New online guide launched to support people affected by lichen sclerosus

A new online guide has been launched to support and empower people with vulval lichen sclerosus (LS) to learn about the condition, access the right treatment and live more comfortably. It is estimated that about 1 in 100 women have vulval LS. It can be diagnosed at any age, but it seems to happen most often after menopause. Nobody knows exactly what causes LS.

Wearable device uses bioimpedance to track joint swelling and damage

Samer Mabrouk started playing squash as an undergraduate at Georgia Tech. Ankle injuries were to be expected, and resting for a few days was all he needed to get back on the court. Now a research engineer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mabrouk hasn’t put his racket down, but he gets injured more often—and rest isn’t enough anymore.

Genetically modified mice hint at tau hyperphosphorylation’s early role in neurodegenerative diseases

Tau is a microtubule-associated protein that helps to stabilize the structure of neurons, specifically by supporting microtubules, cylindrical structures that contribute to cell motility, intracellular transport and the maintenance of a cell’s shape over time. While tau has an important neurophysiological function, when it undergoes pathological changes and accumulates in the brain, this protein has been found to contribute to some neurodegenerative diseases, broadly defined as tauopathies.

Genetic reanalysis results in more than 500 patients receiving diagnosis

The European consortium for Solving the Unsolved Rare Diseases has demonstrated the significance of international collaboration to address the unmet medical needs for rare diseases’ diagnosis. More than 500 European patients with unknown conditions have received a diagnosis through new genetic research. This includes patients with rare neurological disorders, severe intellectual disabilities, muscle diseases, and hereditary gastrointestinal cancer.