Researchers pave the way for individualized obesity therapy, tailoring interventions to a person’s needs

In a pilot study of 165 people, Mayo Clinic researchers looked at the effectiveness of two different approaches to weight loss: a standard lifestyle intervention and individualized therapy. The standard lifestyle intervention included a reduced diet, exercise and behavior therapy. The individualized approach was based on phenotypes and included different interventions depending on the person’s predominant underlying cause of obesity. A diet based on phenotypes considers a person’s genetic and phenotypic characteristics to create a tailored eating plan meant to optimize health and well-being.

Fly toolkit created for investigating COVID-19 infection mechanisms

Millions of deaths and ongoing illnesses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted scientists to seek new ways of understanding how viruses so skillfully enter and reprogram human cells. Urgent innovations leading to the development of new therapies are needed since virologists predict that future deadly viruses and pandemics may again emerge from the coronavirus family.