The Lupus Research Alliance has launched the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) to improve the identify and monitor new lupus treatments.

Researchers believe data from fitness trackers (including total step counts) can also tell how well patients will recover from major abdominal operations. These wearables provide an easier way for surgeons to monitor patients following discharge, which can offer greater insight into postoperative functional recovery.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded 21 clinical trail grants, totaling more than $23 million, for the advancement of products for patients with rare diseases. These grants were given to lead academic investigators and industries with both domestic and international research clinics.

Rational Vaccines, a biotechnology company and leaders in herpes research, have finished their Phase I Clinical Trial of the Theravax vaccine for patients with herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2). Results found that this medication may be the “functional cure” for both diseases.

Twitter has quickly become the most used application among adults aged 18 to 49 for hashtagging what we are doing, but who knew our tweets could tell us about our eating habits? Researchers from the University of Utah found that tweets about healthier food and more exercise come from neighborhoods that were found to be healthier.

HemaTerra Technologies, providers of software to healthcare facilities handling blood and other biologic products, has launched HemaComply–Equipment Manager, an equipment maintenance and quality control scheduling system made especially for facilities that handle blood.

A team of international researchers have found that the absence of cholesterol in the brain kills tumors cells and led the mouse models into remission.

Malecare, a nonprofit organizations aiding in the treatment of men’s cancer, has released its Cancergraph mobile application for the tracking of symptoms.