News

Researchers have discovered a novel, short isoform of the protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The study shows that although interferon therapy increases levels of ACE2 – the receptor used by SARS-CoV-2 to gain entry inside human cells – it largely increases levels of a shorter isoform. This isoform lacks high-affinity binding sites for SARS-CoV-2’s spike (S) glycoprotein, meaning the virus is unable to associate with it.

Scientists have created a “living material” made from microbes that can respond to stimuli from their surrounding environment. It is hoped the material could find diverse applications in contaminant detection, highlighting damage, for example, to packaging, delivering nutrients or therapeutics and even in creating living photographs.

A new study has found that up to 20% of glioblastomas – an aggressive type of brain cancer – are fueled by overactive mitochondria. The study also suggests that the mitochondrial subtype and may be treatable with existing drugs or investigational therapeutics currently in clinical development.

Researchers have identified a molecular signature that links together different cell populations in the brain that are selectively vulnerable to the neurodegenerative condition Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The device can sense levels of virtually any protein or molecule in the blood, and could be transformative for disease detection, patient monitoring and biomedical research.

UC San Francisco scientists have discovered a new way to control the immune system's natural killer cells, a finding with implications for novel cell therapies and tissue implants that can evade immune rejection. The findings could also be used to enhance the ability of cancer immunotherapies to detect and destroy lurking tumors.

Noncognitive skills and cognitive abilities are both important contributors to educational attainment – the number of years of formal schooling that a person completes – and lead to success across the life course, according to a new study.“

Brazilian researchers have managed to decipher the structure of a protein found in parasites that cause neglected tropical diseases, paving the way to the development of novel medications. Thanks to the discovery it will be possible to seek more potent molecules capable of destroying the pathogens directly, with fewer adverse side-effects for patients.

Scientists have engineered a coloring technique, known as NeuroPAL (a Neuronal Polychromatic Atlas of Landmarks), which makes it possible to identify every single neuron in the mind of a worm.

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), who have studied DNA origami for years, have compiled the first detailed tutorial on the technique. Their comprehensive report provides a step-by-step guide to designing DNA origami nanostructures, using state-of-the-art tools.