New research has demonstrated that a simple, cheap test can help identify who is at risk of developing colorectal cancer, aiding early diagnosis and potentially saving lives.

Cell velocity, or how fast a cell moves, is known to depend on how sticky the surface is beneath it, but the precise mechanisms of this relationship have remained elusive for decades. Now, researchers have figured out the precise mechanics and developed a mathematical model capturing the forces involved in cell movement.

A remediation and public education effort at an abandoned battery recycling facility in Bangladesh eliminated most lead soil contamination, but levels of the toxic metal in children living near the site did not decrease nearly as much. The discrepancy reveals the scope of other lead exposure sources and the challenge they present to public health.

At Technology Networks we understand the importance of time. That's why we've launched Teach Me in 10 a video series that challenges scientists to present and summarize their research area, a scientific concept, or technology in ten minutes or less.

Although not fully deterministic for the development of cancer, certain genes – such as the BRCA1 gene, are well known to be implicated and to significantly raise a person’s cancer risk. Why is it then, that we have not heard more about CRISPR-Cas9 being developed for cancer therapies?

Professor Adrian Martineau at Queen Mary University of London is the lead researcher on the CORONAVIT trial that is exploring the effectiveness of correcting vitamin D deficiency in reducing the risk of developing COVID-19. In this interview, we ask Martineau about the rationale behind this study, what impact the UK COVID-19 vaccine rollout may have on the power of the trial and the potential impact of the results.