Biology

Researchers at the University of Osaka discovered that people who reach extreme old age have an unusual immune system. Around the age of 100, they develop large numbers of rare immune cells that resemble those seen in people fighting cancer, allowing them to remain highly active in their supercentenarian years. The findings suggest that the immune system can adapt with age and may help protect some people from disease to support exceptional longevity.

In a global first, Hiroshima University researchers demonstrate that food processing liquid waste can be used and reused to produce two omega-3 fatty acids by the cultivation of Aurantiochytrium sp., a marine microorganism.

Feeding bacteria a cheap agricultural by-product enables the production of high-value biomaterials with promising biomedical and industrial applications.

- A joint research team led by Professor Ji Won Um and researchers from Stanford University develops LATeNT, a novel optical control platform. - A single light stimulus enables sustained inhibition followed by complete recovery within 24 hours—a next-generation optical control switch that overcomes existing limitations - Successfully identifies the causes of brain disorders and controls insulin secretion, with the findings published in the world-renowned journal Nature Methods

It’s a fish-eat-fish world out there. A new model by researchers at Tohoku University’s WPI-AIMEC and JAMSTEC may help us better understand these complex ocean relationships. Don’t forget: this food chain involves us too!

A team led by researchers from the University of Osaka has used acoustic tweezers to analyze the mechanical properties of biopolymer droplets without needing to physically touch the material. Using this method, the team investigated the stiffness of condensates of a model biopolymer. This technique will further the knowledge of biopolymer droplets and their roles in cellular biology, and may lead to the discovery of novel methods of treating diseases caused by the dysfunction of these droplets.

Finding new species in unassuming settings brings light to further exploration and conservation efforts to preserve the unique diversity in groundwater environments

Researchers from Tohoku University and the University of Tokyo developed groundbreaking technology, earning a place among the Milestone 2 Awardee teams recognized in the XPRIZE Healthspan Competition.

Mitochondrial protein in brain neurons found to regulate appetite and body weight

Black hole "blast", Bacteria-detecting robot, A crab's tale, Sensors that remember, and Silk in cycling. Plus submission deadline for 2027 magazine. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Airborne genetic material could transform biodiversity and biosecurity monitoring, but researchers say major gaps in sampling, interpretation, and governance must be closed first before suitable technologies can be deployed.

C/EBPγ coordinates cancer cell plasticity and DNA repair in lung adenocarcinoma, revealing a potential target against therapy resistance.

High-coverage Jomon and Yayoi genomes reveal continuity with modern Japanese, continental ancestry, and prehistoric starch adaptations in Japan.

As climate change drives up temperatures worldwide and water becomes scarce, how can we make sure crops survive? Tohoku University researchers have identified a new class of small molecules that enhances plant drought tolerance.

The flowering plant Saxifraga candelabrum has been confirmed as a new carnivorous lineage, according to research published in Nature Communications, supporting a prediction made by Charles Darwin about the plants.

Japan-based Elix, Inc. and the University of Vienna, Austria announce the signing of a joint research agreement aimed at advancing drug discovery using AI technologies.

Researchers from the University of Osaka found that hepatocyte-derived extracellular vesicles treated with sPLA2 (SPLEVs) induce a lipid counterstorm that counteracts cytokine storm in mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome. SPLEVs also demonstrated significant beneficial effects in mouse models of sepsis, coagulopathy, liver injury, colitis, and pneumonia. As lysophosphatidylglycerols were identified as a key mediator of SPLEV activity, these findings suggest a promising approach for developing inexpensive, cell-free anti-inflammatory treatments.

In a breakthrough clinical trial undertaken by Australian biotechnology company Marinova, a unique seaweed extract has been shown to relieve the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

- Professor Byung Chang Suh’s team becomes the first in the world to uncover the mechanism that regulates “calcium channels,” which are essential for neural signal transmission - Presents a key milestone for developing new therapeutics for intractable brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy - Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a world-renowned scientific journal

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo reveal how limited resources can cause sudden changes in the way organisms process information

Researchers at the University of Osaka have developed a method to build stable, tubular hydrogel structures at the arteriole scale. Using a technique called meniscus-guided interfacial ring-by-ring assembly, UV light is used to form ring-shaped structures at an oil–hydrogel interface, which combine to form hollow tubes. Different tubes could be created with good stability, controlled sizes, complex shapes, and multi-component structures. These structures could help to create vascular networks for artificial tissue models.

Have you ever felt strangely exhausted after waking up from a dream? Researchers took a look at how the brain allocates energy during sleep to explain this “paradoxical sleep.”

With global warming and extreme weather intensifying, can animals raise their thermal tolerance to cope with a continuously warming environment? A joint research project run by the Division of Science at Lingnan University and an international research team carried out practical testing on tropical intertidal snails that live under the scorching sun. The team simulated the real-world conditions of coastal rocks heating up under intense sunlight in the Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, and discovered that the maximum temperature of some rocks has approached the upper physiological thermal limit of these intertidal snails. Since this can cause cardiac arrest and an inability to maintain normal physiological functions, it means that their thermal tolerance may not be able to increase indefinitely as the environment continues to warm, and extreme heat in the future may increase their risk of mortality. The research findings have been published in internationally renowned academic journal The Biological Bulletin.

Researchers at Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University used advanced methyl NMR spectroscopy to reveal how dozens of cancer-associated mutations disrupt the long-range communication network that enables the tumor suppressor BAP1 to function, creating the largest experimental molecular map of BAP1 mutations to date. The findings uncover a previously hidden mechanism underlying cancer-associated BAP1 dysfunction and provide a foundation for developing future therapies that target protein dynamics and allosteric regulation rather than the active site alone.

A review maps how modern diagnostics and reversible materials can help museums protect silk, leather, paper and wood with less damage.

- DGIST and GIST achieve multi-site brain stimulation using a single ultrasound transducer and demonstrate improvements in neuropathic pain - Simultaneous stimulation of multiple brain regions through the skull using only an AI-designed ultrasound lens without the need for expensive and complex multichannel equipment - Published in Brain Stimulation, a leading international journal in the field of brain stimulation

Researchers find dormant pigment cells in vitiligo patches, suggesting a new treatment strategy

Foundational steps made towards artificial cell production for blood bank reserves

Researchers from the University of Osaka found that localization of the CLK1 kinase to nuclear stress bodies during thermal stress and recovery is regulated by PP1-mediated dephosphorylation and RIOK2-mediated rephosphorylation. This mechanism, which controls pre-mRNA splicing under stress conditions, could provide new insight into stress-related diseases.

Researchers at Tohoku University have made an interesting discovery that provides a boost to the immune system of birds. They found that B-cell development, which forms part of the immune system, occurs outside the bursa of Fabricius, the organ where scientists previously thought B-cell development exclusively occurred. The findings paint a clearer picture of the birds’ immune system at a time when antimicrobial resistance has affected livestock and poultry production across the globe.