Nathan Seppa

Biomedical Writer (retired September 2015)

All Stories by Nathan Seppa

  1. Health & Medicine

    Old drug offers new tricks for fighting cancer

    A drug once envisioned as a treatment for cancer might instead prevent the occurrence of colorectal cancer.

  2. Health & Medicine

    Two drinks a day might increase breast cancer risk

    Two or more alcoholic drinks a day can increase the risk of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, new research suggests.

  3. Health & Medicine

    Tandem Attack

    By attaching a tumor-suppressing protein to a harmless compound, scientists can kill cancer cells in a mouse model.

  4. Life

    Pockets of Poor Health

    The trend towards longer life expectancy plateaued or reversed in some parts of the U.S., a new study finds.

  5. Health & Medicine

    New approach might strike at the core of Alzheimer’s disease

    By anchoring an enzyme-inhibiting molecule to a cell membrane, researchers have designed a potential skeleton for a new Alzheimer's treatment.

  6. Health & Medicine

    Virus Reprise: Mumps outbreak in 2006 was largest in 20 years

    Mumps infected more than 6,500 people in the United States in 2006, the largest outbreak in 20 years.

  7. Health & Medicine

    Take a Breath: Fatty substance may play role in cystic fibrosis

    A fatty compound called ceramide that accumulates in lung cells may be instrumental in the devastating disease cystic fibrosis.

  8. Health & Medicine

    New drug curbs rheumatoid arthritis in adults, children

    The experimental drug tocilizumab quells rheumatoid arthritis in adults and children by inhibiting an inflammatory compound called interleukin-6.

  9. Health & Medicine

    Still Waters: Skin disease microbe tracked to ponds, swamps

    Scientists establish pond water as the natural environment of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the cause of the skin disease Buruli ulcer.

  10. Health & Medicine

    Bad Blood? Old units might be substandard

    Heart patients who get transfusions of donated blood that's kept more than 14 days fare worse than patients who get fresher blood.

  11. Health & Medicine

    Roll Up Your Sleeve: Hypertension vaccine passes early test

    An angiotensin vaccine stifles high blood pressure in an early test in people.

  12. Health & Medicine

    Exercises counteract lazy eye

    Amblyopia, or lazy eye, can be reversed in adults with visual task exercises.