Biology

Studies have found a simple practice to increase the longevity of our lives that many of us are already using – a daily cup of coffee or two. By Julia Teichman.

For the first time, five patients diagnosed with the incurable autoimmune disease lupus have been sent into remission using a therapy previously designed for treating cancer. This has opened up the possibility of keeping other autoimmune diseases at bay. By Catherine Turnbull.

Researchers have recently identified a DNA region, known as VNTR2-1, which drives the activity of the telomerase encoding gene and influences the ageing of certain cell types. By Sara Majernikova.

A new study by researchers at Caltech has found that appendage regeneration in animals can be promoted by feeding them a mixture of amino acids and insulin or sucrose. This begs the question: is there a limit to our regenerative capabilities? By Kai Mason

“No convincing evidence that depression is caused by low serotonin” - researchers at University College London challenge decades old theory about using antidepressants to treat depression, but should that completely change the way doctors prescribe them? By Nathan Adu-Poku.