New model of the skin microbiome allows laboratory testing in realistic conditions Impact of cosmetic ingredients on microbial communities is now measurable Scientifically substantiated efficacy claims are growth drivers for the cosmetics industry Evonik has developed a new model of the skin microbiome. For the first time, this model allows a scientifically substantiated evaluation of the influence of cosmetic ingredients and products on skin microbiota in laboratory tests. The company is currently testing cosmetic ingredients from its own product portfolio…
Going beyond fertility, treatment also fixes hormone production and overall health. Medication to reduce ovarian scarring helps extends overall health of reproductive system Freezing eggs only addresses age-related infertility, not ovarian hormone loss. New treatment would ‘fix the root of the issue’ Findings also have implications for developing treatments for ovarian cancer A woman’s ovaries are like a factory where eggs grow and produce hormones that regulate everything from menstruation and pregnancy to bone density and mood. As she and…
Researchers at the University of Bonn and the University of Cambridge have identified an important control circuit involved in the eating process. The study has revealed that fly larvae have special sensors, or receptors, in their esophagus that are triggered as soon as the animal swallows something. If the larva has swallowed food, they tell the brain to release serotonin. This messenger substance – which is often also referred to as the feel-good hormone – ensures that the larva continues…
Leveraging intercellular mitochondria transfer to boost cancer immunotherapies. An international team of researchers, led by Professor Luca Gattinoni at the Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (LIT), has developed an innovative mitochondrial transfer platform to supercharge CD8+ T cells, enabling them to overcome exhaustion and more effectively fight tumor cells. Cancer immunotherapies, which harness a patient’s immune system to target cancer cells, are revolutionizing the way we treat patients. Immune cells can locate and attack tumors in various ways and adapt to…
Overlapping and weak fingerprints pose challenges in criminal cases. A new study offers a solution and brings hope for using chemical residues in fingerprints for personal profiling. A groundbreaking study has made it possible to extract much more information from fingerprints as evidence than what is currently achievable. Postdoc Kim Frisch from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Aarhus University is the first to use chemical imaging to reveal fingerprints lifted from various surfaces using gelatin lifters. Photo: Line Rønn,…
Reactivation of Epstein–Barr virus infection increases the production of neoself-antigens, which induce an autoimmune response, in patients with lupus. Autoimmune diseases are widespread and notoriously difficult to treat. In part, this is because why the immune system attacks its own tissues in patients with these conditions remains poorly understood. In a study recently published in Cell, researchers from Osaka University have revealed that the body’s own proteins with unusual structure trigger immune cells to unleash a wave of inflammation that…
When we think about bacteria, we may imagine single cells swimming in solution. However, similarly to humans, bacterial cells often socialize, using surfaces to coalesce into complex heterogeneous communities called biofilms. Within a group, bacteria in the biofilm are extremely robust in resisting various environmental stresses – a crucial feature making biofilm-associated infections extremely difficult to treat with antibiotics. For over 50 years, biofilm research has centered around the biological processes which allow biofilms to thrive and become tolerant to…
Microbes produce folate from simple basic ingredients. Biotechnology team at University of Tübingen obtains valuable byproduct in protein production – Contribution to feeding a growing world population without livestock farming. Take some carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen plus electricity from renewable sources – a bacterium and baker’s yeast need little more to produce proteins for human nourishment and the essential vitamin B9 in a conventional laboratory bioreactor system. This was the result achieved by a research team led by Professor…
A game-changing technique, TF-High-Evolutionary (TF-HighEvo), allows large-scale assessment of de-novo mutations in multicellular organisms. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society and published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, this technique provides fresh insights into the evolutionary dynamics of gene regulatory networks and their role in shaping life’s diversity. Gene regulation plays a critical role in the development and evolution of organisms, with transcription factors (TFs)…
… puts chemicals in right position to make ethers. Taking inspiration from enzymes, chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a catalyst to simplify the synthesis of ethers, key functional components of many drugs, foods, personal care items and other consumer goods. The catalyst puts the two chemical ingredients in just the right proximity and position to come together, bypassing the need for the steps and quantities required under standard synthesis protocols. Led by U. of I. chemistry professor M….
… uncovers how surprisingly transcription is regulated in plants. In multicellular organisms, transcriptional regulation allows for specialization, such that cells carrying the same genetic code can carry out different functions and roles. In plants, a new unbiased screen allowed researchers in the group of Magnus Nordborg at the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI) to uncover that regulatory sequences act differently depending on their position – contrary to animals, in which transcriptional regulation is position-independent. The results were…
Scientists in Mainz established a novel photocatalyst class that uses precious metals more efficiently. Inspired by nature’s photosynthesis, photocatalysts use light to trigger a chemical reaction that would otherwise only occur at high temperatures or under harsh conditions. For this concept to be widely applicable in an economical fashion, the quantum efficiency of the light-induced transformation has to be high. Tailored photocatalysts with outstanding efficiencies in photocatalytic applications are oftentimes composed of two photoactive units with a covalent bond in-between….
Natural antimicrobials called microcins are produced by bacteria in the gut and show promise in fighting infection. More than a million people each year die from infections by pathogens that are resistant to antimicrobials, and the problem is growing. Meanwhile, the discovery of new antimicrobials that can help stem the tide has not kept pace. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin see promise in a class of natural antimicrobials called microcins, which are produced by bacteria in the…
Researchers Unveil New Ways to Control Light Absorption with Iron Compounds. A team of researchers from Jena and Ulm has developed an innovative approach to precisely influence the properties of light-absorbing materials, so-called chromophores. They focused on specific iron compounds, demonstrating that small changes in their chemical structure can control how these compounds react to light. The findings have been published in the prestigious Journal of the American Chemical Society. Scientists from the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz IPHT)…
A novel approach to DNA sequencing produces the first chromosome-level genome assembly of the genus Testudo. Like many threatened land turtle species, the spur-thighed tortoise had no complete genome. For the first time, researchers from the Ecology departments at Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the University of Alicante (UA) have successfully sequenced the genome of the spur-thighed tortoise, using the genome of another closely related native American tortoise as a reference. The results, published in the scientific journal…
Molybdenum (Mo) carbides, known for their unique electronic and structural properties, are considered promising alternatives to noble metal catalysts in heterogeneous catalysis. However, traditional methods for preparing Mo carbides suffer from complex processes, stringent synthesis conditions, challenging crystal regulation, and high energy consumption. Additionally, Mo carbides are susceptible to oxidation and deactivation, which poses a significant barrier to their widespread application. In a study published in Nature Chemistry, a research group led by Prof. SUN Jian from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy…
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