More efficient isotope separation in sight. The lightest of all elements, hydrogen, is in great demand due to its promising role as a sustainable resource in the energy transition. A team from Leipzig University and TU Dresden, as part of the Hydrogen Isotopes 1,2,3H Research Training Group, has made an important breakthrough in the efficient and cost-effective provision of isotopes. These are the three forms in which hydrogen occurs in nature – as protium, deuterium or tritium. The international team…

Study on pulsed field ablation with promising results. An international study involving the Heart Center of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) shows that pulsed field ablation is more effective, gentler and associated with fewer complications than other methods for treating atrial fibrillation. With the pulsed field method, the areas of the heart tissue responsible for the development of atrial fibrillation are specifically sclerosed by means of electrical impulses and not by heat or cold as with other methods. The…

5-formylcytosine activates genes in the embryonic development of vertebrates. The team of Professor Christof Niehrs at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, has discovered that a DNA modification called 5-formylcytosine (5fC) functions as an activating epigenetic switch that kick-starts genes in early embryonic development. This finding proves for the first time that vertebrates have more than one type of epigenetic DNA mark and sheds new light on how genes are regulated in the earliest stages of development….

Research led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has studied the migratory movement of groups of cells using light control. In processes such as embryonic development, wound healing or cancer invasion, cells are known to move in groups in a coordinated way. Leading these groups of cells are so-called leader cells, which are highly mobile and seem to direct the migration of the whole group, just as groups of animals often organise themselves according to the instructions of…

Brigham researchers develop strategy to improve immunotherapy by helping T cells penetrate and kill tumor cells. Fighting cancer is exhausting for T cells. Hostile tumor microenvironments can drain their mitochondrial activity, leading to a condition known as T cell exhaustion. This phenomenon also hinders adoptive cell therapies, in which healthy, tumor-targeting T cells are infused into patients with cancer. A novel method to boost mitochondrial activity and charge up T cells is needed. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a…

New method developed by researchers of KIT and voxalytic GmbH allows easy elucidation of the spatial arrangement of atoms –tool for drug discovery. The chirality of a molecule refers to its basic structure: Some molecules, so-called enantiomers, occur in pairs and are mirror images of each other. They differ in the way a left and a right glove do. Depending on whether the “twisted” structure of a molecule is left-handed or right-handed, its influence on biochemical and chemical reactions is…

New brain organoid model replicates human cortical domains. Brain organoids provide unique insights into the human brain. Now, the group of Jürgen Knoblich at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, developed a new method that allows scientists to cultivate brain organoids with distinct cortical areas and front-to-back patterning. Together with collaborators at the Human Technopole and the University of Milan-Bicocca, they reported a method that gives scientists a deeper look into human-specific brain development…

Retrons raise the bar for gene research. Gladstone scientists undertake a major effort to examine the diversity of retrons, bacterial defense systems that can be leveraged for precise gene editing. Within bacterial cells, specialized immune systems known as retrons fend off viral attacks. But that’s not all they can do. Scientists, including Seth Shipman, PhD, at Gladstone Institutes, have shown that retrons also serve an important purpose in the lab: precise DNA editing. In fact, retrons can be combined with…

Plan will advance knowledge of virus biology to improve detection, treatment and prevention. As part of the U.S. government response to the current mpox outbreak, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has released an update on its priorities for mpox research. The NIAID mpox research agenda focuses on four key objectives: increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades—also known as strains—of the virus that causes mpox, including how the virus is…

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…