Past News Items - December 2025
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In the News
LONGEVITY FEST 2025
Scientists Uncover Key Driver of Treatment-Resistant Cancer
Blood-Pressure Discovery Could Open Door to New Hypertension Treatments
Gnosis by Lesaffre Sponsors, Reveals Findings at 2025 Epigenetics Conference
New UK Biobank Study Links Higher Omega-3 Levels to Lower Risk of Self-Harm & Suicidal Ideation
New Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples
Could Your Genes Influence the Gut Microbiome of Others?
Higher Blood Omega-3 Levels Linked With Significantly Lower Atrial Fibrillation Risk
Gnosis by Lesaffre Partners with Maternity Foundation to Ensure Healthier Pregnancies
LONGEVITY FEST 2025
By Dick Benson Editorial Director InnoVision Health Media
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) hosted Longevity Fest 2025, was held December 12-14, 2025 in Las Vegas. The three-day conference is designed for licensed professionals and focuses on anti-aging medicine, health span extension, and cutting-edge longevity research. The agenda included over 200 sessions and drew more than 5,000 attendees and 400 exhibitors. Some of the popular tracks covering topics including hormone therapies, brain longevity, microbiome, and metabolic health. The goal of the event is to unveil the future of health and aging, offering practical, actionable strategies for practitioners.
I have been attending A4M for over 15 years and the 2025 event was one of the best events that I have attended. I was impressed with the number of new products being introduced and some of the emerging new treatments. One particular trend that I noticed was peptides. They seemed to be very prominent on the exhibit hall floor with leading professionals such as Edwin Lee, Christopher Shade and James LaValle who provide information concerning how peptides are impacting health and how they can treat various issues in a variety of formats.
In the early years A4M focused on the cosmetic aspects regarding aging. This included a focus on BHRT treatment as well as a variety of skin treatments. Although BHRT is still a part of the education programs it was clear that the focus has shifted to providing resources and Integrative strategies for healthy aging. These strategies for healthy aging covered a variety of topics including inflammation, the microbiome, nutrition and metabolic health to name a few.
The focus on personalized medicine provide resources that will improve the next wave in longevity therapy. Some of these topics included improving brain health and information regarding restoring an aging brain. There was also a focus on the biology of aging, that focused on regenerative solutions and applications of stem cell.
For those who could not get enough education during the day, both Friday and Saturday evening provided opportunities to learn how you can improve your practice. The evening sessions provide great resources for improving how you can best manage your healthcare practice.
In between the education sessions there is a fantastic exhibit hall that also provides a wide variety of services to improve patient treatment but also improve your practices. In addition to dietary supplements, compounding pharmacies and testing labs exhibits, there are a variety of medical devices, patient products and practice management resources. This was the largest and best organized exhibit hall I have observed at this event. There were times when the exhibit hall was very busy, but being patient allowed and opportunity to meet your desired vendors.
One of the best parts of this event is the opportunities to connect with colleagues from throughout the world. The exhibit hall, education sessions and the schedule all contribute to making this event a great opportunity for networking. The theme of the event "Longevity" certainly is a modification from "Anti-aging". And this is easily defined by the event. I look forward to the 2026 event, as well as the related events scheduled for this market by Informa.
Scientists Uncover Key Driver of Treatment-Resistant Cancer
UC San Diego scientists discover enzyme responsible for scrambling cancer genomes; results could enable new treatments for the most aggressive cancers.
University of California San Diego researchers have discovered the enzyme responsible for chromothripsis, a process in which a single chromosome is shattered into pieces and rearranged in a scrambled order, allowing cancer cells to rapidly evolve and become resistant to treatment. Since its discovery more than a decade ago, chromothripsis has emerged as a major driver of cancer progression and treatment resistance, but scientists haven't learned what causes it. Now, UC San Diego scientists have solved this longstanding mystery in cancer biology, opening up new possibilities for treating the most aggressive cancers. The results are published in Science.
Chromothripsis is just one of several mechanisms cancer cells use to evolve and resist therapy, but it stands out because of its scale. Instead of accumulating mutations gradually, chromothripsis can generate dozens to hundreds of genomic alterations in a single catastrophic event, accelerating cancer evolution dramatically. It is also remarkably common: researchers estimate that approximately one in four human cancers shows evidence of chromothripsis, and for some tumors the rate is even higher. For example, virtually all osteosarcomas - an aggressive bone cancer - display chromothripsis, and many brain cancers show unusually high levels as well.
"This discovery finally reveals the molecular ‘spark' that ignites one of the most aggressive forms of genome rearrangement in cancer," said senior author Don Cleveland, Ph.D., professor of cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and member of UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. "By finding what breaks the chromosome in the first place, we now have a new and actionable point of intervention for slowing cancer evolution."
Chromothripsis occurs after errors in cell division cause individual chromosomes to become trapped inside tiny, fragile structures called micronuclei. Once a micronucleus bursts, its chromosome is left exposed and vulnerable to nucleases, enzymes that are capable of breaking DNA apart.
Before now, scientists didn't know which specific nuclease triggers chromothripsis, making it impossible to target the process with cancer treatments.
To answer this question, the researchers used an imaging-based screening technique to comb through all known and predicted human nucleases and observe how they affect human cancer cells in real time. Their analysis found one enzyme, called N4BP2, that is uniquely capable of entering micronuclei and breaking DNA apart.
To prove that N4BP2 actually causes chromothripsis, the researchers then eliminated the enzyme in brain cancer cells. They found that eliminating N4BP2 sharply reduced chromosome shattering, while forcing N4BP2 into the cell nucleus caused intact chromosomes to break, even in otherwise healthy cells.
"These experiments showed us that N4BP2 isn't just correlated with chromothripsis. It is sufficient to cause it," said first author Ksenia Krupina, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at UC San Diego. "This is the first direct molecular explanation for how catastrophic chromosome fragmentation begins."
The researchers also analyzed more than 10,000 human cancer genomes across many cancer types, finding that tumors with high N4BP2 expression showed significantly more chromothripsis and structural rearrangements. These cancers also exhibited elevated levels of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) -circular DNA fragments that carry cancer?promoting genes and are strongly linked to treatment resistance and aggressive growth.
Because tumors that contain ecDNA tend to be among the most difficult to treat, ecDNA has gained widespread scientific attention in recent years, including being named one of the Cancer Grand Challenges by the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK. The new UC San Diego findings reveal that ecDNA is not an isolated phenomenon, but rather a downstream consequence of the much broader phenomenon of chromothripsis. By placing N4BP2 at the very start of this process, the study identifies a new molecular entry point for understanding - and potentially controlling - the most chaotic forms of genome instability in cancer.
"Understanding what triggers chromothripsis gives us a new way to think about stopping it," said Cleveland. "By targeting N4BP2 or the pathways it activates, we may be able to limit the genomic chaos that allows tumors to adapt, recur and become drug?resistant."
Link to full study: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado0977
Additional coauthors of the study include Alexander Goginashvili, Michael W. Baughn, Stephen Moore, Christopher D. Steele, Amy T. Nguyen, Daniel L. Zhang, Prasad Trivedi, Aarti Malhotra, David Jenkins, Andrew K. Shiau, Yohei Miyake, Tomoyuki Koga, Shunichiro Miki, Frank B. Furnari and Ludmil B. Alexandrov, all at UC San Diego and Jonas Koeppel and Peter J. Campbell of the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.
The study was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health (grants R35GM122476, R01 ES030993-01A1, R01ES032547-01, U01CA290479-01, R01CA269919-01, R56 NS080939 and R01 CA258248).
Blood-Pressure Discovery Could Open Door to New Hypertension Treatments
University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have obtained important new insights into how our bodies regulate our blood pressure by revealing how our cells turn off a key hormone. The findings could open the door to new treatments for hypertension (high blood pressure) and kidney diseases, the researchers report.
The findings, from UVA's R. Ariel Gomez, MD, and Maria Luisa S. Sequeira-Lopez, MD, shed light on how specialized kidney cells, called juxtaglomerular cells, shut down the production of renin, a hormone released to increase blood pressure. Excessive production of the hormone can cause hypertension.
"Studying the intricate communication system within the cells that produce the hormone renin is a fundamental first step to understand high blood pressure," said Sequeira-Lopez, of UVA's Child Health Research Center. "Grasping how calcium behaves in juxtaglomerular cells may help create new and safer treatments for heart, vascular and kidney diseases."
Better Understanding Blood Pressure Control
Juxtaglomerular cells act as the body's blood pressure sensor. They prevent our blood pressure from dropping too low by releasing renin as needed. To determine this, they monitor calcium levels within themselves. In that sense, calcium is the on-off switch for renin production.
The mechanism that stops renin production, however, has been poorly understood. UVA's new research shows that the hormone angiotensin II (often called ang II) causes calcium levels within the cells to rise and fall in bursts. These "oscillations" ultimately suppress renin release, the scientists determined.
While earlier studies had looked at renin production in single cells, UVA's new research reveals how the process works in actual kidney tissue. The scientists found, for example, that a calcium surge doesn't stay in just one cell. Instead, it spreads through neighboring juxtaglomerular cells to slow renin production more effectively.
The scientists found that looking at isolated cells was a poor way to understand the complex cellular interactions responsible for halting renin production and release to the bloodstream. Their work, examining living kidney tissue, has produced a far more holistic understanding of renin regulation and the mechanisms that control it.
"When observed in intact kidney tissue, calcium signals in juxtaglomerular cells show more dynamic and refined patterns than those typically observed in isolated cells." said postdoctoral researcher Hiroki Yamaguchi, MD, PhD, the first author of a scientific paper detailing the findings. "We see these calcium signals as transducers that coordinate hormonal, pressure and neural cues to finely tune renin release. We are eager to explore this mechanism further."
The new insights into how our bodies control renin production and, in turn, our blood pressure could pave the way for new ways to reduce high blood pressure and the complications it can cause, the researchers say.
"Research into calcium signaling in juxtaglomerular cells may lead to the development of novel and safer drugs to control blood pressure more precisely," said Gomez, director of UVA's Child Health Research Center. "Traditionally, we have concentrated our attention on what turns hormones and systems on. Focusing on the regulatory brakes, the ‘off switches' of hormone production, offers a novel opportunity to understand and maintain well-being."
Findings Published
UVA's findings have been detailed in the scientific journal Circulation Research. The article is open access, meaning it is free to read.
The research team consisted of Yamaguchi, Nick A. Guagliardo, Laura A. Bell, Manako Yamaguchi, Daisuke Matsuoka, Fang Xu, Jason P. Smith, Mohamed Diagne, Sophie Condron, Lucas F. Almeida, Silvia Medrano, Paula Q. Barrett, Edward H. Nieh, Gomez and Sequeira-Lopez.
To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog at http://makingofmedicine.virginia.edu.
News # 4
Gnosis by Lesaffre Sponsors, Reveals Findings at 2025 Epigenetics Conference
Gnosis's research partner Andrea Fuso, PhD, presented evidence supporting SAMe's role in amyloid-beta accumulation and clearance for brain health.
In October, Gnosis by Lesaffre sponsored the 2nd global Epigenetics Society International Conference, entitled, "DNA, RNA, and Chromatin Epigenetics: Disease and Development," held in Chicago, IL. At the conference, the company's 17-year research partner, Andrea Fuso, PhD, presented distinguished research in his lecture, "The Underrated One-Carbon Metabolism and the Pivotal Role of Methylation Reactions in Alzheimer's Disease."
Exciting New Research Findings
In his presentation, Dr. Fuso, an expert in neurological and methylation research and Associate Professor in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, discussed how B vitamins sustain one-carbon metabolism to make S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe). He also explained how insufficient levels of B vitamins impair DNA methylation and boost amyloid/inflammation genes, exacerbating Alzheimer's-like changes. Additionally, he discussed how SAMe can restore methylation, and how this pathway is a promising target in managing Alzheimer's and protecting brain function.
"Dr. Fuso's presentation was impactful, as his research highlights how maintaining balanced one-carbon metabolism could enhance brain detoxification pathways and protect neuronal integrity, which introduces promising new opportunities for nutraceutical and medical nutrition strategies aimed at supporting cognitive health and longevity," said Lacey Hall, MS, RD, Global Medical Affairs Director at Gnosis by Lesaffre.
A Long-standing Collaboration
For more than 20 years, Dr. Fuso's lab has focused its research on epigenetics applied to neurodegenerative diseases, one-carbon metabolism, and methylation reactions in relation to the regulation of gene expression. "Our lab has dedicated the past two decades to unravel the causal association between one-carbon metabolism modulation and DNA methylation, with a translational focus on Alzheimer's Disease," Dr. Fuso said.
"Gnosis is once again proud to be an integral sponsor of this conference that presents a multifactorial approach to reducing risks of disease development largely generated by impaired DNA methylation, and we are exceptionally proud of the work of our esteemed research partner, Dr. Fuso," commented Hall. "Gnosis remains committed to nurturing relationships between academic researchers and our team that develops innovative nutritional solutions such as Adonat® Premium SAMe. Further, sponsoring the Epigenetics Society International Conference underscores our dedication to advancing fundamental epigenetic research for clinically relevant applications that promote healthier aging and improved quality of life."
About Gnosis by Lesaffre
By using the power of microorganisms and biotransformation processes, Gnosis by Lesaffre cultivates unique active ingredients through fermentation, as well as probiotics and nutritional, functional yeasts that benefit human health, longevity, and well-being. Our high-quality solutions are meticulously studied, replicable, and reliable as we scale our collaboration with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical brands to develop revolutionary products that help customers thrive.
Gnosis by Lesaffre – Think like Nature to raise the standard of human health. http://www.GnosisByLesaffre.com
About Lesaffre
A key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a 3 billion euro turnover, and established on all continents, counts 11,000 employees and more than 90 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners, and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness, and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms.
To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet's resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
Lesaffre – Working together to better nourish and protect the planet. http://www.Lesaffre.com
Gnosis by Lesaffre Sponsors, Reveals Findings at 2025 Epigenetics Conference
Gnosis's research partner Andrea Fuso, PhD, presented evidence supporting SAMe's role in amyloid-beta accumulation and clearance for brain health.
In October, Gnosis by Lesaffre sponsored the 2nd global Epigenetics Society International Conference, entitled, "DNA, RNA, and Chromatin Epigenetics: Disease and Development," held in Chicago, IL. At the conference, the company's 17-year research partner, Andrea Fuso, PhD, presented distinguished research in his lecture, "The Underrated One-Carbon Metabolism and the Pivotal Role of Methylation Reactions in Alzheimer's Disease."
Exciting New Research Findings
In his presentation, Dr. Fuso, an expert in neurological and methylation research and Associate Professor in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, discussed how B vitamins sustain one-carbon metabolism to make S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe). He also explained how insufficient levels of B vitamins impair DNA methylation and boost amyloid/inflammation genes, exacerbating Alzheimer's-like changes. Additionally, he discussed how SAMe can restore methylation, and how this pathway is a promising target in managing Alzheimer's and protecting brain function.
"Dr. Fuso's presentation was impactful, as his research highlights how maintaining balanced one-carbon metabolism could enhance brain detoxification pathways and protect neuronal integrity, which introduces promising new opportunities for nutraceutical and medical nutrition strategies aimed at supporting cognitive health and longevity," said Lacey Hall, MS, RD, Global Medical Affairs Director at Gnosis by Lesaffre.
A Long-standing Collaboration
For more than 20 years, Dr. Fuso's lab has focused its research on epigenetics applied to neurodegenerative diseases, one-carbon metabolism, and methylation reactions in relation to the regulation of gene expression. "Our lab has dedicated the past two decades to unravel the causal association between one-carbon metabolism modulation and DNA methylation, with a translational focus on Alzheimer's Disease," Dr. Fuso said.
"Gnosis is once again proud to be an integral sponsor of this conference that presents a multifactorial approach to reducing risks of disease development largely generated by impaired DNA methylation, and we are exceptionally proud of the work of our esteemed research partner, Dr. Fuso," commented Hall. "Gnosis remains committed to nurturing relationships between academic researchers and our team that develops innovative nutritional solutions such as Adonat® Premium SAMe. Further, sponsoring the Epigenetics Society International Conference underscores our dedication to advancing fundamental epigenetic research for clinically relevant applications that promote healthier aging and improved quality of life."
About Gnosis by Lesaffre
By using the power of microorganisms and biotransformation processes, Gnosis by Lesaffre cultivates unique active ingredients through fermentation, as well as probiotics and nutritional, functional yeasts that benefit human health, longevity, and well-being. Our high-quality solutions are meticulously studied, replicable, and reliable as we scale our collaboration with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical brands to develop revolutionary products that help customers thrive.
Gnosis by Lesaffre – Think like Nature to raise the standard of human health. http://www.GnosisByLesaffre.com
About Lesaffre
A key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a 3 billion euro turnover, and established on all continents, counts 11,000 employees and more than 90 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners, and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness, and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms.
To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet's resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
Lesaffre – Working together to better nourish and protect the planet. http://www.Lesaffre.com
New UK Biobank Study Links Higher Omega-3 Levels to Lower Risk of Self-Harm & Suicidal Ideation
A major new analysis of more than 258,000 adults in the UK Biobank has found that higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids-including DHA, EPA, ALA, and DPA-are consistently associated with lower risks of suicidal ideation, history of self-harm, and future self-harm events. The findings, published in Lipids in Health and Disease, add to growing evidence that omega-3s may play a meaningful role in supporting mental health.
The study examined plasma omega-3 fatty acid levels measured via NMR spectroscopy and compared them with both self-reported and medical-record-verified outcomes related to self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
This research analyzed data from 258,012 UK Biobank participants with available plasma omega-3 data, covariates, and mental health outcomes. The study assessed three categories of outcomes:
· Passive suicidal ideation and contemplation of self-harm
· Lifetime and past-year self-harm (self-report and medical records)
· Future incident self-harm events
All models adjusted for demographics, lifestyle factors, medication use, comorbidities, and mental health history. The median follow-up time was 13.7 years.
The study results showed that participants with higher DHA, non-DHA omega-3s (ALA+EPA+DPA), and total omega-3s consistently showed lower odds of:
· Passive suicidal ideation
· Lifetime self-harm
· Past-year self-harm
· Future self-harm recorded in medical records
Notably, individuals in the highest DHA quintile had 33% lower odds of a history of self-harm, while those in the highest non-DHA omega-3 quintile had 14% lower odds of passive suicidal ideation in the past year.
"Our findings show that individuals with higher plasma omega-3 levels-across DHA, EPA, DPA, and ALA-consistently had lower risks of both past and future self-harm behaviors. While we cannot infer causality, the strength and consistency of these associations, particularly for medical-record-verified outcomes, point to a potentially important protective role for omega-3 fatty acids in mental health," said Dr. W. Grant Franco, the study's lead author.
Dr. William S. Harris, senior author, and President and Founder of the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI), added: "Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, are known to support brain function and reduce inflammation. Our results align with previous research linking low omega-3 status to higher suicide risk. Given that omega-3 levels are generally low in Western populations, improving dietary intake or supplementation patterns may be a simple, safe strategy to support mental well-being-especially among those at elevated risk."
In the study, the authors highlight several important public health takeaways:
· Omega-3s may be a modifiable risk factor for self-harm and suicidal ideation, especially in populations with low habitual intake.
· Associations were strongest for medical record–based outcomes, suggesting results are not driven by self-report bias.
· Both DHA and non-DHA omega-3s contributed to the protective associations, indicating that a broad range of omega-3 sources may be relevant.
Given the low risks associated with omega-3 intake, dietary and supplemental strategies may be worth exploring in preventive mental health contexts.
New Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples
Doctors and researchers try to understand what medications a person has taken by asking patients directly or by looking at medical records. But this information is often incomplete. People may forget what they took, use over-the-counter drugs, take leftover prescription drugs, buy medicines online, or be exposed unintentionally through food and the environment. As a result, significant drug exposures can be missed. Knowing what drugs are present is important because they can have unexpected effects on biology and health.
Now, a team of researchers from University of California San Diego and their colleagues have created a publicly-available online reference library of chemical "fingerprints" from thousands of drugs, their breakdown products and related compounds. The study was published in Nature Communications on December 9, 2025.
Comparing unknown compounds in a patient's blood, urine or other biological sample to those in the Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) Drug Library, as it is called, reveals a more accurate picture of their drug exposure than what is listed on a patient's medical record, according to the researchers.
To build the library, the research team used mass spectrometry, which applies an electrical charge to the molecules making up drugs to sort them by weight and then breaks them down to generate a chemical fingerprint. Each drug entry in the library is linked to descriptions of where it comes from (prescription, over the counter, etc.), what class of medicine it belongs to, what it is used for, and how it works in the body.
To test the power of the library to accurately detect actual drug exposures in biological samples from patients, the researchers used a special type of mass spectrometry called untargeted metabolomics. The method analyzes thousands of molecules at once to identify the drug breakdown products in the sample.
"Whatever sample we put into the mass spectrometer, be it urine, breast milk or even an environmental water sample, it will be able to detect all of the chemicals in the sample," said co-first author Nina Zhao, Ph.D., a post-doctoral scientist in the laboratory of co-author Pieter Dorrestein, Ph.D., professor at UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and professor of pharmacology and pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
For example, the researchers found that
• Samples from people with inflammatory bowel disease, Kawasaki disease or dental cavities showed a high frequency of antibiotics, matching the typical treatment of these conditions.
• Skin swabs from people with psoriasis were often rich in antifungal agents, reflecting common antifungal therapies for skin lesions.
The research team also put the library to the test on samples from nearly 2,000 participants in the American Gut Project, which studies the diversity of gut microbes in the United States, Europe and Australia. This analysis detected 75 distinct drugs, a list reflecting the most prescribed drug classes and medications in these regions.
"We expected those drugs to be the most commonly found, and indeed this was what we observed, confirming that this library works as we intended." said co-first author Kine Eide Kvitne, a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of co-author Shirley Tsunoda, Pharm.D., professor of clinical pharmacy and and associate dean for pharmacy education at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
It also revealed that U.S. participants carried more detectable drugs per individual than European or Australian participants, and that pain killers were more often found in females, while erectile dysfunction drugs were mostly detected in males.
The library can also uncover medication use for co-existing conditions that may be clinically relevant for monitoring certain diseases. For example, samples from Alzheimer's disease patients reflected the use of cardiovascular and psychiatric medication, consistent with treatments for conditions that often occur alongside the neurodegenerative disease.
And, in samples from a clinical study of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the library detected not only the presence of antiviral medications, but cardiovascular and psychiatric drugs as well, consistent with the higher rates of heart disease and depression that are observed in people living with HIV. This allowed the researchers to group participants based on the medications they were truly taking. The researchers also discovered that certain HIV drugs were associated with specific changes in gut derived molecules, demonstrating how drug exposure can reshape the microbiome.
"A lot of different kinds of drugs have a huge impact on the gut microbiome, which is connected to your immune system," said Zhao.
Testing more than 3,000 food products, the team found antibiotics in meat products and a pesticide in vegetables that are also used in humans. They believe the library will also be useful for uncovering hidden environmental drug exposures, such as those in reclaimed water and snow.
The first of its kind, the GNPS Drug Library lays the groundwork for future studies linking drug exposure, microbial breakdown products and patient outcomes. The comprehensive resource will continue to expand over time, according to the researchers, who are currently exploring the use of large language models and generative artificial intelligence to curate new data.
The library's user-friendly online data analysis app will enable clinical and public health researchers without pharmacy backgrounds to understand how drugs and their metabolites influence health.
"Basically, you put in your dataset and with one click you get all the information about which drugs are in it, as well as figures and plots," said Zhao.
The library could also help facilitate precision medicine by explaining why not all patients respond to a treatment in the same way, depending on how they metabolize medications.
"By understanding that, maybe we can use this information to optimize drug treatment." she said.
Additional co-authors on the study include: Siddharth Mohan, Vincent Charron Lamoureux, Wout Bittremieux, Runbang Tang, Robin Schmid, Yasin El Abiead, Mohammadsobhan S. Andalibi, Helena Mannochio Russo, Madison Ambre, Nicole E. Avalon, MacKenzie Bryant, Andrés Mauricio Caraballo Rodríguez, Martin Casas Maya, Loryn Chin, Ronald J. Ellis, Donald Franklin, Lauren Hansen, Robert Heaton, Jennifer E. Iudicello, Lora Khatib, Scott Letendre, Daniel McDonald, Ipsita Mohanty, David J. Moore, Prajit Rajkumar, Harshada Sapre, Sydney P. Thomas, Caitlin Tribelhorn, Helena M. Tubb, Corinn Walker, Crystal X. Wang, Shipei Xing, Jasmine Zemlin, Simone Zuffa, Karsten Zengler and Rob Knight, all at UC San Diego; Robin Schmid, UC San Diego and Czech Academy of Sciences; Corinna Brungs and Tomáš Pluskal, Czech Academy of Sciences; Santosh Lamichhane, UC San Diego and University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University; Sagan Girod, University of Alberta; Paulo Wender P. Gomes, UC San Diego and Federal University of Pará; Alan K. Jarmusch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Sarolt Magyari, UC San Diego and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich; Andrés Cumsille, University of Florida; Dylan H. Ross, University of Washington and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Mohammad Reza Zare Shahneh and Mingxun Wang, University of California Riverside; David S. Wishart, UC San Diego and University of Alberta; Rima Kaddurah Daouk, Duke University; Manuela Raffatellu, UC San Diego and Chiba University; Libin Xu, University of Washington.
The study was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (grants 1U19AG063744, 3U19AG063744, P50HD106463, R01DK136117, U24DK133658, P30MH062512) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (grant GBMF12120).
Disclosures: Tsunoda receives research funding from Veloxis Pharmaceuticals. Dorrestein is an advisor and holds equity in Cybele, BileOmix and Sirenas and is a scientific co-founder and advisor of, and holds equity in, Ometa, Enveda, and Arome with prior approval by UC San Diego. Dorrestein also consulted for DSM Animal Nutrition & Health in 2023.
Link to full study: https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-65993-5
Could Your Genes Influence the Gut Microbiome of Others?
The gut microbiome - made up of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract - is vital for digestion and overall health. Diet and medication shape these microbial ecosystems, but the contribution of genetics has been more difficult to ascertain. Now, a new study of rats - a model organism for understanding the human gut - has found that the composition of the rat gut microbiome is shaped not only by a rat's own genes but also by the genes of those it lives with.
The discovery reveals a novel way in which genes and social interactions intertwine: through the exchange of commensal gut microbes that move between individuals. The findings could help shed light on how genes and the microbiome interact in human disease. The study, led by researchers at the University of California San Diego and the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, was published on December 18, 2025 in Nature Communications.
In humans, only two genes have been reliably linked to gut bacteria: the lactase gene, which influences milk-digesting microbes and determines whether adults can digest milk and the ABO blood?group gene, which affects microbes through unknown mechanisms. More gene?microbe associations likely exist, but have been difficult to tease apart.
To better understand how genes shape the microbiome, the researchers turned to rats, which share many features of mammalian biology, but can be raised under controlled conditions.
"The things that live in their gut are similar but not identical," said co-author Abraham Palmer, Ph.D., professor and vice chair for basic research in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Combining genetic and microbiome data from 4,000 genetically unique rats - drawn from four cohorts housed in different facilities across the U.S. - allowed the researchers to test which genetic effects held up across distinct environments.
"We were interested to know whether the genetic variability of those animals would influence what was living in their gut," said Palmer. "This was a nice opportunity because the animals are all eating the same food, so we don't have to worry about genes influencing their microbiome via their food choices, for example. It's a much simpler system."
The team identified three genetic regions that consistently influenced gut bacteria despite differences in rearing conditions across the four cohorts. The strongest link was between the St6galnac1, a gene that adds sugar molecules to gut mucus, and the abundance of Paraprevotella, a bacterium that feeds off these sugars. It was found in all four cohorts.
A second region, containing several genes that form the protective mucus layer, correlated with Firmicutes bacteria. A third region included Pip, a gene that encodes an antibacterial peptide, and was associated with Muribaculaceae, a family of bacteria commonly found in both rodents and humans.
The social lives of genes
Though genes don't jump between individuals, microbes can. The study found that some genes favor certain gut bacteria and these can spread through close social contact.
"This is the result of genetic influences spilling over to others through social contact," said senior author Amelie Baud, Ph.D., a researcher at the Centre for Genomic Regulation. "Genes shape the gut microbiome, and we found that it is not just our own genes that matter."
The large size of the study allowed the researchers to estimate how much of each rat's microbiome was explained by its own genes versus the genes of its cage?mates.
A classic example of this phenomenon, known as "indirect genetic effects", is when a mother's genes shape her offspring's growth or immune system through the environment she provides.
The controlled conditions of the study allowed the researchers to study these effects in a completely new way by building a computational model separating direct genetic effects on an individual's microbes from indirect effects exerted by social partners.
"Because the rats in this study are assigned to random social partners, we remove all of the problems that you would have in humans, who by and large choose their own social partners," said Palmer.
The researchers discovered that the abundance of some Muribaculaceae species was shaped by genetic effects that spread socially via microbial exchange.
Accounting for these indirect social effects increased the total genetic influence in the model four-to-eight fold for the three newly identified gene?microbe links.
"We've probably only uncovered the tip of the iceberg," said Baud, noting that many more microbes could be identified as profiling methods improve.
Implications for human health
By demonstrating that genetic influences can be coupled with gut microbe transmission, the work reveals a novel mechanism whereby the genetics of one individual can ripple through an entire social group, altering the biology of others without changing their DNA. Given increasing evidence that the gut microbiome plays an important role in health, if similar effects are found in humans, it could mean that genetic influences on disease risk may have been substantially underestimated in past studies.
"Although the details will be different in humans from what we find in rats, the study points the way towards understanding the mechanisms of how host and microbial genes work together to produce complex diseases that the microbiome is involved in, which range from cardiovascular disease to obesity to Alzheimer's," said co-author Rob Knight, Ph.D., professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering, and Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego and director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation.
Additional co-authors on the study include: Denghui Chen, Antonio Gonzalez, Tomasz Kosciolek, and Oksana Polesskaya, UC San Diego; Helene Tonnele, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology and Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Felipe Morillo, Jorge Garcia?Calleja and Elena Bosch at Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Marc Jan Bonder, University of Groningen; Anthony M. George, Keita Ishiwari, Connor D. Martin, Christopher P. King, Jordan A. Tripi, and Jerry B. Richards, University at Buffalo; Wenyan Han, Angel Garcia Martinez, Tengfei Wang, and Hao Chen, University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Katie Holl, Medical College of Wisconsin; Aidan Horvath, Alexander C. C. Lamparelli, Terry E. Robinson, Shelly B. Flagel, and Paul J. Meyer, University of Michigan; Peter A. Doris, University of Texas at Houston; Oliver Stegle, European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg; and Leah C. Solberg Woods, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (grant #P50DA037844).
Disclosures: Knight is a scienti?c advisory board member and consultant for Biome-Sense, Inc., has equity and receives income. He is a scienti?c advisory board member and has equity in GenCirq. He is a consultant for DayTwo and receives income. He has equity in and acts as a consultant for Cybele. He is a co-founder of Biota, Inc., and has equity. He is a co-founder of Micronoma and has equity and is a scienti?c advisory board member. The terms of these arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the University of California San Diego, in accordance with its con?ict-of-interest policies. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.
Link to full study: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66105-z
Higher Blood Omega-3 Levels Linked With Significantly Lower Atrial Fibrillation Risk
A major new analysis published this month in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds that higher circulating blood levels ofomega-3 fatty acids are associated with a significantly lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) - providing clarity and reassurance amid recent mixed messaging about fish oil supplements and heart rhythm.
The comprehensive biomarker-based study - one of the largest of its kind - analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of participants in the UK Biobank. Researchers showed that individuals with higher omega-3 levels had a lower incidence of AF over a median 12.7 years of follow-up, compared to those with lower omega-3 status.
Importantly, when properly accounting for the confounding effects of age in the statistical models, reported fish oil supplement use was not associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. This result contradicts previous reports from the UK Biobank that mistakenly concluded that fish oil supplements increase the risk for atrial fibrillation.
"These results reinforce that it's the physiologic status of omega-3 in the blood - not simply supplementation per se - that correlates with AF risk. In properly adjusted models, supplement use showed no increase in AF risk," said Dr. Bill Harris, President of the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI), and senior investigator on the paper.
This biomarker-based approach provides a more nuanced understanding than studies that rely solely on self-reported supplement usage or dose and aligns with a broader body of evidence showing cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.
Key Takeaways from the Study:
Higher circulating omega-3 fatty acid levels were associated with significantly lower incident AF risk in multivariable models.
After careful statistical adjustment, fish oil supplement use itself was not linked with a higher AF risk.
These findings correct the conclusions of previous studies that mistakenly reported (because of an improper statistical analysis) that fish oil supplement use increased risk for atrial fibrillation.
"From a clinical standpoint, these findings help clarify an important misconception," Dr. Harris explained. "When we look at objectively measured blood omega-3 levels, higher status is associated with lower risk of atrial fibrillation-not higher. This reinforces the importance of evaluating physiology, not assumptions about supplements. Concerns raised by earlier reports linking fish oil use to atrial fibrillation were likely driven by methodological limitations. When age is modeled appropriately, fish oil supplement use does not increase atrial fibrillation risk."
James O'Keefe, MD, Director of Preventive Cardiology at St. Luke's Mid-America Heart Institute, Professor of Medicine at University of Missouri, Kansas City, and co- author on this paper, commented: "This very large, methodologically sound and statistically robust study finds that higher omega-3 blood levels correlate with lower risks for atrial fibrillation (AFIB) during long-term follow up. This is in line with other recent studies our group has done, which show that omega-3 in doses typically achieved with consumption of fish/seafood and/or omega-3 over-the-counter supplements reduce risk of AFIB. The only signal for increased AFIB risk comes in people treated with very high-dose omega-3, such as pharmacologic, prescription-strength omega-3 products, used in people at high risk for AFIB. For the vast majority of people, omega-3 intake is a safe and effective nutrient for supporting long-term heart and brain health."
Study Link:
Associations Between Plasma Omega-3 and Fish Oil Use With Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in the UK Biobank
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.125.043031
Gnosis by Lesaffre Partners with Maternity Foundation to Ensure Healthier Pregnancies
Supporting women in low-resource settings, the partnership will focus on nutrition education driven through technology to raise human health.
Gnosis by Lesaffre has formed a partnership with the NGO Maternity Foundation to advance healthier pregnancies for women in some of the world's most fragile and remote settings. When pregnancies are healthier, complications fall, and more mothers and babies survive and thrive. This reality underscores the need for strong partnerships that prioritize prevention and expand access to quality care. To this end, the partners will engage in joint advocacy efforts while advancing midwifery education.
Safe Delivery App
As part of the partnership, Gnosis will provide significant financial support over three years to accelerate the expansion of Maternity Foundation's Safe Delivery App, a job aid, training, and microlearning tool that helps midwives deliver quality care to pregnant women, mothers, and newborns in low-resource settings, in line with WHO guidelines. The app, which is free and works offline, has already reached 500,000 healthcare professionals worldwide, together with its accompanying training program.
A key focus of the partnership will be promoting the Safe Delivery App's antenatal care module, which guides midwives on providing quality care throughout pregnancy. Leveraging Maternity Foundation's master trainers and awareness-raising activities, the rollout of the app's clinical content will be efficiently cascaded to midwives at scale, strengthening their capacity to support healthier pregnancies in low-resource settings worldwide.
Nutrition, Supplementation for Maternal and Newborn Health
Additionally, the partners will collaborate to increase global and country-level awareness of the importance of promoting healthier pregnancies, emphasizing proper nutrition and supplementation- particularly folate-as essential for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
"Our partnership with Gnosis by Lesaffre exemplifies how cross-sector collaboration can drive meaningful progress in maternal and newborn health. By joining forces - through joint advocacy and by leveraging the Safe Delivery App and its accompanying training programme - we can accelerate efforts to promote healthier pregnancies, ultimately contributing to safer births and better beginnings for babies," says Anna Frellsen, CEO of Maternity Foundation.
"At Gnosis by Lesaffre, our purpose is to elevate the well-being of humanity, and no endeavour is more sacred than nurturing mothers and, in turn, their children-the foundation for healthier generations to come," says Marion Garel, Gnosis Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Cross-Divisional Coordinator. "Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of this noble pursuit, and supplementation becomes essential when we fall short in obtaining vital vitamins and nutrients from diet alone.
"While folic acid has long been the standard of care for Vitamin B9, research shows that not everyone metabolizes it in the same way," Garel adds. "This reinforces the importance of ensuring that women everywhere have access to folate forms that can support their individual needs, so that every pregnancy has the best possible start."
The Safe Delivery App's antenatal care module is currently available in the Arabic, French, and English global master versions of the app, as well as in the national versions for India and Ethiopia. With more than 30 language editions already in use, plans are underway to further expand the module, ensuring it reaches more countries and supports more midwives in the years ahead.
About Gnosis by Lesaffre
By using the power of microorganisms and biotransformation processes, Gnosis by Lesaffre cultivates unique active ingredients through fermentation, as well as probiotics and nutritional, functional yeasts that benefit human health, longevity, and well-being. Our high-quality solutions are meticulously studied, replicable, and reliable as we scale our collaboration with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical brands to develop revolutionary products that help customers thrive.
Gnosis by Lesaffre – Think like Nature to raise the standard of human health. http://www.GnosisByLesaffre.com
About Lesaffre
A key global player in fermentation for more than a century, Lesaffre, with a 3 billion euro turnover, and established on all continents, counts 11,000 employees and more than 90 nationalities. On the strength of this experience and diversity, we work with customers, partners, and researchers to find ever more relevant answers to the needs of food, health, naturalness, and respect for our environment. Thus, every day, we explore and reveal the infinite potential of microorganisms.
To nourish 9 billion people, in a healthy way, in 2050 by making the most of our planet's resources is a major and unprecedented issue. We believe that fermentation is one of the most promising answers to this challenge.
Lesaffre – Working together to better nourish and protect the planet. http://www.Lesaffre.com
Maternity Foundation (MF) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO), working to ensure safer births for women and newborns – everywhere! Maternity Foundation builds skills and knowledge among midwives and other healthcare professionals through effective learning and training programs and the proven digital health solution, the Safe Delivery App.
Maternity Foundation - Ensuring safer births for women and newborns - everywhere. https://www.maternity.dk/