Andrea Lobo,  —

Andrea Lobo is a Science writer at BioNews. She holds a Biology degree and a PhD in Cell Biology/Neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. She was a postdoctoral and senior researcher at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health in Porto, in drug addiction, studying neuronal plasticity induced by amphetamines. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals. She shifted towards a career in science writing and communication in 2022.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

Hypoparathyroidism in children often temporary after surgery

Hypoparathyroidism is often temporary in children who undergo surgical removal of the thyroid, or thyroidectomy, with most recovering normal parathyroid function within six months, a study in China shows. The time needed to recover from hypoparathyroidism was found to be closely related to the levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH)…

Yorvipath approved in Australia for chronic hypoparathyroidism

Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide) has been approved in Australia as a parathyroid hormone (PTH) replacement therapy for adults with chronic hypoparathyroidism. The news follows similar approvals in the European Union in 2023, and in the U.S. last year. Yorvipath will be made available in Australia through Specialised Therapeutics, under…

Women, new patients report greater burden of disease in survey

People with hypoparathyroidism experience worse quality of life, with women showing a higher burden of disease than men, according to a recent survey in Germany. In addition, patients who’ve had the disease longer report a lower burden of their symptoms. “Investigations on potential coping strategies might give an explanation…

Steroid therapy may help to treat autoimmune hypoparathyroidism

People with autoimmune hypoparathyroidism who have anti-CaSR antibodies — which play a role in regulating the parathyroid hormone, known as PTH — may benefit from adding steroid therapy to standard vitamin D and calcium supplementation, a case report suggests. That report described a 55-year-old woman who’d had seizures for 35…

Two new GCM2 mutations tied to severe hypoparathyroidism

Two severe cases of hypoparathyroidism were associated with two newly identified mutations in the glial cell missing homolog 2 (GCM2) gene by scientists in India. “This report demonstrates the critical role of GCM2 activity in human parathyroid gland development through clinical and genetic analysis of 2 patients with hypoparathyroidism,” the…

Radioiodine Therapy May Extend Parathyroid Recovery After Surgery

Treatment with radioiodine extended the recovery of parathyroid function in patients who underwent surgical thyroid removal, in some cases beyond one year, a study in China has found. Although some studies suggest that hypoparathyroidism might be permanent if it lasts more than six months, this diagnosis “should be cautiously made…