Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology launched by Allen Institute, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the University of Washington will turn cells into recording devices to unlock secrets of disease. First-of-its-kind research initiative will develop technologies to reveal how changes in cells and genes over time influence human health and disease. The Allen Institute, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), and the University of Washington (UW) today announced the launch of the Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology, a landmark collaboration that will build…
New Insights from Single-Cell Genomics. To mechanistically understand the root causes of lung disease, and identify drugs that target specific pathways, the scientists around Prof. Herbert Schiller and Dr. Gerald Burgstaller from Helmholtz Munich are collecting deep molecular insights from patient samples and combining these with experimental interventions in the laboratory. A new combination of methods now enabled them to study mechanisms directly in human lung tissue, thereby accelerating drug development for novel therapies. This groundbreaking work is now published…
A new organoid model of the dopaminergic system sheds lights on its intricate functionality and potential implications for Parkinson’s disease. The model, developed by the group of Jürgen Knoblich at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, replicates the dopaminergic system’s structure, connectivity, and functionality. The study, published on December 5 in Nature Methods, also uncovers the enduring effects of chronic cocaine exposure on the dopaminergic circuit, even after withdrawal. A completed run, the early…
International Team publishes results in “Nature Chemistry“. A groundbreaking study published in “Nature Chemistry” reveals a remarkable leap in the synthesis of artificial cells using synthetic materials, achieved by an international team led by Dr. Andrea Belluati, Prof. Nico Bruns (both TU Darmstadt) and Dr. Sètuhn Jimaja (University of Fribourg). These cells, crafted through a process called biocatalytic polymerization-induced self-assembly (bioPISA), represent a significant advancement in the field of synthetic biology. Artificial cells are microscopic structures that emulate the properties…
Bayreuth researchers have found ways to control tiny particles in liquids using magnetic patterns. The research results have now been published in the renowned journal „Nature Communications“ under the title „Simultaneous and independent topological control of identical microparticles in non-periodic energy landscapes“. Overall, the simultaneous and independent transport of colloidal particles over magnetic patterns can be of great use in various fields of science and technology to produce customised materials, improve biomedical applications, perform laboratory tests or investigate fundamental scientific…
Bacterial hijack mechanisms as advanced genetic tools. Researchers have uncovered the intricate molecular mechanism used by parasitic phytoplasma bacteria, known for inducing ‘zombie-like’ effects in plants. This detailed revelation opens new horizons for groundbreaking applications in biotechnology and even in biomedicine. The team led by Professor Saskia Hogenhout at the John Innes Centre, in partnership with The Sainsbury Laboratory, has employed X-ray crystallography to unveil the structure and functional mechanism of SAP05. This molecule plays a crucial role in bridging…
Study reveals how snot facilitates infection. New study shows thicker mucus supercharges bacteria’s ability to self-organize into swarms to spread infection. Sniffles, snorts and blows of runny noses are the hallmarks of cold and flu season — and that increase in mucus is exactly what bacteria use to mount a coordinated attack on the immune system, according to a new study from researchers at Penn State. The team found that the thicker the mucus, the better the bacteria are able…
The molecules, known as acenes, could be useful as organic light-emitting diodes or solar cells, among other possible applications. Chains of fused carbon-containing rings have unique optoelectronic properties that make them useful as semiconductors. These chains, known as acenes, can also be tuned to emit different colors of light, which makes them good candidates for use in organic light-emitting diodes. The color of light emitted by an acene is determined by its length, but as the molecules become longer, they…
To speed up their growth, leukemia cells typically activate the recycling of cellular structures – enabling them to dispose of defective components and better supply themselves with building materials. Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt have now shown that leukemia cells with a very common mutation activate specific genes that are important for this recycling process. Their findings, published in the journal Cell Reports, open up new therapeutic options for the future. In a recent study, scientists led by Professor Stefan…
…offering hope for new therapeutic avenues for many diseases. Team’s approach reveals crucial role played by a specific enzyme in the folding process. While we often think of diseases as caused by foreign bodies—bacteria or viruses—there are hundreds of diseases affecting humans that result from errors in cellular production of its proteins. A team of researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently leveraged the power of cutting-edge technology, including an innovative technique called glycoproteomics, to unlock the carbohydrate-based…
A new sensor on the submersible Alvin discovered reactive oxygen species for the first time in deep-sea corals, broadening our understanding of fundamental coral physiology. Just like us, corals breathe in oxygen and eat organic carbon. And just like us, as a byproduct of converting energy and oxygen in the body, corals produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), a family of chemical compounds that are naturally made by cells during cell division, while fighting off pathogens, and performing other physiological functions….
Titanium hip implants do not last forever — they gradually loosen, sooner or later losing their hold on the bone as it recedes over time. Researchers at the Fraunhofer IAP have been working alongside the Fraunhofer IGB and the Fraunhofer CMI to develop a tissue adhesive that can help avoid early replacement of prostheses in the future. The biomimetic, antimicrobial material is applied to the titanium surface of the implant, which then connects with the bone and naturally adheres to…
Farmland often harbors a multitude of pathogens which attack plants and reduce yields. A Swiss research team has now shown that inoculating the soil with mycorrhizal fungi can help maintain or even improve yields without the use of additional fertilizers or pesticides. In a large-scale field trial, plant yield increased by up to 40 percent. Intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides on fields reduces biodiversity and pollutes the environment. There is therefore great interest in finding sustainable ways to protect…
Anne Bentley, chemistry professor at Lewis & Clark College, has developed an innovative way to teach nanoscience, using 3D-printed models that make the unseen visible. Nanoparticles are super tiny―as small as one nanometer, or one billionth of a meter―and are of keen interest to materials scientists for their unique physical and chemical properties. They cannot be detected by the naked eye and require a highly specialized electron microscope to be seen. In fact, advancements in imaging technologies through the 1990s…
Genomic studies shed light on the origins of bee venom. Bees, wasps and ants belong to the Hymenoptera order and inject a whole cocktail of venomous ingredients when they sting. Despite their tremendous ecological and economic importance, little was previously known about the origins of their venom. Through extensive genomic studies, a team of researchers led by Dr. Björn von Reumont from Goethe University Frankfurt has now discovered that typical venomous components were already present in the earliest ancestors of…
Heidelberg scientists unveil genetic programmes controlling the development of cellular diversity in the cerebellum of humans and other mammals. The evolution of higher cognitive functions in human beings has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex – a region of the brain that is responsible, inter alia, for conscious thought, movement and sensory perception. Researchers are increasingly realising, however, that the “little brain” or cerebellum also expanded during evolution and probably contributes to the capacities unique…
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