1️⃣ Nanomedicine and TB

Advances in nanotechnology — the creation of structures thousands of times smaller than the diameter of a human hair — are enabling scientists to deliver TB drugs to infected sites in the human body.

The Conversation: Nanomedicine Could Revolutionize The Way We Treat TB 

2️⃣ A New China Biopharma Index.

Biotech investor Brad Loncar (who also runs the pioneering Cancer Immunotherapy Index) has launched a new industry tracker—this time, specifically focused on "a basket of companies that are leading China's biotech revolution," as Loncar puts it. The decision was inspired by new listing rules under the Hong Kong Exchange (HKEX) that would help early-stage biotechs that haven't actually made any revenues to list publicly

Loncar Investments: China BioPharma Index

3️⃣ Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It

The doctor most responsible for creating a billion-dollar juggernaut has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the vitamin D industry. More here from The New York Times: The Business of Vitamin D

4️⃣ The Human Cell Atlas

An international project is documenting every type of cell in the human body and how they interact. The atlas may take 10 years to complete but could offer valuable help in treating diseases from asthma to cancer.

NPR: The Human Cell Atlas

5️⃣ Bulging Buddhist Monks

Well-meaning religious offerings of sugary drinks and fatty foods are helping create an obesity epidemic among monks in Thailand. Nearly half are obese, more than 40 percent have high cholesterol, nearly 25 percent have high blood pressure and one in 10 are diabetic.

NYT - In Thailand, ‘Obesity in Our Monks Is a Ticking Time Bomb’