Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Barry Boland

BrainFacts @brainfacts.org · 3d

Some scientists are harnessing the unique environment of space to study aging and neurodegeneration by sending brain organoids to the International Space Station. #WorldSpaceWeek vist.ly/49j4v

Space-traveled Organoids Help Scientists Study Neurodegeneration

Some scientists are harnessing the unique environment of space to study aging and neurodegeneration by sending brain organoids to the International Space Station.

www.brainfacts.org

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · 7d

Very impressive work!! www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

Comprehensive human proteome profiles across a 50-year lifespan reveal aging trajectories and signatures

A 50-year multi-tissue proteomic atlas reveals transcriptome-proteome decoupling, proteostasis decline with amyloid accumulation, and asynchronous aging clocks, identifying circulating senoproteins co...

www.cell.com

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · 7d

For National Potato Day (Oct 3rd)!
www.cell.com/news-do/pr-p...

The potato evolved from the tomato 9 million years ago

Recent Cell research covered by The Guardian, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and more.

www.cell.com

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Reposted by Barry Boland

The Verge @theverge.com · 9d

Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia

With Biden, AI Mode will provide a summarized answer.

buff.ly

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · 15d

www.alzint.org/news-events/...

ADI - UN Member States recognise dementia as a leading NCD

After two years of dedicated and persistent advocacy by ADI, dementia will, for the first time, be formally recognised within the new UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and me...

www.alzint.org

Reposted by Barry Boland

Irish Universities Association @iua-official.bsky.social · Aug 29

Investment in research infrastructure and sustainable core funding is not a luxury - it is a strategic necessity. It is an investment that grows the economy, strengthens public finances, and enables government to deliver on wider national priorities.
iua.ie/press-releas...
#Budget2026

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Duroyan Fertl ᚇᚓᚑᚏᚐᚇᚐᚅ @dfertl.bsky.social · 24d

" #Nanoplastics… Minuscule pieces of waste #plastic, thousands of times smaller than a human hair, can damage our brains… contributing to the increasing global levels of #Alzheimer ’s and #Parkinson ’s disease."
#pollution #microplastics #plasticpollution
www.irishtimes.com/science/2025...

Nanoplastics may be contributing to rise in Alzheimer’s, TCD research finds

Dublin-based scientists examined how mitochondria are affected by plastic

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Bat Krown 🦇 @katbrownwrites.com · 16d

“An emotional research team became tearful as they described how data shows the disease was slowed by 75% in patients.”

What an absolutely incredible, joyous achievement for everyone involved. Hurrah for science and scientists! www.bbc.com/news/article...

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time

One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that could transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC

www.bbc.com

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Reposted by Barry Boland

European Medicines Agency @ema.europa.eu · 17d

Paracetamol remains an important option to treat pain or fever in pregnant women.

Following rigorous assessment of the available scientific data, we find no evidence that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in children.

Read more 👉 www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/use-...

Use of paracetamol during pregnancy unchanged in the EU | European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Paracetamol medicines can be used in pregnancy, in accordance with official recommendations

www.ema.europa.eu

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Good Brain News - by The Dementia League @dementialeague.bsky.social · 19d

🧠 Alzheimer's Treatment Update: New drugs may cause brain swelling/bleeding

Anti-amyloid-β (Aβ) monoclonal antibodies like lecanemab and donanemab are shifting Alzheimer's treatment from symptom management to disease modification. They show modest slowing of cognitive decline in early AD.

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Alzheimer's Association @alzassociation.bsky.social · 19d

Today, on #WorldAlzheimersDay 🌎, we come together to raise awareness and take action in the fight to #ENDALZ. 💜

Donate during our World Alzheimer’s Day 2X Match Challenge to double your impact: bit.ly/46cZKGm.

Unable to give? Then repost 🔁 with why you support the Alzheimer’s Association.

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 19d

Excellent explainer on why private industry and venture capital can’t replace government funded basic science research.

Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 26d

That view is exceptionally naive.

As @narosenblum.bsky.social and I wrote last fall, “basic scientific research [is] a long-term investment, one that only governments have the time horizon to make, and it brings enormous payoffs.”

It can’t just be moonshots and looking for unicorn behemoths.

Basic Science Is The Foundation Of Future Cures

Injecting partisan politics into American basic science would be terrible for the US: for the economy, and for development of future treatments for diseases like schizophrenia and Alzheimer's.

www.infotimes.us

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · 20d

The original “Great Gatsby”, great film!

Mia Farrow @miafarrow.bsky.social · 20d

What a wonderful person

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Science Magazine @science.org · Sep 9

Two new studies lay out a path for better research on associations between cancer and microbes in the human body. https://scim.ag/4m8xHww

Studies deliver new blow to cancer microbiome literature—and offer a way forward

Two analyses of microbial DNA in tumor samples aim to put controversy-riddled field back on track

scim.ag

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Reposted by Barry Boland

Andrew Coogan @cooganlab.bsky.social · Sep 9

Everyone who
Got a “Fundable but not funded” from SFI the last year had every reason to be furious that SFI preferred to piss away research funds on the lawyers for a management putsch.
www.irishtimes.com/science/2025...

Philip Nolan got €200,000 payout in legal row that left science agency with €901,000 bill

€275,000 was paid for legal costs of former Science Foundation Ireland director general, accounts show

www.irishtimes.com

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · Sep 4

Excited to see Bluesky’s growth. Hopefully we reach (and surpass) the heights X once had. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Research posts on Bluesky are more original — and get better engagement

Bluesky posts about science garner more likes and reposts than similar ones on X.

www.nature.com

Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · Aug 6

www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/we-mu...

‘We must replace critical thinking with intuitive critical thinking’

Developing students’ basic critical thinking skills is not enough – intuitive critical thinking is needed in order to expand cognitive capabilities and understand real-world issues, explains Patrik K....

www.timeshighereducation.com

Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · Jul 21

Baby brains show striking levels of tau hyperphosphorylation, yet no tangles. Does this challenge the idea that hyperphosphorylation alone drives tangle formation? 🧠🍼
👉 www.alzforum.org/news/researc...

Baby Brains Brim with Phospho-Tau | ALZFORUM

www.alzforum.org

Reposted by Barry Boland

Science Magazine @science.org · Jun 19

A protein produced by the pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori can block amyloid proteins from clustering, new #ScienceAdvances research finds.

Helicobacter pylori CagA protein is a potent and broad-spectrum amyloid inhibitor

Helicobacter pylori CagA protein strongly inhibits functional and pathogenic amyloid fibril formation in both bacteria and humans.

scim.ag

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · Jun 13

Well said Darren!

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · May 23

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

AI linked to explosion of low-quality biomedical research papers

Analysis flags hundreds of studies that seem to follow a template, reporting correlations between complex health conditions and single variables based on publicly available data sets.

www.nature.com

Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · May 13

I am very proud of Cillian Power, who completed his MSc project in my lab (Dept. Pharmacology, UCC) on receiving the Pat Allen Medal for best project in his year (Dept of Biochemistry, UCC)! He’s now pursuing his PhD with my colleague Prof. Wendy Noble at the University of Exeter.

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Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · May 13

I’m worried Irish policymakers are repeating Celtic Tiger-era policies of funding expensive “boom time” positions” for international talent, while underfunding Irish-based talent who’ve endured 17 years of austerity and still struggle to secure basic lab funding @researchireland.ie

RTÉ News @news.rte.ie · May 13

Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless will bring a memo to Cabinet to create a "Global Talent Initiative" aimed at attracting top research talent to Ireland

US brain drain 'great opportunity for Ireland' - minister

Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless has said "the flipside" of a possible brain drain from the US is "a great opportunity for Ireland".

www.rte.ie

Barry Boland @barryboland.bsky.social · May 9

www.informationisbeautifulawards.com/showcase/681...

Beyond Crisis: Lives Saved

Beyond Crisis: Lives Saved is an easily navigable scrollytelling resource for friends and family members of those suffering with opioid use disorder. The web...

www.informationisbeautifulawards.com

Reposted by Barry Boland

Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · May 7

Get ready for the PROTACS, targeting proteins related to cancer and potentially other diseases
a new feature @nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/d41...

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