Author: studyblog

Research September 2, 2026 ROCHESTER, Minn. — A liver disease affecting nearly 30% of adults worldwide is not a single illness but five biologically distinct subtypes, Mayo Clinic researchers have found. Each carries different risks for heart disease, liver failure, cancer and the need for liver transplantation. The study, published in Nature Communications and conducted in collaboration with scientists at Virginia Tech, shows that metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease has multiple pathways — some tied to obesity and diabetes, others driven by inherited genetic factors. Notably, genetic subtypes are associated with a higher risk of progression to advanced liver disease,…

Medical Innovation September 2, 2026 ROCHESTER, Minn. — BioLabs Rochester, MN is building momentum toward its September opening, with leadership in place and recruitment underway for early-stage biotechnology and health technology companies seeking to grow alongside Mayo Clinic and Minnesota’s expanding life science ecosystem. Announced in 2025 and developed through a collaboration among stakeholders Mayo Clinic, BioLabs, Destination Medical Center (DMC) and Mortenson Properties, BioLabs Rochester, MN reflects a shared vision to strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem and support the growth of life science companies in Minnesota. With construction nearing completion and leadership in place, recruitment is now underway for…

Cardiovascular September 2, 2026 ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers tested an approach that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help people without previous ultrasound experience capture heart images and identify patients who may have a common and serious heart valve condition. In a study published in JAMA Cardiology and presented at the 2026 ESC Congress, after four hours of training, novice users were able to collect focused heart ultrasound images while using  AI models to guide their image collection and help to analyze the images for signs of moderate or greater aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis happens when the heart’s aortic…

Key points: Picture a group of middle school math teachers meeting to mull over a specific problem. Their eighth graders keep missing the same assessment question about graphing a system equation, and the educators’ assignment is to figure out why. As the team engages in conversation around the performance data, it becomes clear their students may be missing a foundational concept like what a solution means. The teachers reflect on where the gap between instruction and understanding might be occurring and how best to reinforce the concept.  This real-life example represents how having classroom-level data has changed the way teachers…

Cardiovascular September 1, 2026 Brenda and her husband, John, on vacation in Alaska in August 2026. Fainting became commonplace for Brenda in 2021. She and her husband, John, were so accustomed to what they called “blood pressure crashes” that they developed a routine.   “I would feel dizzy, nauseated and sweaty, and (I would) alert my husband. He would run for a bucket and a cold compress. I would lie on the ground and get my feet up,” Brenda shares.   John would check her blood pressure. Once she stabilized, they would go about their day.   Brenda, then 53, attributed the episodes…

Key points: Every hiring season, school districts ask the same question: Where are the teachers? We stopped asking and started building. Florida’s Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is one of the largest districts in the country, and over the last several years, we’ve built what we now think of as a cradle-to-career teacher development ecosystem. This is not a singular program, but rather a set of pathways built on the idea that the people most likely to become great teachers, and stay, are already in our buildings, communities, and high schools. Our job is to find them early and clear…

Helen Xiao, Ph.D., and Ruben Mars, Ph.D., work in the Mayo Clinic Microbiomics Program laboratory. ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered that chemical signals produced by gut bacteria work together to control intestinal movement. One bacterial signal helps set the intestines in motion, while another primes gut cells to respond more strongly, amplifying the effect. The research expands scientists’ understanding of how the gut microbiome communicates with the body, moving beyond the traditional focus on individual bacteria or bacterial molecules. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, point to a potential new direction…

Key points: Many parents, policymakers, and educators are worried about screens in schools. They’ve observed the positive effects of cell phone bans and are wondering how edtech might contribute to real issues, including declining attention spans and learning loss. In my years as a superintendent, I saw plenty of edtech that should never have been sold to schools. It was bought on a vendor’s promise, with no evidence it worked. But I saw at least as many capable tools fail for a different reason: There wasn’t a plan for implementation, instructional clarity, or educator support when the “boxes” were opened.…

As the fall and winter months approach, Mayo Clinic is dedicated to providing the latest health guidance for its patients and staff, ensuring everyone has the information needed to make informed decisions about their well-being.  Mayo Clinic recommends the 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccine for these groups:  All individuals 6 months and older.  All pregnant individuals.  Certain age groups require additional doses, as do conditions and treatments that are moderately or severely immunocompromising. Mayo Clinic’s recommendations are carefully developed based on scientific evidence and rooted in its commitment to protecting its patients and staff. Stay informed about current vaccine recommendations and consult…

Key points: Librarians and instructional designers have long understood that the first question someone asks is not always the question they need answered. In a library reference interview, a patron’s initial request is often just the starting point for uncovering the real information needed. Similarly, good designers do not simply build the first solution requested; they study the process, the user’s goal, and the context in which the problem occurs. That allows them to then make thoughtful recommendations. That same mindset can help instructors respond more effectively to student questions about assignments because the question a student asks may point…