Molecular level

Systems Biology: Integrating Biological Processes into Complex Systems

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Systems biology is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand biological systems as integrated networks of components, processes, and interactions, rather than isolated parts. It combines principles from biology, mathematics, computer science, engineering, and other disciplines to analyze complex biological phenomena at multiple scales, from molecular and cellular levels to tissues, organs, organisms, populations, and … Read more

Evolutionary Genetics: Genetic Changes Over Generations

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Evolutionary genetics is a field of study that explores genetic changes within populations and species over generations, elucidating the mechanisms and processes driving evolutionary processes. It integrates principles from genetics, molecular biology, population genetics, and evolutionary biology to understand how genetic variation, mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and other factors shape the genetic … Read more

Comparative Anatomy: Comparing Anatomy Across Species

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Comparative anatomy is a branch of biology that involves the study of anatomical structures and systems across different species to understand evolutionary relationships, adaptations, functional morphology, and biological diversity. By comparing the anatomy of organisms from various taxonomic groups, researchers can gain insights into evolutionary patterns, developmental processes, physiological functions, and ecological adaptations that have … Read more

Genomics: Mapping Genomes and Genetic Variation

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Genomics is a field of biology that focuses on the study of genomes, which are the complete sets of genetic material (DNA) present in an organism. Genomics encompasses a wide range of disciplines, techniques, and methodologies aimed at mapping genomes, analyzing genetic variation, understanding gene function, and elucidating the genetic basis of traits, diseases, and … Read more

Molecular Biology: Understanding Biological Processes at the Molecular Level

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Molecular biology is a branch of biology that explores the structure, function, and interactions of biomolecules, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, at the molecular level. It encompasses a wide range of techniques, methodologies, and disciplines aimed at understanding biological processes, genetic information flow, gene expression, cellular functions, and molecular mechanisms underlying life. … Read more

Chemist discovers catalyst’s assisting role in benzotriazole conversion

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In most industrial chemical reactions, catalysts combine with the starting materials and accompany them through intermediate stages to the product. In chemistry, this pathway is known as the reaction mechanism, and it is a kind of black box: nobody knows what is happening at the molecular level at first. If the reaction result in the … Read more

Researchers develop recyclable circuit boards for sustainable electronics

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A recent United Nations report found that the world generated 137 billion pounds of electronic waste in 2022, an 82% increase from 2010. Yet less than a quarter of 2022’s e-waste was recycled. While many things impede a sustainable afterlife for electronics, one is that we don’t have systems at scale to recycle the printed … Read more

Study links fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) to obesity-driven liver cancer

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Metabolic diseases like obesity can increase the risk of developing liver cancer, research has shown. But how one disease predisposes to the other is unclear. In a new study, Yale researchers uncovered a key role played by a molecule called fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) and found that inhibiting it blocked tumor progression in … Read more

Study links lipid metabolism dysfunction to Alzheimer’s disease progression

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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

New study reveals striking similarities between ALS and FTLD at cellular level

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), seemingly distinct neurological disorders, have long puzzled doctors and scientists with their seemingly disparate symptoms and affected brain regions. However, a groundbreaking study published in Cell has unveiled remarkable similarities between these conditions at the cellular and molecular levels, shedding light on potential therapeutic targets that … Read more

Scientists unveil key protein interaction in Ebola virus replication

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Scientists from multiple institutions in North America have achieved a significant milestone in unraveling the mechanisms underlying Ebola virus replication within human cells. This breakthrough marks a crucial advancement towards the creation of novel treatments aimed at tackling this formidable and often fatal illness. The study, published in PLOS Biology, involved a team of pharmacologists … Read more

New study reveals how bacteriophages fight back against CRISPR gene editing system

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In response to the efficient attacks of the host CRISPR-Cas system, bacteriophages have evolved various resistance strategies, including encoding anti-CRISPR (Acr) proteins. Since their initial discovery in 2013, over a hundred Acr proteins have been identified. These proteins use different mechanisms to inhibit the recognition and cleavage of target nucleic acids by the Cas protein-RNA … Read more

New method enables controlled release and observation of single molecules in cells

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A research team led by biochemist Professor Helge Ewers from Freie Universität Berlin has developed a new technique for the light-mediated release and investigation of proteins in live cells. The technique makes use of a laser pulse to control the release of tagged protein molecules within a cell, allowing for the molecules’ function to be … Read more

Study finds disrupted amyloid production, not plaques, may trigger Alzheimer’s

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A University of Kansas study of rare gene mutations that cause hereditary Alzheimer’s disease shows these mutations disrupt the production of a small sticky protein called amyloid. Plaques composed of amyloid are notoriously found in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease and have long been considered responsible for the inexorable loss of neurons and cognitive decline. … Read more

New insights into protein misfolding could lead to better treatments for glaucoma and beyond

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From Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to cardiac arrhythmia, amyloids are linked to a number of diseases. These aggregates of proteins form in the body when a protein loses its normal structure and misfolds or mutates. And since many of these proteins are large and complicated, just how some of these mutations occur and aggregate remains a … Read more

New drug delivery platform utilizes helical amyloid fibers for targeted release

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Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have pioneered a novel drug delivery system centered on helical amyloid fibers engineered to release medications upon reaching body temperatures. Their recent study, published in Nature Communications on January 26, delves into the intricate structural intricacies underlying diseases like Alzheimer’s, potentially unlocking a mechanism to … Read more

Excessive dietary protein activates immune cells, increases atherosclerosis risk, study finds

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University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers discovered a molecular mechanism by which excessive dietary protein could increase atherosclerosis risk. The findings were published in Nature Metabolism. The study, which combined small human trials with experiments in mice and cells in a Petri dish, showed that consuming over 22% of dietary calories from protein can … Read more

Biology

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Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It explores a vast range of topics, including the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living organisms. This discipline delves into various levels of biological organization, from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems. Through methods like observation, experimentation, and analysis, biologists seek … Read more