Nathan Seppa

Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)

All Stories by Nathan Seppa

  1. Health & Medicine

    New HPV shot fends off more types of the virus

    A new vaccine that covers more strains of the human papillomavirus protects better against cervical and other cancers.

  2. Health & Medicine

    U.S. measles tally for 2015 now at 121 cases

    The 2014–2015 measles outbreak in the United States has now reached people in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Glowing amino acid lights up growing brain cancer

    By adding a tracer compound that sticks to the amino acid glutamine, researchers may be able to discern and monitor cancerous tissues in the brain.

  4. Health & Medicine

    Bouncing back from giving blood can take months

    Taking iron supplements after donating blood can dramatically reduce the time it takes to recover iron levels in the blood, a study finds.

  5. Health & Medicine

    Handheld device turns smartphone into diagnostic tool

    A compact device can process a blood sample to diagnose HIV or syphilis when attached to a smartphone.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Immune system ‘reset’ may give MS patients a new lease on life

    With the help of their own stem cells, MS patients can stop the disease in its tracks in many cases.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Asthma may add to sleep apnea risk

    A long-term sleep study strengthens the link between the two breathing disorders asthma and sleep apnea.

  8. Health & Medicine

    New antibiotic candidate shows promise

    Tests in lab dishes and mice suggest an experimental compound called teixobactin can kill staph, TB microbes and other bacteria.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Weight-loss surgery linked to better survival

    Obese middle-aged and older people fare better if they have had bariatric surgery, a long-term study of veterans finds.

  10. Psychology

    ‘Survival of the Nicest’ demonstrates altruism all around

    Selfishness is not the rule in human society, new book argues.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Priming the elderly for flu shots

    A drug that shuts down a potent signaling molecule in cells might boost protection elicited with flu vaccination, a study finds.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Old product might help smokers quit

    A drug used in Eastern Europe for decades by people trying to quit smoking outperformed a nicotine patch in a six-month test.