Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04388-5
As Brazil takes its modified mosquito program from pilot to practice at national scale, what will it take to beat dengue?
Harnessing the power of biomarkers for diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas
Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04399-2
The BIOMEDE trial, although negative for its primary endpoint, illustrates the utility of adaptive trial designs and biopsy-informed tumor profiling in guiding treatment decisions and patient counseling — and provides mechanistic evidence that can inform future therapeutic strategies.
Data-Driven Decision Support in Obesity Management Commission: enabling more equitable and personalized obesity care
Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04363-0
Announced in this Comment and in collaboration with Nature Medicine is the convening of the Data-Driven Decision Support in Obesity Management Commission, to promote adequate scientific evidence to support obesity management across global populations.
CRISPR−Cas9 CD33-deleted allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation with gemtuzumab ozogamicin maintenance in AML: a phase 1/2 trial
Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04362-1
In a first-in-human trial combining the transplantation of CD33-negative CRISPR-edited hematopoietic cells with the CD33-targeted antibody–drug conjugate gemtuzumab ozogamicin, all transplanted patients achieved primary engraftment, and the treatment was well tolerated.
Genomic epidemiology of the 2025 mpox epidemic in Sierra Leone
Nature Medicine, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04385-8
A phylogenetic analysis examined the origins of the first mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone and found evidence of an emerging lineage (G.1) that has likely descended from the Nigerian epidemic and emerged in Sierra Leone months before first detection.
Optics-free spatial genomics for mapping mammalian brain aging by IRISeq
Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02293-1
The authors developed an optics-free spatial genomics method to map mouse brain aging, revealing region-specific inflammation and showing that lymphocytes promote harmful interferon signaling, whereas their loss preserves ependymal cells and reshapes glial states.
Individual differences in prosocial learning are represented in the hippocampal dorsal CA1
Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02292-2
La Greca and colleagues show that by witnessing a conspecific’s actions, mice learn how actions can lead to shared food, forming flexible social action–outcome associations that require dorsal CA1 and bias future prosocial or selfish behaviors.
STAT+: Capsida says it still doesn’t know what caused gene therapy death
Capsida Biotherapeutics said Tuesday that it still had no answers in its investigation into the death of a child in a gene therapy trial last September.
Its scientists’ efforts, it said, have been stymied because the hospital where the study was conducted has declined to share tissue samples from an autopsy.
The therapy, known as CAP-002, was the first of a wave of new gene therapies designed to deliver genes deep into the brain. Scientists around the world engineered viruses that could slide through the blood-brain barrier that walls off our most vital organ from the rest of the body. Companies spun up promising treatments for devastating rare genetic diseases and common conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Smart Pediatric Oncology Tracker of Symptoms (SPOTS), a Web-Based Interface for the Pediatric PRO-CTCAE: Development and Usability Study
<strong>Background:</strong> Children undergoing cancer treatment experience a range of treatment-related toxicities that significantly affect quality of life and adherence to therapy. Current methods for symptom reporting rely heavily on clinician interpretation of caregiver or child verbal reports, which can result in incomplete or inaccurate records. The Pediatric Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (Pediatric PRO-CTCAE; National Cancer Institute) provides a validated mechanism for direct symptom reporting by children and caregivers, yet its traditional administration and preselection of questions limit the breadth of symptom capture. <strong>Objective:</strong> This research aimed to co-design and conduct formative usability testing of the Smart Pediatric Oncology Tracker of Symptoms (SPOTS), a novel, web-based interface for the Pediatric PRO-CTCAE to allow children with cancer and their caregivers to comprehensively report symptoms. <strong>Methods:</strong> The research comprised 2 sequential phases: co-design and usability testing. Guided by child-computer interaction theory and participatory design methods, child-caregiver dyads collaborated with the research team to iteratively design and refine the SPOTS prototype. Nine participant dyads engaged in up to 3 co-design sessions that informed system features, layout, and content. During the usability phase, 12 additional dyads (6 with children aged 7-12 years and 6 with adolescents aged 13-17 years, each with a caregiver) completed structured usability tasks using the SPOTS prototype. Task completion, pathway efficiency, and user feedback were recorded through screen capture, field notes, and think-aloud protocols. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative feedback was analyzed thematically. <strong>Results:</strong> SPOTS was described by users as “very clear” and “easy to navigate.” Participants valued the visual design, the use of a customizable character, and the opportunity for children to report symptoms independently. Key usability challenges included confusing terminology, navigation redundancy, and visual complexities. Quantitative task analyses indicated that while most structured tasks were completed successfully, many required excess steps or assistance. When not directed to use a specific screen, participants’ symptom reporting methods varied, with caregivers and adolescents preferring the Body Parts Screen and younger children favoring the Search Screen. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The formative development of SPOTS demonstrates the feasibility and value of co-designing pediatric health technologies directly with children and caregivers. SPOTS has the potential to enhance the implementation of the Pediatric PRO-CTCAE by offering an engaging, child-friendly digital format that facilitates more direct symptom reporting. Future work will include a pilot study to further assess real-world usability, the quality of symptom capture (ie, completeness and accuracy), and integration with clinical workflows.
Pitchfest winner: Why the UK is falling behind on women’s health
Pitchfest 2026 winner Valentina Milanova on why the UK is falling behind in women’s health and how at-home HPV testing can help.