It’s often said that these are exciting times to be a computational biologist, and indeed they are. But beyond the flashy, gee-whiz aspects of computational biology, I find myself excited for another reason: the tools of in silico biology offer us views of biological systems that we wouldn’t otherwise have. Biological systems are complex and [...]

The day Patti’s heart tissue died From the increased strength and frequency of meowing, Patti took the cue from her feline alarm clock that it was morning. Although the sun was just rising, the gentle breeze wandering through her window indicated that it was to be another beautiful September day. Patti got out of bed, [...]

This week Medtronic will begin shipping to hospitals in the United States the first pacemaker approved by the FDA as safe for most MRI scans. For consumers, it is a significant step in what is expected to be a wave of new MRI-compatible implanted cardiac devices. But this is an example of one technology chasing [...]

The more we learn about cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, the more vexingly complex they seem—and the more elusive their cures. Even with cutting-edge imaging technology, biomarker tests and genetic data, we are still far from understanding the multifaceted causes and varied developmental stages of these illnesses. With the advent of powerful computing, better modeling [...]

If getting some exercise is good for you and getting lots is even better, then hours upon hours of intense exercise must be best, right? Perhaps not. Many people feel obligated to hit the gym or the trail every now and then to help keep off the extra pounds. But people who run ultra marathons [...]

Diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other afflictions that once primarily plagued wealthier, western countries are now accelerating in poorer nations. A new study reveals that risk factors for heart disease in Indian cities are now more prevalent than they are in the U.S. or Western Europe per capita. And with a population of more than [...]

Heart disease is the leading killer in the U.S., and more than 27 million Americans currently have a cardiac condition. But what is your risk of developing heart disease at some point in your entire life? It might be a lot higher than you think, according to a new paper published online Wednesday in The [...]

The heart’s electrical pulse has made possible the modern-day pacemaker, a device that has helped keep millions of human hearts beating. Such invasive devices, however, have proved difficult to use on small, delicate embryonic animal hearts, which some researchers study to learn more about the early stages of heart development, as well as to develop [...]

Researchers have recently found a new reason for doctors to listen to the heart: Certain heart rhythms may provide critical information about the health of our kidneys. Daniel Brotman, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues analyzed data from 13,241 individuals enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. The researchers found [...]

About one in five U.S. adults over the age of 45 has a lung condition that—even in its mildest forms—can have a negative impact on the heart, researchers announced today. This common disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is also the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and includes ailments in which lung [...]

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