases like cholera were already circulating widely.

Sep 29 • 8:55 AM EDT • Health • france24.com

FAU/NCHA Community Health Center Earns Federally Funded FQHC Designation

The FAU/NCHA Community Health Center has received federally funded health center status through an award from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, bringing new resources to expand access to care in West Palm Beach. The center served more than 5,400 patient visits in 2025, providing primary and mental healthcare, immunizations, screenings, chronic disease management and other services regardless of patients’ ability to pay. The funding will help reach more patients and strengt

Sep 29 • 8:30 AM EDT • Health • newswise.com

Matthew Perry’s sister says he ‘spent $7 million’ on sobriety: ‘That’s how seriously he took his disease’

Matthew Perry’s younger sister says the ‘Friends’ star ‘spent $7 million trying to get sober’ before his death at 54, in trailer for ‘The One About Matthew Perry.’

Sep 29 • 8:00 AM EDT • Entertainment • ew.com

Iowa health regionalization could put county services in jeopardy

Polk County Health Department could lose an estimated $150,000 as Iowa looks to regionalize health departments for services like infectious disease.

Sep 29 • 7:03 AM EDT • Health • desmoinesregister.com

Lesbian Bar Project Co-Founder: Purity Politics Could Destroy Our Remaining Spaces

Subscribe As a professional lesbian and Massachusetts native, I’ve recently been asked by a lot of folks what I think about the saga unfolding at Last Ditch. The now-viral story, first reported by The Boston Globe, centers on a Western Massachusetts lesbian bar that lifted its mask requirement for one night a week to help drum up business. The decision ignited an intra-queer controversy that has been feasted on by media outlets across the political spectrum—from the New York Post to LGBTQ Nation—and is even reportedly being eyed for a Hollywood adaptation. Apparently nothing is more entertaining than a bunch of lesbians and queers fighting with each other over KN-95s. What has been lost in all of the chatter and media coverage is the very real possibility that Last Ditch, which just opened in April 2025, will have to close its doors. The venue’s one remaining founder, Jackie Matellian, revealed in a community Zoom meeting that she’s working four jobs, is now solely responsible for the bar’s $50,000 business loan and is struggling to keep up with the bills. So as we laugh about the controversy’s similarity to a “Portlandia” skit and how one of the bar’s founders left to enroll in clown school, we forget that yet another lesbian bar is facing an existential crisis—and this time the call is coming from inside the house. In 2020, my friend Elina Street and I created The Lesbian Bar Project, an Emmy-, Webby- and GLAAD Media Award-winning docuseries and initiative that tells the stories of lesbian queer bars around the world. We were moved to act because at the time there were only an estimated 16 lesbian bars in the United States, and the pandemic threatened to bring that number down even further. There are now more sapphic bars than there were just before the pandemic—about 36 of them in total—but this is down from approximately 200 in 1980. Maybe that doesn’t mean much to you, but for the millions of sapphics living in the U.S., this number is calamitous. As the world laughs at lesbians and sapphics, I want to take a second and tell you what I feel when I walk into one of these bars, which are all unique and irreplaceable in their own way: I feel seen. Sometimes I think Cubbyhole in New York City’s West Village neighborhood knew I was gay before I did. When I walked in there for the first time, before I was even out, I was transfixed by the colorful array of tchotchkes hanging from the ceiling and how the women standing next to me were completely unafraid to express their desire for one another. I knew the minute I was ready to come out, I had a home. I also felt the joy of a new couple falling in love at Seattle’s Wildrose, the quiet confidence of a short king lining up her shot at the pool table at Ginger’s in Brooklyn and the kick of cayenne pepper in Julie Mabry’s crawfish at Houston’s Pearl Bar. Subscribe Lesbian bars don’t just serve lesbians; they serve queer folks across the spectrum, including bisexual, pansexual and trans people. As Elina and I traveled across the U.S. and Europe and to parts of Latin America to document the bar owners, staff and patrons that make up the ecosystems of these spaces, we also became uniquely acquainted with the factors that threaten their existence: gentrification, wage gaps, sexism, environmental disasters, gun violence, rising insurance premiums and political administrations working to annihilate queer people and their families. Lesbian bar owners, like all leaders and entrepreneurs, are imperfect. There have been significant issues over the years at lesbian bars: employee harassment, racism, lack of accessibility, sexual assault and transphobia. All bar owners should be held accountable and should listen to their communities to evolve into safer and more equitable spaces. I also acknowledge my privilege: I am able-bodied, white, cis and from a family system that loves me for who I am. Not everyone has that. Queer people, especially trans and bisexual people, are suffering from disproportionately high levels of depression, and our mental health system isn’t equipped to support them. Immunocompromised people and long COVID are real, and many of my friends are suffering to this day. The people with the least safety net are often the ones for whom a bar closing costs the most. And yet, as we’re seeing with Last Ditch, the queer community often lashes out at each other. It’s also the mainstream media taking the internal conflict and making a mockery out of it, distracting from the real possibility that this bar could close due to financial pressures. A bar that many people loved and needed is facing extinction. Perhaps it’s safer to dissent with one another than with the larger forces trying to eradicate us, but in doing so, we risk destroying the few spaces we have left. Due to the constraints of purity politics—some in good faith, some not so much—lesbian bar owners, almost all of whom are queer women themselves, are forced to be everything for everyone, similarly to how women are forced to be everything for everyone. By asking these bars to uphold impossible standards—standards very few other third spaces are asked to consider—we all end up losing. I want to move as a community toward dialogue, compassionate dissent and collaboration to make our spaces better with the goal of keeping them OPEN and thriving, rather than destroying them from the inside with expectations that are arguably unattainable. Subscribe While I have your attention—for this fleeting second of the news cycle—may I urge us to spearhead a way to keep these small businesses afloat without attacking our own community along the way? Bar owners are left with an impasse: They want to be community-centered, but they also have to make money to keep their doors open. Sometimes they might make business decisions that don’t work for everyone—and that’s partly because different patrons have different priorities and want different things—but these owners deserve the opportunity for productive dialogue**.** We have to work with them and with each other to keep our spaces open, to keep them growing. Lesbian bars raised me into the queer woman I am today. One thing I think about as I reflect on the six years of work we’ve done to document these spaces is that shared, unspoken language I have with a stranger the moment we both walk into one of these bars: the nod, the ease, the not having to explain ourselves. I don’t want to lose that, and neither should you. If objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button: Donate

Sep 29 • 7:01 AM EDT • Politics • unclosetedmedia.com

Why MAHA wants to make health data much more accessible

At a MAHA Institute event, Kennedy and others argued that health data should be more accessible to researchers can study vaccines, chronic diseases, and autism

Sep 29 • 4:30 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Deloitte Model Explores $527 Billion Growth Opportunity in US Women's Health Through Health Promotion, Prevention and Early Detection

/PRNewswire/ -- Key takeaways Prevention could expand health span: Under a prevention and improved disease-management scenario, women's health span could...

Sep 29 • 4:02 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com

Meet Jordic: The Unlikely Voice of a Heart-Health Warning Men Need to Hear

/PRNewswire/ -- What if an early warning sign of heart disease was not in your chest, but in your pants? That is the provocative question behind 'Listen to...

Sep 29 • 2:00 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com

Health Brief: The fight over ultra-processed foods

The Trump administration is weighing a federal definition of ultra-processed foods as RFK Jr. pushes a broader crackdown on ingredients tied to chronic disease

Sep 28 • 6:43 PM EDT • Health • washingtonpost.com

PAHO Director’s Annual Report highlights health gains across the Americas despite growing challenges

Report highlights disease elimination milestones, progress in immunization and maternal health, and expanded access to medicines, while warning of the loss of the Region’s measles-free status and other health threats

Sep 28 • 2:57 PM EDT • Health • paho.org

California moves closer to banning work involving countertops containing silica

An occupational physicians group says an “epidemic” of silicosis “is causing disabling disease and death” among fabrication workers.

Sep 28 • 1:00 PM EDT • Health • safetyandhealthmagazine.com

DRC politician beaten to death after radio appearance about Ebola outbreak

Marie-Celestin Karondwa was attacked on Sunday after promoting measures to prevent spread of disease, his party says

Sep 28 • 11:54 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com

Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 8,000 confirmed cases as disease remains out of control

The World Health Organization said last week that the country is running out of health workers.

Sep 28 • 10:59 AM EDT • Health • courant.com

Congo’s Ebola outbreak tops 8,000 confirmed cases as disease remains out of control

The World Health Organization said last week that the country is running out of health workers.

Sep 28 • 10:59 AM EDT • Health • bostonherald.com

Wireless tech takes on mental health, jobs and chronic disease with Catalyst 2026 winners

Sep 28 • 10:58 AM EDT • Health • okcfox.com

Essentia Health hosting vaccine clinics ahead of respiratory virus season

As we move into fall, Oct. 1 marks the unofficial start of the respiratory illness season. This is typically when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) starts to see an uptick in reported cases of influenza, RSV and COVID-19.

Sep 28 • 10:29 AM EDT • Health • essentiahealth.org

Florida officials warn of ‘wildly unusual’ disease outbreak, declare state of emergency

Sep 28 • 10:19 AM EDT • Health • nypost.com

Child malnutrition is one of Africa’s biggest health challenges: food aid is only part of the solution

A lack of food is not the only cause of malnutrition. Poverty, disease, poor sanitation, climate pressures and limited access to healthcare also shape it.

Sep 28 • 9:47 AM EDT • Health • theconversation.com

DR Congo Ebola emergency: Calls grow for urgent humanitarian access

Aid teams trying to keep deadly Ebola disease from spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are increasingly concerned about ongoing fighting and violence that has forced thousands of people to flee a displacement camp in the vast, resource-rich east of the country.

Sep 28 • 9:32 AM EDT • Health • news.un.org

Risk Of Death, Major Disease High Following Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, Sept 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Type 2 diabetes dramatically increases a person’s short-term risk of death or life-threatening illness, a new study says. Within five years of their diagnosis, patients with type 2 diabetes have a 33% increased risk of ...

Sep 28 • 9:16 AM EDT • Health • usnews.com

'The right diagnosis is unbelievably powerful': It can take years to diagnose rare diseases, and scientists are trying to fix that

Tens of millions of Americans live with rare or undiagnosed diseases. These scientists are working to deliver them better diagnostics and treatments.

Sep 28 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • livescience.com

Larissa Waters steps down as Greens leader due to ill health

Ballot for new leader expected next week after Waters quits to manage pre-existing kidney disease that has ‘declined significantly’

Sep 28 • 6:03 AM EDT • Health • theguardian.com

The dangerous assumption people make about aging — and how you can prevent a silent but potentially deadly disease

Sep 28 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • nypost.com

Congo Ebola outbreak tops 8,000 confirmed cases as disease remains out of control

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has surged past 8,000 as the country struggles with a shortage of health workers

Sep 28 • 5:45 AM EDT • Health • abcnews.com

Chronic disease is an economic problem as well as a health crisis

Employers and health systems can work together to improve prevention, screening and treatment – but sustained funding and better coordination are essential.

Sep 28 • 4:00 AM EDT • Health • weforum.org

Psycho-cardiovascular interaction network links mental health and heart disease

A new review proposes the psycho-cardiovascular interaction network (PCIN), a framework that links psychological and psychiatric factors with cardiovascular health and disease. The review integrates epidemiological evidence, system-level mechanisms, and molecular signaling pathways to explain how depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and other mental health conditions may contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and vice versa. It focuses on five representative pathways—brain-derived neurotr

Sep 28 • 1:55 AM EDT • Health • newswise.com

WHO recognizes healthy, innovative cities across the Western Pacific Region

Nine Healthy City champions from across the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region received special recognition at an awarding ceremony during the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities in Sydney, Australia.The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has presented the Healthy Cities Recognition Awards every two years since 2004 to celebrate innovative and impactful city-led initiatives that improve the health and well-being of urban populations.Eight cities received awards for their best practices, and one National Forum received the WHO Regional Director’s Special Award in recognition of its long-standing leadership in advancing the Healthy Cities movement.Awardees were selected through a rigorous evaluation process and recognized for demonstrating measurable, innovative and sustainable approaches to health challenges faced by cities.Remarking on the significance of the awards, Dr Huong Tran, Director of the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control at the Regional Office, said that, “There is no single blueprint for a healthy city. What works in one context may need to be adapted to another. But by sharing our experiences, including what worked, what was challenging, and what we learnt along the way, we can help one another move faster and further.”Award-winning cities and initiativesThis year's awards recognize outstanding city-led initiatives that have demonstrated measurable impact, innovation and sustainability in advancing health initiatives for urban populations.Baguio City (Philippines) – Data for equity: informing action, improving healthDr Donnabel Tubera-Panes, City Epidemiologist – Medical Officer IV of the Health Services Office accepted the award on behalf of Baguio City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisBaguio City was recognized for developing a pioneering Livability Index that provides village-level data across all 128 barangays (villages), enabling evidence-based planning and more equitable allocation of resources. By integrating community participation and institutionalizing the index within city planning and budgeting processes, the city has demonstrated how data can drive action to reduce health and social inequities.Eunpyeong-gu (Seoul, Republic of Korea) – Communities living in vulnerable situations: advancing health equity through community engagementVice Mayor Honourable Ahn Hyoung Jun accepted the award on behalf of Eunpyeong-gu. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisEunpyeong-gu was recognized for its inclusive health equity programme supporting vulnerable populations, including isolated older adults and LGBTQI+ communities. Through peer-led community networks, social cooperatives and inclusive service design, the district has strengthened access to care, promoted social inclusion and advanced community ownership of health initiatives.Madiun City (Indonesia) – Adapting and mitigating climate-related crises: building heat resilience and preventing flood-related health risksMs Yuni Dwi Purwani, Secretary General of the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies, accepted the award on behalf of Madiun City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisMadiun City was recognized for its SUPERMIE (Sustainable Public Environmental Management Initiative) – a community-based environmental governance model that addresses urban flooding, climate resilience and environmental sustainability. The initiative contributed to reductions in flood-prone areas, greenhouse gas emissions, diarrhoeal disease and dengue fever, while at the same time improving food security through neighbourhood food gardens. The programme has already been replicated in 15 cities and regencies across Indonesia.Macao Special Administrative Region (China) – Protecting communities from tobacco and alcohol-related harms: tackling commercial drivers of riskDr LO Iek Long, Director of the Health Bureau, Macao SAR, China accepted the award on behalf of Macao. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisMacao SAR was recognized for implementing a comprehensive and integrated approach to tobacco and alcohol control. Through legislation, monitoring systems, enforcement, public awareness campaigns and multisectoral partnerships, the programme has strengthened protection against major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and established a model that is highly transferable to other urban settings.Phnom Penh Capital City (Cambodia) – Safe, active and health-enabling transport: advancing health and reducing inequities in urban mobilityH.E. Khoung Sreng, Governor of Phnom Penh Capital City accepted the award on behalf of Phnom Penh Capital City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisPhnom Penh received the award for its Safe School Zone Project, which combines infrastructure improvements, speed management, enforcement, education and stakeholder engagement to protect children and communities. The initiative has demonstrated measurable reductions in crashes and vehicle speeds while providing a scalable model for safer urban mobility across the country.Quezon City (Philippines) – Transforming food environments: addressing policy, market and urban design drivers of health and nutritionMs Jirah Asa M. Sideco, Chief of the Nutrition Section of the Quezon City Health Department accepted the award on behalf of Quezon City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisQuezon City was recognized for its public food procurement policy that promotes healthier diets through government-run institutions and feeding programmes. Supported by strong policy frameworks and monitoring systems, the initiative improves access to nutritious food for vulnerable populations while serving as a benchmark for other local governments.Samarinda City (Indonesia) – Preventing violence and promoting gender equality: transforming urban systems, norms and spaces Mrs Rinda Wahyuni, Chairperson of Samarinda Healthy City Forum accepted the award on behalf of Samarinda City. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisSamarinda City was recognized for its multisectoral approach to preventing violence and advancing gender equality. Responding to local evidence on violence against women and children, the city has positioned violence prevention as a public health priority, bringing together health services, schools, social welfare institutions, law enforcement, civil society and community leaders to strengthen prevention, reporting, survivor-centred support and legal protection. Through inclusive policies, community engagement and sustainable city financing, Samarinda has developed a locally owned and scalable model for creating safer, more equitable and inclusive urban communities.Singapore – Age-friendly cities: transforming systems to bridge generations for a healthier tomorrowDr Tan Weng Mooi, Director, Integrated Health Promotion, accepted the award on behalf of Singapore. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisSingapore received recognition for its Healthy Precinct Framework, which translates national healthy ageing priorities into neighbourhood-level action. The initiative integrates preventive care, social support, service coordination and age-friendly environments while actively engaging older persons, caregivers and community organizations. Its expansion across multiple precincts demonstrates its scalability and ­long-term sustainability.WHO Regional Director’s Special AwardNational Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies (Indonesia)Ms Yuni Dwi Purwani, Secretary General of the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies, accepted the award on behalf of the National Forum. Photo credit: Maria BoyadgisThe WHO Regional Director's Special Award was presented to the National Forum for Indonesian Healthy Cities/Regencies (FKKSI) in recognition of its long-standing leadership in advancing the Healthy Cities movement across Indonesia. As a national platform bringing together local governments, communities, academia and civil society, FKKSI has played a critical role in promoting collaboration, capacity-building, knowledge exchange and advocacy. Its efforts have strengthened and institutionalized healthy urban development nationwide and established a model for multisectoral engagement in the Region. Healthy Cities for allThe 2026 Healthy Cities Recognition Awards highlight how cities can lead transformative action on health by addressing climate change, inequity, ageing, nutrition, mobility, social inclusion, violence prevention and the commercial determinants of health. The recognized initiatives demonstrate that local governments, communities and partners can work together to create healthier, safer and more resilient urban environments for everyone. As urban populations continue to grow across the Western Pacific Region, WHO remains committed to supporting cities in advancing health, equity and sustainable development through the Healthy Cities approach and the Alliance for Healthy Cities. ###Note to editorsSince 2004, the WHO Healthy Cities Recognition Awards have provided a platform for cities to share innovative and effective approaches to improving health and well-being. The awards recognize achievements in areas including climate resilience, healthy ageing, health equity, gender equality, tobacco and alcohol control, urban mobility, nutrition and data-driven governance. In 2026, more than 150 submissions were received from cities and local governments across the Western Pacific Region. The titles and affiliations of awardees are presented as they were at the time the photo was taken.______________For more information, or to arrange media interviews, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int

Sep 27 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • who.int

MDARD marks National Farm Safety and Health Week

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, farming is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States

Sep 27 • 1:00 PM EDT • Health • sooleader.com

Lifelong Management of Chronic Equine Health Conditions

How veterinarians define long-term success when curing the disease is not an option.

Sep 27 • 11:48 AM EDT • Health • thehorse.com

HEALTH MINUTE: Many are Unaware of Vascular Disease Risk

September is National Vascular Disease Awareness Month. Up to 40 million Americans are impacted by blood vessel conditions that could be life-threatening. But in this story of survival, it is

Sep 27 • 11:22 AM EDT • Health • wboc.com

Seventy Years of Microbiome Science in China Signals a One Health Future

Trillions of microorganisms live on and inside the human body, in the soil that grows our food, and in the rivers, oceans and air that surround us. While microbes are most often discussed in the context of infection and disease, the vast majority of these organisms are neither

Sep 26 • 5:34 PM EDT • Science • bioengineer.org

This seasonal habit promotes healthy aging and may reduce dementia risk in older people

Aging is inevitable, but there’s increasing evidence that it may be possible to prevent, or at least delay, age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s.

Sep 26 • 12:51 PM EDT • Health • nbcwashington.com

Science Notes – Counting sheep: assessing the impact of sheep-pox throughout history

The sheep-pox virus (SPPV; Capripoxvirus sheeppox) is in the same family as the variola virus, which causes smallpox in humans. It is a highly contagious disease among sheep, causing the…

Sep 26 • 5:00 AM EDT • Science • the-past.com

Pennsylvania DOH withdraws 502-page disease control plan after backlash from lawmakers

The Pennsylvania Department of Health just pulled a plan to make some major changes to the state's rules for controlling diseases after a bit of backlash.

Sep 25 • 7:39 PM EDT • Health • wgal.com

A data-sharing clause derailed U.S.-Zimbabwe health talks. Now all funding ends this month

The withdrawal casts uncertainty over programs to combat HIV and other diseases in a country where shortages often force patients to bring basic supplies such as bandages to clinics and buy their own medicines.

Sep 25 • 12:56 PM EDT • Health • latimes.com

This week in health care policy: September 21–25, 2026

Innovation watch FDA approves the first treatment for Sanfilippo syndrome. On September 17, the FDA approved Ultragenyx’s Fayuvi, a one-time gene therapy for Sanfilippo syndrome type A, an inherited disease that progressively destroys cognitive function in young children. Until this week, there was no approved treatment at all. BioNTech’s lung cancer candidate shows promising results. […]

Sep 25 • 12:15 PM EDT • Health • cei.org

More than a diagnosis: How one young man's strength is helping shine a light on sickle cell disease

Twenty-one-year-old Jalen Boston has spent his life navigating sickle cell disease, including pain crises, hospital stays and a stroke that affected his vision. With support from his family and team at Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital, Jalen is proving that while sickle cell disease may be part of his story, it does not define who he is.

Sep 25 • 11:21 AM EDT • Health • atriumhealth.org

The World Health Organization in crisis

The World Health Organization faces a deepening crisis of funding, authority and relevance as alternatives emerge for disease surveillance and emergency response.

Sep 25 • 2:00 AM EDT • Health • gisreportsonline.com

Semaglutide is improving the heart health of millions—but how? Experts are stumped

“Our analyses could not fully ascribe the effects of semaglutide on cardiovascular disease to known risk factors with any certainty,” one researcher said after exploring years of data. "These results suggest that semaglutide should be considered as a cardiovascular disease reduction drug and not just as a weight loss drug,"

Sep 24 • 12:36 PM EDT • Health • cardiovascularbusiness.com

Capt. Sully reveals greatest concern amid Alzheimer's battle

Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III is opening up about what lies ahead for him and his family after his recent Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.

Sep 24 • 11:08 AM EDT • Entertainment • centraloregondaily.com

How Open Science Can Help Researchers Prepare for the Next Pandemic

NVIDIA is collaborating with organizations including Google DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute to release an open dataset of viral protein structures — giving scientists a head start against diseases.

Sep 24 • 10:00 AM EDT • Science • blogs.nvidia.com

Is metascience being co-opted?

In July, the White House released a report that argued academia is deeply dysfunctional and in need of radical reform.Science: A New Golden Age sets out a litany of problems many academics will recognise: interminable waits for grants; short-term funding rather than support for longer, more ambitious projects; ballooning administrative requirements; pressure to publish, and many more. “The scientific machine is getting bogged down,” it says. At least on the face of it, Science: A New Golden Age is a triumph for the metascience movement, a loose-knit, global group of academics, philanthropists and think tankers that want far more testing and experimentation in how we fund public research and innovation. The report tells US research funders to set up internal metascience units to do just this. But it has also set alarm bells ringing that metascience is being conveniently deployed to help justify the defunding of US universities, which US vice president JD Vance has openly labelled “the enemy.” “Just because you have an issue with your plumbing in your house doesn't mean you light the entire house on fire and burn it to the ground,” said Colette Delawalla, chief executive of Stand Up for Science, a group campaigning against what it says are attacks on scientists by the Trump administration. No one is arguing that academia doesn’t need reform, but there’s debate over how far and how fast the system should be shaken up. Does public R&D need slow and steady evidence-based adjustment, or radical new experiments?One of the key arguments in Science: A New Golden Age is that there’s not enough funding for what it calls “mid-level” science: engineering-heavy projects that require tens of millions of dollars, involve ten to a hundred people, and last around five years. Such a project might develop a brain-computer interface for people with Alzheimer's disease, for example. As such, the US National Science Foundation (NSF) has already announced $1.5 billion to set up so-called X-Labs, effectively new research organisations to pursue breakthroughs in areas such as quantum sensing and new scientific instruments. Funding divertedBut there’s a catch: this money has squeezed NSF budgets for more traditional, fundamental research grants, Science reported in June, likely meaning less cash for university-based scientists. Science: A New Golden Age also makes various swipes at universities, accusing them of extracting overheads from scientists to fund administrative bloat. “We have become dependent on a narrow set of legacy institutions,” it says. The report doesn’t mention it, but the US government is simultaneously seeking greater powers over federal funding, which would allow political appointees at funding agencies to screen or cancel research grants mid-project. The White House is also seeking to slash the NSF’s budget by more than half in 2027, although similar cuts proposed for 2026 were blocked by Congress. Convenient hookThis has worried some that the metascience agenda could be misused as a kind of smokescreen to further weaken universities. James Wilsdon, executive director of the Research on Research Institute at University College London, said that the report contains lots of “interesting ideas” and agrees that in places, academia is a “pretty broken system.” But the risk is that metascience is being deployed as a “convenient hook” to support cuts and a “political land grab” to transfer grant power from scientists to political appointees in US funding agencies.So far, the metascience agenda hasn’t been seized on by radical right parties in Europe. But Wilsdon worries it will cross the Atlantic, politicising research reform efforts and making them more difficult to carry out. The report is already making some in Europe sceptical of the entire idea. “The system is not without flaws, but the metascience discussion is not likely to improve the system but rather to generate munition to undermine it,” said Claes de Vreese, a professor of AI and society at the University of Amsterdam. Peter Thiel protégéOfficially, Science: A New Golden Age has just one named author: Michael Kratsios, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and a former chief of staff to Silicon Valley mogul Peter Thiel. He also served as chief financial officer of Thiel’s Clarium Capital Management. Since the 1990s, Thiel has criticised US universities for moving away from teaching what he views as the classic works of western civilisation, and drifting towards “anti-Western zealotry.” And since 2011, he has offered two-year fellowships of $250,000 to young people to skip or drop out of university, and instead start companies or pursue scientific research. “College can be good for learning about what’s been done before, but it can also discourage you from doing something new,” according to the Thiel Fellowships website. In other areas, the Trump administration has promoted academics with a longstanding interest in metascience. For example, the head of the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya, in 2020 co-authored a study arguing the funder backs overly conservative proposals, although he achieved wider prominence as a critic of pandemic lockdowns. Careless talk costs fundingEven before the Trump administration embraced the metascience agenda, some metascientists privately wondered whether they should be careful not to overstate dysfunctions in academia, in case this gets used as ammunition against universities. But others think being cautious with criticism is pointless. After all, last year, the Trump administration sought to cut funding from US universities on an entirely different premise: supposed antisemitism on campus. “I don't think these governments need a technical metascientific excuse to attack the universities, they will want to do so anyway,” said Will Stone, a researcher at Science Works, a new think tank advocating for a “metascience revolution” in the UK. “I think researchers should report what they find, even when the findings may be used to advance policies they disagree with,” echoed Russell Funk, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, who in 2023 co-authored a highly influential paper that argued scientific papers were becoming less disruptive over time. No justificationThat said, Funk thinks that metascientific research certainly doesn’t justify a weakening of universities. Instead, scientists need “time, resources and stability to pursue unfamiliar ideas,” he said. “Taking away those conditions works against the very goal the reforms are supposed to achieve.”The Institute for Progress, a Washington DC-based innovation policy think tank that has championed X-Labs and metascience units, also says that reforms should complement, not supplant, universities. “Unpredictable, unreliable, and reduced federal funding to researchers is destabilising to the very foundations of research and development and is bad,” said Jenn Gustetic, the institute’s director of metascience and R&D policy.Evolution or revolution?This points to a much bigger divide in the metascience community: how far and how fast should public R&D be shaken up? Does it need evolution or revolution? For example, Science: A New Golden Age says the science system relies too heavily on traditional “workhorse” project grants, the type that pay out around $250,000 a year to fund “hypothesis-driven science by small teams on tractable questions.” However, in criticising project grants, the report “decisively picks one side of a debate that is far from settled,” David Hilmer Rex, a metascientist based in Denmark, has written. In June, Pierre Azoulay, a metascientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, defended project grants, saying that the alternative of X-Labs “merits scepticism.”A-B testingOne challenge in metascience is that it’s easier to generate evidence for some types of change than others. Most straightforwardly, research funders can run A-B tests on different ways of awarding money. For example, Germany’s Volkswagen Foundation recently trialled distributed peer review, where applicants rate each other’s proposals, and measured its results against traditional review panels. Distributed peer review made quicker decisions, although awarded money to largely different ideas. However, much of the focus of the metascience movement has been on founding fast-moving and free-acting new research organisations and funders, in contrast to the alleged stodginess of mainstream academia or public innovation grants. A culture of speed and freedom are the animating principles behind Germany’s Sprind or the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria).Related articlesViewpoint: it's time to experiment with how Europe funds science European researchers sound the alarm that Trump rule changes will hit cooperationHowever, while it’s possible to closely study previously successful bodies, such as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), for historical clues to their secret sauce, it’s impossible to guarantee in advance that the likes of Sprind or Aria will actually work as hoped. But advocates of new organisations say this inherent uncertainly shouldn’t stop us trying. “If we wait for definitive proof that something will work before we try it, I don't know where your proof is coming from,” said Stone. Trade-offsUp until now, experiments in metascience haven’t generally come with hard trade-offs over money. In the US, new ideas such as focused research organisations have often been funded by billionaire philanthropists. In Europe, new innovation agencies such as Sprind and Aria, or the Netherland’s new National Agency for Disruptive Innovation, haven’t needed explicit cuts elsewhere in the research system. But with the $1.5 billion establishment of X-Labs by the NSF, the trade-offs are becoming clearer. Some metascientists privately wonder whether a smaller pilot would have been more appropriate, given that the idea is untested. The Institute for Progress counters that the $1.5 billion X-Labs budget is spread out over a decade, so will account for less than 2% of the NSF’s annual budget. “It’s important to remember that [Darpa] was once an institutional experiment as well. Now it’s one of the most cited innovative funding models in the world,” said Gustetic.As for Europe?The US isn’t the only country placing metascience at the heart of its research strategy. Science: A New Golden Age looks admiringly at the UK, which in 2024 set up a Metascience Unit to scrutinise how it funds research. In Brussels, it’s more of a mixed picture. In 2018, the EU set up the European Innovation Council to funnel grants and equity to start-ups, although it’s sometimes criticised for awarding money too slowly. Recently, the council has started experimenting with challenges, where teams of inventors compete to overcome a technological challenge. The European Commission also wants to experiment with partially randomising grant winners, to cut down on bureaucracy. However, the Commission’s own advisers have said the EU’s own research schemes are too conventional. They want the Commission to establish a new dedicated unit to scrutinise and experiment with funding. But there’s no sign of a such unit emerging in Brussels’ plans for the next Horizon Europe programme, which from 2028 is set to distribute more than €160 billion over seven years. Sam Bogerd, director of breakthrough innovation at the Brussels-based Arq Foundation, an AI-focused think tank that also looks at metascience, says that Europe might have the opposite problem to the US: universities and basic research funding are still reasonably well supported, but there’s not enough experimentation. “We're not taking a close enough look at where this money can achieve the most, and I am worried that the good ideas around metascience will be tainted politically by their association with the Trump administration,” he said. He’s still lobbying for the Commission to set up an experimental unit. But in the meantime, the Arq Foundation plans to do its own research, and is currently hiring two metascience researchers to run the rule over how Brussels spends research funding.

Sep 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

Walking This Many Steps Extra Each Day Could Reduce Heart Disease Risk

In TODAY.com’s Expert Tip of the Day, a cardiologist explains why you don’t need to aim for 10,000 steps a day to have a healthier heart and her advice to patients.

Sep 24 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • today.com

One of the most contagious diseases on the planet is having its worst U.S. outbreak since 1991

The CDC has added a single measles death to its online counter. In the last few weeks, four unvaccinated people have died from measles in Pennsylvania, according to state officials. But RFK Jr. has publicly questioned what caused the deaths.

Sep 24 • 7:52 AM EDT • Health • statnews.com

Valley fever spreading to Central Valley cities, linked to oil drilling

Researchers at UC Berkeley have discovered valley fever spores in cities in the Central Valley and linked nearby oil drilling to an uptick in infection risk — challenging the long-held belief that the deadly disease only affects rural areas.

Sep 24 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • latimes.com

Black Lung Disease Remains a Threat, but Federal Officials Delay Effort To Address It

The disease has long been a risk of coal mining, an industry the Trump administration is trying to reinvigorate.

Sep 24 • 5:00 AM EDT • Health • kffhealthnews.org

For Lewis Moody, motor neurone disease is not the end. It’s a beginning

England's former rugby union captain is attacking his MND diagnosis with the same fervour in which he played

Sep 24 • 12:30 AM EDT • Sports • nytimes.com

Feds confirm exposure to some levels of Tijuana River odors can lead to health effects

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry analyzed more than 800,000 air measurements collected between September 2024 and May 2025.

Sep 23 • 9:18 PM EDT • Health • kpbs.org

NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life amid health concerns

Darrell Waltrip, NASCAR Hall of Famer and long-time broadcaster at Fox Sports, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease.

Sep 23 • 8:03 PM EDT • Health • fox10phoenix.com

NASCAR legend Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life amid health concerns

Darrell Waltrip, NASCAR Hall of Famer and long-time broadcaster at Fox Sports, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease.

Sep 23 • 8:03 PM EDT • Health • fox5atlanta.com

Hands-on science can be cool

After spending many long days conducting experiments to find a new way to combat bacterial infections in crops, Misha Hegde and Mia Soleil Maurer have been rewarded with international recognition and access to top research facilities. But these are not typical scientists. They are 16-year-old German high school students.“Our supervisor told us that in order to start a project, you need to begin with either a question or a problem,” says Misha, adding that she and Mia had read about antibiotic resistance in certain plants being treated for bacterial infections. “We found out that antibiotics overuse is very common in agriculture,” explains Mia. “Our aim was to create an alternative to antibiotics and to try to raise awareness of the problem of overusing antibiotics.”Their subsequent research has focused on harnessing bacteriophages, the natural predators of bacteria, to eliminate pathogens threatening food crops treated with antibiotics. At the Schuldorf Bergstraße Jugend forscht MakerLab in Seeheim-Jugenheim, located in the German state of Hesse, they discovered a novel phage that infects the Rhizobium rhizogenes bacterium, which causes the hairy root disease that can reduce yields of tomatoes, carrots, soya beans and other food staples.The students believe their method could curb antibiotic use, while protecting plants from infections without disturbing the natural soil microbiome. “The application of phages is host-specific, so they would only kill the targeted pathogen or disease-causing bacteria,” explains Mia. It may also offer environmental benefits, since applying antibiotics can contaminate groundwater.Getting to this point has not been easy. The childhood friends admit to feeling frustrated when their trials did not yield the expected results. “We spent six months on our first experiment, just doing the same thing over and over and over again, to the point where we thought, is it even worth it? Why are we doing this?” Misha says. “You just need to be brave enough to take that first step and keep going.”The benefits of inquiry-based learningTheir determination has paid off. In 2025, the pair won first prize in biology at Jugend forscht, Germany’s national competition for young people interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They were also among the winners of the German Research Foundation Europa-Preis, which is awarded to selected national winners at Jugend forscht, and took third place in the 2025 European Union Contest for Young Scientists.The Jugend forscht Foundation opens doors for young people to connect with scientists as well as industry professionals. Jessica Bönsch, executive director of the Foundation, sees Misha and Mia as prime examples of how young people can develop a deeper understanding of science through their own research projects. “The experience of working on your own research question is very important,” she explains, adding that “inquiry-based learning engages with real-life problems in a way that can be more motivating than traditional classroom teaching.”The Jugend forscht Foundation offers financial support through sponsor pools in Germany’s federal states. Some projects are developed in cooperation with student research centres, university labs or informal collaborative learning areas called makerspaces. Other activities start as hands-on “garage projects” and can grow within the Jugend forscht network and infrastructure.The Jugend forscht Foundation is also a partner of Science Comes to Town, an EU initiative to strengthen public awareness about science and create bridges between researchers and communities. The EU-financed project involves universities, research institutions and other stakeholders in three host cities — Brest (France), Kiel (Germany) and Split (Croatia).“It's so important for people not to live in a bubble, because I think science can be very scary if you misunderstand it,” Mia says of SCTT. The initiative’s aim of raising awareness about science is “absolutely amazing,” Misha adds. “I think it's the best way to kind of make science digestible for the public. In a world where misinformation in science is getting more radical, more dangerous, becoming more of a threat to the trust in scientific infrastructure and foundations, we need such programmes.”Misha and Mia also believe that SCTT can help break down gender stereotypes in science by encouraging young women to study and pursue careers in scientific fields. Both students have benefited from female mentors and encouragement they had when they were much younger. Mia’s love of science began with a class trip to a lab, while Misha — with a smile on her face — says she wanted to study history until “a teacher kind of coerced me into joining a school science club.”Recognition beyond EuropeIn May, Misha and Mia were among the finalists at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix, Arizona, and involving nearly 1,700 pre-university students from over 60 countries. “It was very crazy because there were so many people and so many teenagers interested in science,” Mia recalls. The event was also challenging. “It was eight hours of continuously presenting your project,” adds Misha.Attending the fair was a chance for the young women to see first-hand the value of international collaboration as well as how research cultures differ. “America is a bit more willing to take risks, and I think that's something we can learn about here in Europe,” Misha explains. However, she continues, “I think Europe has the talent, has the innovation and has the resources” to be competitive.Misha and Mia plan to continue their phage experiments in the new school year, inspired by the project’s hands-on nature and the support they receive from their supervisors. They have also attracted the interest of professional scientists and received invitations to leading research facilities, including the Centre for Synthetic Microbiology, jointly run by the University of Marburg and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany. “It is so cool that we can do something to try to move the world in our school and at this age,” Mia says.After completing secondary school, Mia plans to study microbiology and pursue a career in medical research, focusing on Ebola and other infectious diseases. “This has been my dream for so long,” she says. Her friend Misha is interested in biological research with a focus on medicine. “I've gotten addicted to the process of going to the lab, planning out experiments, then failing, trying again,” Misha says. “I think there's just so much to be discovered, so much to be done.”The students' names and photos were published with the permission of their parents.Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.

Sep 23 • 8:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencebusiness.net

NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip steps back from public life for serious health concerns

Darrell Waltrip, a Hall of Fame NASCAR driver and longtime Fox Sports broadcaster, has stepped away from public life due to a progressive brain disease. Waltrip and his family announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal Degeneration, possibly complicated by Chronic Traumati...

Sep 23 • 6:58 PM EDT • Health • wral.com

Oracle and Buck Institute for Research on Aging Advance Federal Aging Research Initiative

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 23, 2026 — Oracle Health and Life Sciences Summit — Oracle and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging are collaborating to advance intelligence into age-related disease and support discoveries that can extend the healthy years of life. Buck will leverage Oracle Life Sciences Data Intelligence, which encompasses 122 million+ de-identified longitudinal […]

Sep 23 • 5:48 PM EDT • Science • hpcwire.com

More REM sleep linked to lower risk of 83 diseases

A large study tracking more than 95,000 people suggests that how you sleep may be linked to your risk of developing dozens of diseases. People who spent more time in REM sleep had lower risks of 83 conditions, including dementia, heart failure, and Parkinson’s disease, while more deep sleep was associated with lower risks of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and major depression.

Sep 23 • 4:00 PM EDT • Science • sciencedaily.com

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked with Multiple Health Outcomes

Ultra-processed food is linked with multiple chronic disease outcomes with each 100g contributing to an increase in risk, a meta-analysis involving more than eight million people suggests.

Sep 23 • 1:38 PM EDT • Health • insideprecisionmedicine.com

Early childhood BMI trajectories predict later cardiometabolic health risks

Childhood obesity predicts later cardiometabolic disease, but single-time weight measures may miss dynamic growth information.

Sep 23 • 1:10 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net

Dead Kennedys' East Bay Ray diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dead Kennedys co-founder East Bay Ray, one of the greatest punk rock guitarists of all time, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The news was made

Sep 23 • 12:21 PM EDT • Entertainment • recorderonline.com

Insurance Coverage Lags as Cancer Science, Treatment Move Forward

By Arthur Allen Sep 22, 2026 Mason Henderson with his mother, Tabitha Lowe, in November 2025 during a visit to New York, where Henderson was participating in a clinical trial to treat his brain cancer. Henderson died in May 2026 after a two-year battle with the disease. (Jerry Lowe) Mason Henderson with his mother, Tabitha…

Sep 23 • 8:09 AM EDT • Science • gilmermirror.com

Disease outbreaks may cost the world 17,500 health workers each year

How epidemics are deepening health worker shortages in the countries that can least afford them.

Sep 23 • 8:00 AM EDT • Health • gavi.org

CentraCare Hosts Free Virtual Heart Health Event October 8th

(KNSI) - According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease remains one of the most common health con...

Sep 23 • 7:59 AM EDT • Health • knsiradio.com

Is football too dangerous for kids’ brains? These scientists are racing to find out

A new study found that one in four professional football players who died between 2016 and 2021 had CTE—a degenerative brain disease—but what about children who play these sports?

Sep 23 • 6:00 AM EDT • Science • scientificamerican.com

Scientists built a mosquito toilet to reveal viral information

The excrement shows potential diseases that could spread

Sep 23 • 2:00 AM EDT • Science • theweek.com

Bangladesh's new approach to noncommunicable diseases

Bangladesh has committed to reducing premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases, rebuilding prevention and control efforts around primary health care.

Sep 23 • 2:00 AM EDT • Health • weforum.org

Higher ultra-processed food intake linked to multiple health risks

A higher ultra processed food (UPF) intake is linked to a heightened risk of several major chronic health issues, such as digestive diseases, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome/diabetes, as well as death, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal Family Medicine and Community Health.

Sep 22 • 11:04 PM EDT • Health • news-medical.net

Scientists Just Found Something Unexpected in the Pages of Medieval Books

Scientists recovered sheep pox DNA from medieval parchment, helping trace a devastating livestock disease back more than 3,700 years.

Sep 22 • 7:27 PM EDT • Science • vice.com

Rhode Island health officials urge tick precautions after third Powassan case

A Washington County man in his 60s has been diagnosed with Powassan virus disease, the Rhode Island Department of Health announced Monday.

Sep 22 • 7:22 PM EDT • Health • turnto10.com

Bring your sick soybeans to Farm Science Review!

By Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Ohio State University Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist, Adapted from C.O.R.N. 2026-31 Seeing disease symptoms in your soybean fields? Bring us your sick soybeans at Farm Science Review! During Farm Science Review, September 22–24, the OSU Soybean Pathology and Nema

Sep 22 • 3:30 PM EDT • Science • ocj.com

INTERVIEW: Director and Health Officer of Eau Claire City-County Health Department stepping down

WEAU’s Bob Gallaher sat down with Giese as she reflects on her tenure helping prevent disease and injury in her hometown.

Sep 22 • 2:36 PM EDT • Health • weau.com

A gut feeling: Connections between gastrointestinal disease and emotional health in dogs

Gastrointestinal disease and emotional health are known to be linked in humans, but what about in dogs? Researchers have started exploring this connection, and they have reason to believe that even in cases of well-managed chronic enteropathy, affected dogs may benefit for their behavioral health.

Sep 22 • 2:00 PM EDT • Health • aaha.org

Allegheny Health Network Establishes the Roe Green Endowed Chair for Aortic Disease Following Transformative $2.5 Million Gift

/PRNewswire/ -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced the establishment of the Roe Green Endowed Chair for Aortic Disease, made possible through a...

Sep 22 • 10:05 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com

Health Union and DTC Perspectives Announce Executive Rare Disease Marketing Summit

/PRNewswire/ -- Health Union, the leader in online health communities, and DTC Perspectives, the premier conference and publishing company for consumer health...

Sep 22 • 10:00 AM EDT • Health • prnewswire.com