Alzheimer’s disease causes significant problems with memory, thinking and behavior and is the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 50 million people around the world each year. This number is expected to triple by the year 2050. Using their own state-of-the art imaging technologies, scientists at the University of California San Diego have … Read more
Researchers at Princeton and Rockefeller University have found a new way to study cellular communication, recording interactions between cells as they work in a living organism and unlocking new ways to understand how our bodies function. Cell interactions are essential to fighting disease and forming tissue, said Yuri Pritykin, assistant professor of computer science, the … Read more
Although COVID-19 has faded from the headlines, SARS-CoV-2—the coronavirus behind the pandemic—is still rampantly infecting people around the world. Public health officials fear as the virus continues to evolve, it will eventually hit upon a diabolical mutation that renders current treatments ineffective, triggering a new wave of severe infection and social disruption. In pursuit of … Read more
A team of University of Michigan researchers has successfully modified a naturally occurring chemical compound in the lab, resulting in advanced lead compounds with anti-HIV activity. Their results, published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, offer a new path forward in the development of drugs that could potentially help cure—rather than treat—HIV. Although effective treatments are available to … Read more
Thanks to advancements in the development of patented synthetic human-like hearts first created at Michigan State, researchers can study human heart development and congenital heart disease on highly accurate models. This is facilitating the development of new therapies and pharmaceutical drugs to treat a variety of heart-related diseases just in time for the observance of … Read more
New research by Northeastern scientists questions the long-held belief that the connective tissues that give us mechanical strength, such as tendons, ligaments, bones and skin, form in the human body by cells coming together. Instead, our tissues are more likely formed by cells pulling apart, according to the research published today in Matter. It’s long … Read more
Penn Engineers have pioneered a new way to visualize the smallest protein clusters, skirting the physical limitations of light-powered microscopes and opening new avenues for detecting the proteins implicated in diseases like Alzheimer’s and testing new treatments. In a paper appearing in Cell Systems, Lukasz Bugaj, Assistant Professor in Bioengineering, describes the creation of CluMPS, … Read more
In the intricate landscape of the human body, the lungs and their vasculature resemble a complex network akin to the plumbing system of a building. Within this anatomical framework, the lungs’ blood vessels serve as vital conduits, facilitating the transportation of blood and essential nutrients for oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal. Just as pipes in … Read more
In a recent study published in Science Advances, researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Ghent advocate for a shift in the approach to biological design. The study, titled “Open-endedness in synthetic biology: a route to continual innovation for biological design,” underscores the importance of embracing the idiosyncrasies of biological systems over a rigid focus … Read more
In the microscopic realm of cellular function, the significance of minute details becomes apparent. A prime example is found in the intricate world of proteins, where even a slight variation in the sequence of amino acids can wield transformative influence over a cell’s architecture. Scientists from the Universities of Göttingen and Warwick delved into the … Read more
University of Queensland researchers have found a way to reverse a cellular process triggered by COVID-19 that contributes to premature aging of the brain. Dr. Julio Aguado and a team from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) used synthetic brain organoid models, grown in a laboratory from human stem cells, to study the … Read more
A new biologic “patch” that is activated by a person’s natural motion could be the key to fixing herniated disks in people’s backs, according to researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the CMC VA Medical Center (CMCVAMC). Combining years of work from many different projects, the “tension-activated repair … Read more
An international team of researchers has achieved a significant breakthrough with the development of a handheld, non-invasive device designed to detect biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. This cutting-edge biosensor not only boasts high accuracy, demonstrated through in vitro samples from patients, but also features wireless transmission capabilities, enabling the relay of results to … Read more
At a pedestrian crossing, when the signal changes from “don’t walk” to “walk,” you can react in two ways: you might immediately step into the street, or you might take a moment to observe your surroundings, look left and right, ensure it’s safe, and then proceed. In both scenarios, you perceive the light change and … Read more
Cells utilize cilia, which are antenna-like structures, to monitor their surroundings and detect various stimuli, including fluid flow outside the cell. When genetic defects disrupt cilia’s sensory abilities, it can lead to ciliopathies, such as polycystic kidney diseases. These defects can also interfere with the proper positioning of internal organs during embryonic development, a phenomenon … Read more
Accessible and rapid COVID-19 testing has played a pivotal role in our battle against the pandemic, but it has not been without its challenges. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, long considered the gold standard for diagnostic accuracy, come with significant drawbacks. They demand precious time, sometimes taking a day or more to produce results, and … Read more
A groundbreaking achievement by researchers at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley has resulted in the development of a brain-computer interface (BCI). This innovative system allows a woman, who suffered paralysis due to a brainstem stroke, to communicate through a digital avatar. Remarkably, this marks the first instance of generating speech and facial expressions from … Read more
Imperial College London scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough by observing the behavior of bodily “pressure sensors” known as Piezo1 and Piezo2 for the first time. These ion channels are widely distributed throughout the body, from the heart and bladder to the nervous and immune systems. This groundbreaking research could pave the way for identifying … Read more
Ammonoids, a group of ancient marine mollusks, have become iconic fossils cherished by amateur collectors. These creatures underwent a remarkable evolution over 350 million years, gradually developing shells of ever-increasing intricacy with a fractal-like geometry. For nearly two centuries, the scientific community has engaged in a debate surrounding the driving force behind this trend towards … Read more
Deep underground tunnels in North Yorkshire are being utilized for an extraordinary purpose: studying the potential for human habitation and operations on celestial bodies like the moon and Mars. The University of Birmingham has embarked on the Bio-SPHERE project, set within an unprecedented research facility situated 1.1 km below ground level. This unique endeavor focuses … Read more