--- title: 'Research Daily Summary: What Happened on October 21, 2026' headline: Measles and pertussis estimates show post-2020 rebounds description: Researchers also tested a model for countering Arid1a loss in mouse B cells and built a system to record RNA histories in human cells. url: https://thebench.bio/news/research/2026-10-21 topic: research date: '2026-10-21' covers: - '2026-10-21' date_published: '2026-10-21T12:05:09Z' date_modified: '2026-10-21T12:05:09Z' tags: - Research - Industry sources: 4 publisher: TheBench.Bio --- # Research Daily Summary: What Happened on October 21, 2026 **Measles and pertussis estimates show post-2020 rebounds** Researchers also tested a model for countering Arid1a loss in mouse B cells and built a system to record RNA histories in human cells. ## Today in brief Global estimates put measles at 15.6 million cases and 118,000 deaths in 2023, increases of 40% and 12% from 2019. [1] Pertussis estimates reached 18.9 million cases and 115,000 deaths in 2023, following increases from pandemic-period lows. [2] A model predicted that altering Ctcf, Stat3 or Bcl6 could counter Arid1a loss in mouse B cells, and experiments found that each target rescued an associated cellular phenotype. [3] Engineered recordanelles captured up to 90% of endogenous messenger RNAs in human cells and preserved them for several days. [4] ## Measles burden rose after 2020 A Global Burden of Disease analysis estimated 15.6 million measles cases and 118,000 deaths worldwide in 2023. [1] Compared with 2019, cases were 40% higher and deaths 12% higher, after both measures declined from 1990 through 2019. [1] The study tracked children younger than five across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. [1] Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia continued to have the greatest burden. [1] Coverage for the first measles-containing vaccine dose fell from 83.6% in 2019 to 81.0% in 2023, while second-dose coverage reached 71.4%. [1] Multiple regions remained below the 90% Immunization Agenda 2030 target. [1] The study authors called for restoring routine vaccination, closing immunity gaps and improving outbreak readiness. [1] ## Pertussis rebounded from pandemic-period lows A global analysis estimated 18.9 million pertussis cases and 115,000 deaths in 2023. [2] From 2020 to 2023, estimated incidence rose 102.6% and mortality rose 66.1%. [2] The authors estimated that the 2023 burden was broadly near pre-pandemic levels, rather than a global surge beyond those levels. [2] From 1990 to 2023, age-standardized incidence fell 41.6% and mortality fell 61.2%. [2] Infants younger than six months had the highest population-adjusted mortality risk. [2] Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for an estimated 63–65% of global deaths and disability-adjusted life years in 2023. [2] The authors said the findings support vaccinating infants on schedule, maternal immunization when recommended and feasible, and stronger surveillance in highly susceptible regions. [2] ## DynaVelo tested rescue targets in mouse B cells Using single-cell multiomic data, DynaVelo predicted that altering Ctcf, Stat3 or Bcl6 could counter Arid1a loss in mouse germinal-center B cells. [3] In double-heterozygous mice, all three targets rescued the dark-zone phenotype associated with heterozygous Arid1a loss. [3] The model learned gene-expression dynamics alongside transcription-factor motif activity, patterns in DNA sequences that can indicate where regulatory proteins act. [3] Analysis of mice with heterozygous Arid1a and Ctcf loss also supported the predicted shift toward wild-type cellular dynamics. [3] ## Also worth knowing - In human cells, engineered recordanelles sampled up to 90% of endogenous messenger RNAs and preserved them for several days, retaining transient responses to synthetic inducers and interferon signaling. [4] ## The day in numbers - **15.6 million**: Estimated measles cases worldwide in 2023. [1] - **118,000**: Estimated measles deaths worldwide in 2023. [1] - **18.9 million**: Estimated pertussis cases worldwide in 2023. [2] - **115,000**: Estimated pertussis deaths worldwide in 2023. [2] - **90%**: Maximum share of endogenous messenger RNAs sampled by recordanelles in human cells. [4] ## Also published - [Pushing the limits of life: mysterious microbe has record-breaking tiny genome](), BioTechniques - [The need for resilience in global vaccination programs](), Nature Medicine ## Sources 1. [Global and regional burden of measles and vaccine coverage among children under 5 years, 1990−2023: a Global Burden of Disease Study](), Nature Medicine, 2026-10-21 2. [Global, regional and national burden of pertussis in 1990–2023: a Global Burden of Disease study](), Nature Medicine, 2026-10-21 3. [Deep dynamical models of single-cell multiomic velocities predict loss-of-function and rescue perturbations in B cells](), Nature Biotechnology, 2026-10-21 4. [Recordanelles for transcriptome-wide single-cell RNA recording in human cells](), Nature Biotechnology, 2026-10-21 --- TheBench.Bio wrote this from the reporting cited above, with a language model drafting and editing. [1]: [2]: [3]: [4]: