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"VA Research has been, and always will be, at the forefront of innovation"
For 100 years, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Research and Development program has been improving the lives of Veterans and all Americans through health care discovery and innovation.

10/30/2026

: Alzheimer's risk score works for multiple groups

VA researchers and their colleagues developed a new genetic risk score for Alzheimer's disease to better predict risk across different populations. Previous Alzheimer's disease risk scores only looked at one specific gene, APOE. The researchers used multiple large genetic repositories, including VA's Million Veteran Program, to develop a new tool that takes into consideration many genetic variations across the entire genome rather than just APOE. The new genetic risk score proved accurate in people of European, African American, Hispanic, and East Asian ancestries. Furthermore, higher scores on the new assessment were linked to early observable biological and cognitive changes. The results support incorporating this new genetic risk score in further testing and Alzheimer's disease prevention strategies. (Nature Genetics, Aug. 27, 2026)

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258494

10/28/2026

: Study quantifies impact of blast exposure on health
While it has been well established that high-level blasts during military service can cause a variety of health problems, VA researchers with the Millennium Cohort Study conducted a large-scale study to quantify that risk into specific rates for a wide range of conditions. The study looked at electronic health records for more than 36,000 Veterans from between 2013 and 2021 and plotted out specific rates of conditions amongst Veterans who sustained an injury from a blast or explosion. For example, the two conditions with the highest rates were hepatitis C infection with an 89% higher rate, and seizures at a 79% higher rate. Other conditions with significantly higher rates included brain and nerve problems, such as stroke and nerve damage; heart and metabolic issues, such as angina, high cholesterol, and diabetes; breathing troubles, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema; and infections, such as hepatitis B and bladder infections. (Neurology, Oct. 27, 2026)

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258493

10/27/2026

VA Million Veteran Program researchers are using MVP data to better understand how Veterans respond to different medicines. Their work could help identify which medications may work best for different Veterans.

Help advance research for Veterans. Learn more at https://ow.ly/5eg15100Xzf or call 866-441-6075.

10/26/2026

: New potential treatment for colorectal cancer

Kansas City VA Medical Center researchers were part of an international team that created a potential new treatment for colorectal cancer. Claudin-1 is a protein that is overexpressed in colorectal cancer and drives tumor growth. The team developed a monoclonal antibody that binds to claudin-1 and disrupts its effect on tumor cells while not affecting healthy tissue. Using human tissue samples and mouse models, the researchers showed the antibody reduced tumor growth and countered the cellular mechanisms that make some colorectal cancers resistant to standard treatments. This monoclonal antibody could be developed into a powerful tool to improve colorectal treatments. (Oncogene, August 2026)

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258492

10/21/2026

: VA researchers discovered that a protein called Olfm2 is critical to the development of atherosclerosis.

VA researchers at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital Columbia MO VA Medical Center Missouri, discovered that a protein called olfactomedin 2 (Olfm2) is critical to the development of atherosclerosis, opening the door for potential new treatments. Using a mouse model, the researchers found Olfm2 expression is increased in atherosclerotic lesions and that Olfm2 leads to the transition of the smooth muscle cells in arteries to foam cells, which absorb fats and form plaques that impede blood flow. Blocking Olfm2 expression in the mouse model led to fewer plaques in arteries. The results suggest medications that target Olfm2 expression could be used to prevent or treat atherosclerosis.

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258490

10/21/2026

VA researchers are using Million Veteran Program data to understand Veterans' risk for prostate cancer. This work could help inform personalized screening and improve early detection, improving healthcare for Veterans.

Your participation can make a difference. Learn more at https://ow.ly/Tv1g50ZZGVm or call 866-441-6075.

10/19/2026

: Veterans on opioid therapy with cognitive impairment were at six times higher risk of an overdose.
A study by Connecticut VA Healthcare System and VA Bedford Healthcare System Massachusetts, researchers showed Veterans on long-term opioid therapy who showed signs of cognitive impairment were at nearly six times higher risk of an opioid overdose. The study included more than 55,000 Veterans prescribed opioids for pain, 3% of whom had documented neurocognitive symptoms such as difficulties with attention, memory, and executive functioning. The average time from the onset of neurocognitive symptoms to an overdose was five months. The findings demonstrate a need to incorporate cognitive screening into opioid safety assessments to prevent overdoses in Veterans with cognitive impairment.

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258489

10/16/2026

: VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System researchers developed a drug that could protect against heart failure caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis creates toxic chemicals called reactive aldehyde species, which can build up in heart tissue and cause heart inflammation and scarring. Using a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers showed administering a drug that inhibits reactive aldehyde species successfully blocked the build-up of this harmful chemical, which significantly lowered heart dysfunction. The results suggest medications targeting this chemical process present a potential new approach to preventing heart failure related to rheumatoid arthritis.

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258488

10/14/2026

: VA Portland Health Care System researchers learned more than one-third of Veterans may not respond accurately during universal su***de screenings. In a survey of about 800 Veterans who received VA mental health specialty care, 38.1% who screened negative and 45.8% who screened positive for suicidal thoughts reported responding less than "very accurately" to screening questions. Concerns about overreaction and beliefs about the acceptability of su***de were the most common reasons given for withholding information. A separate study by the researchers found fear of involuntary hospitalization was a consistent barrier to Veterans disclosing suicidal thoughts. The findings highlight the need to build trust between Veterans and clinicians and inform Veterans of how screening results will be used. Clinicians also should not overly rely on screening results and consider risk factors and behavioral warning signs when making clinical decisions about su***de risk, according to the researchers.

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258487

10/13/2026

: VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System researchers and their colleagues discovered a chemical process through which statins protect against liver cancer. By using genomic sequencing and imaging on human tissue samples, they showed statins lower the production of a molecule called GGPP, which in turn stops the protein YAP from traveling into the nucleus of liver cells where it causes damage. By blocking this chemical chain reaction, statins may stop tumor growth in patients with cancer via fatty liver disease by protecting nearby healthy cells. The findings imply that statins offer liver protection beyond simply lowering cholesterol by inhibiting metabolic processes that drive cancer growth.

https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/news_brief.cfm?RecordID=258486

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