Glyphosate exposure exacerbates Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in mice even after a significant pause from exposure. The human brain is an incredibly adaptable organ, often able to heal itself even from significant trauma. Yet for the first time, new research shows even brief contact with a common herbicide can cause lasting damage to the brain, which may persist long after direct exposure ends. In a groundbreaking new study, Arizona State University researcher Ramon Velazquez and his colleagues at the Translational Genomics Research Institute…

With a novel approach, EMBL scientists discovered important interactions between molecular machines, potentially offering new opportunities for drug development. Choosing a film for a movie night is always a battle. Now imagine if you could pick one that provided a window into some of the most fundamental biological processes that keep us alive. For the first time ever, researchers have captured a real-time molecular movie to show how two essential cellular processes – transcription and translation – interact with each…

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) investigated the seasonal variation in glucosinolates and their enzymatic hydrolysis products in red and white cabbage, as well as broccoli. The results provide crucial insights for cultivating and utilizing these vegetables for healthy diets and functional food production. The study was carried out on the IGZ experimental fields in Großbeeren in three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022. It revealed that red cabbage shows significant variation in the amounts…

Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronise their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. Their findings, which have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks, were recently published in Small. An audience clapping in rhythm, fireflies flashing in unison, or flocks of starlings moving as one – synchronisation is a natural…

The novel high-throughput-bioprinting technique opens the door for tissue fabrication with high cell density at scale. Three-dimensional (3D) printing isn’t just a way to produce material products quickly. It also offers researchers a way to develop replicas of human tissue that could be used to improve human health, such as building organs for transplantation, studying disease progression and screening new drugs. While researchers have made progress over the years, the field has been hampered by limited existing technologies unable to…

Researchers from the Organoid group (previously Clevers group) at the Hubrecht Institute have developed a new organoid that mimics the human fetal pancreas, offering a clearer view of its early development. The researchers were able to recreate a complete structure that includes the three key cell types in the pancreas, which previous organoids couldn’t fully mimic. Notably, the team identified a new stem cell that develops into the three cell types. These findings, published in Cell on December 2nd, could help…

Culinary foam made from the whites of chicken eggs makes baked goods light and airy. In the LeguFoam project, Fraunhofer researchers are working on a plant-based alternative made from legumes. “More and more people are consciously maintaining a healthy diet and also looking for ethical unproblematic vegan products. We are addressing this need with the LeguFoam project,” explains Dr. Maike Föste, senior research scientist in the Food Process Development department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV…

Worldwide, consumption of sugar has risen steadily in recent decades even though this food contributes to cavities, high blood pressure and widespread health issues such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In the joint research project NovelSweets, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME have teamed up with partners to use methods derived from biotechnology to produce innovative, protein-based sweeteners. Their goal is to replace sugar and existing sugar alternatives, especially in beverages. The…

An international research team with the significant involvement of Augsburg University Medicine has made significant progress in the risk assessment and treatment of extracranial malign rhabdoid tumours. Recently published in the renowned journal “Clinical Cancer Research,” the study, “Clinical and Molecular Risk Factors in Extracranial Malignant Rhabdoid Tumours: Toward an Integrated Model of High-Risk Tumours,” shows how clinical and molecular factors can influence disease progression and contribute to improvements in individual treatment. Malign rhabdoid tumours are rare and affect around…

It’s a big year for microRNAs. The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who discovered the first microRNA in 1993. Today, we know that humans make more than 1,000 different microRNAS. These molecules are critical for building and maintaining healthy bodies, so it’s crucial that they’re made the right way. Errors in microRNA manufacture can put us at risk for developmental disorders, cancer, or neurodegenerative disease. To learn how cells accurately generate…

Defibrillator with sternum electrode implanted for the first time at Göttingen University Medical Center to prevent sudden cardiac death. At the Heart Center of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), a new type of defibrillator with a sternum electrode was implanted for the first time in a patient with cardiac arrhythmia: The Aurora system is a defibrillator that lies outside the heart and prevents sudden cardiac death. According to the German Heart Foundation, around 65,000 people die of sudden cardiac…

…solved by integrated approach. A collaborative effort by the research groups of Professor Haruhiko Fuwa from Chuo University and Professor Masashi Tsuda from Kochi University has culminated in the structure elucidation and total synthesis of anticancer marine natural products, iriomoteolide-1a and -1b. These natural products were originally isolated from the marine dinoflagellate collected off the Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan. Because of its potent anticancer activity, iriomoteolide-1a is an intriguing natural product that attract immense attention from the chemical community around…

Copolymer solution uses water-loving differential to induce desorption at lower temperatures. Harvesting water from the air and decreasing humidity are crucial to realizing a more comfortable life for humanity. Water-adsorption polymers have been playing a key part in atmospheric water harvesting and desiccant air conditioning, but desorption so that the polymers can be efficiently reused has been an issue. Now, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have found a way to make desorption of these polymers more efficient. Usually, heat of around…

Innovative nanostructures pave the way for advanced robotics – and mini dinosaurs. Researchers at the University of Sydney Nano Institute have made a significant advance in the field of molecular robotics by developing custom-designed and programmable nanostructures using DNA origami. This innovative approach has potential across a range of applications, from targeted drug delivery systems to responsive materials and energy-efficient optical signal processing. The method uses ‘DNA origami’, so-called as it uses the natural folding power of DNA, the building…

Study of malaria parasite genomes paves the way for new, more effective treatments. Researchers at University of California San Diego analyzed the genomes of hundreds of malaria parasites to determine which genetic variants are most likely to confer drug resistance. The findings, published in Science, could help scientists use machine learning to predict antimalarial drug resistance and more effectively prioritize the most promising experimental treatments for further development. The approach could also help predict treatment resistance in other infectious diseases,…

Within a cell, DNA carries the genetic code for building proteins. To build proteins, the cell makes a copy of DNA, called mRNA. Then, another molecule called a ribosome reads the mRNA, translating it into protein. But this step has been a visual mystery: scientists previously did not know how the ribosome attaches to and reads mRNA. Now, a team of international scientists, including University of Michigan researchers, have used advanced microscopy to image how ribosomes recruit to mRNA while…