Biology

Researchers from The University of Osaka studying simple cyanobacteria found that one protein keeps their internal clock ticking reliably, even outside a living cell. By testing over 20 variants with clock periods ranging from 15 to 60 hours, they discovered that timekeeping precision appears to be built directly into the protein itself, independent of cell activity or environmental changes.

C-terminal variations, arising from mutations and regulatory processes, can either stabilize or destabilize proteins, challenging the traditional view that aberrant termini primarily trigger degradation.

We identified Mrep macrophages that repair muscle but trigger heterotopic ossification in FOP, advancing muscle and FOP therapy development.

Clinically available KRAS inhibitors mainly target G12C, which is rare in PDAC and often acquires resistance. Oncogenic KRAS inactivates RB1 via CDK4/6, while RB1 mutation is rare. Thus, CDK4/6 inhibition offers an indirect strategy to counter KRAS-driven malignancy without direct KRAS targeting.

Through protein binding, molecular heavy drugs are effectively transported to cancerous tissues

Researchers discovered that a freshwater alga captures low-energy far-red light by precisely arranging ordinary chlorophyll molecules, rather than inventing new pigments. The finding reveals a new structural strategy for photosynthesis in low-light environments and could inform future bioenergy and protein design.

The famed Japanese green tea powder may suppress nerve activity associated with sneezing in hay fever, according to a study in mice.

Changes in male hormones and excessive sugar intake work together in progressing liver damage

Wearable medical devices, like exoskeletons, often rely on soft actuators, materials that convert electrical energy into motion. But traditional actuators often use stiff metallic materials that limit mobility. Now, an international research group has developed soft yarn actuator fibers that can bend, contract, and produce complex movements when electricity is applied.

Researchers at the Cancer Research Institute and the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have uncovered a critical mechanism that enables gastric cancer to spread to distant organs. Their study shows that cancer cells stimulate Wnt signaling in surrounding stromal fibroblasts to produce hyaluronan, creating a supportive microenvironment that promotes metastasis. These findings provide new insight into how metastatic tumors establish themselves and suggest promising strategies to prevent gastric cancer progression.

Kelli canines, Healthy fats in rice, Mercury and Earth in chorus, AI lights up materials discovery, Radiation detection with phones and Down to one. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Women's Month 2026.

Testing air and surfaces can detect dangerous viruses earlier and more comprehensively than testing birds alone

The oldest-known articulated bony fish and an early example of teeth from a bony fish have been detected in a collection of fossils from China. Two Nature papers offer new insights into the origins of bony fish.

- Mechanism of brain neuropeptide circuit reconstruction uncovered, paving the way for next-generation rapid-acting therapies beyond serotonin - Findings published in Molecular Psychiatry, a leading journal in molecular psychiatry

- Joint research team of DGIST and KBSI developed precision protein analysis technology to identify causes of intractable diseases - Presented a new analytical horizon for developing treatments for neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes - Developed an innovative analytical method for structural analysis of proteins lacking Specific 3-dimensional structures

Researchers at Hiroshima University and Gifu Kyoritsu University identified Hepatitis B RNA serum levels as a biomarker that more accurately stratifies risk of liver cancer in individuals who have been functionally cured of chronic hepatitis B.

Biochemical and structural biological analysis of a hypothetical gene (protein) within a gene cluster related to metabolic pathway of L-threonate, a four-carbon sugar acid, revealed it’s enzyme function as a L-threonate 3-dehydrogenase and physiological role for metabolic diversity. Although the existence of this enzyme itself was reported in the same academic journal in 1964, the molecular identity of which has remained unknown for over 60 years.

- The brain continues to grow even after adolescence ... according to collaborative research by DGIST and Yonsei University - Demonstrated proactive maturation of the thalamic reticular nucleus against the circuit stalemate theory after the critical period - Opened new frontiers for autism, ADHD treatment, and cognitive rehabilitation with synaptic adhesion protein LRRTM3 as a key switch in high-resolution sensory transduction

The indigenous Bugkalot people of Nueva Ecija call it “kelli” but science has only now been able to identify it as a distinct species and given it a formal scientific name

Cleaner fish interacted with a mirror in their tank in a way that suggests ‘contingency testing’ intelligence, a higher form of smarts typically found in mammals. This finding coupled with faster self-recognition than previously thought, expands our image of intelligence in these social fish.

DNA - the blueprint of life – can also act as a reaction vessel that guides chemical reactions. This is possible using interstrand crosslinking technology developed by researchers at Tohoku University.

An international collaborative research team, including researchers from the Faculty of Frontier Engineering at Kanazawa University, has for the first time elucidated sex differences in motor unit firing patterns in patients with Parkinson's disease. Utilizing high-density surface electromyography (HD-SEMG), their detailed analysis of motor unit activity revealed that female patients exhibited significantly greater asymmetry in motor unit discharge rates and lower persistent inward currents (PICs) compared to males. These findings suggest that neurodegeneration may be more asymmetrical in females, even when presenting with similar motor symptoms. This study indicates that motor unit behavior can serve as a sensitive evaluation tool to highlight differences in disease presentation between sexes, potentially leading to the development of personalized treatment strategies that consider sex-specific factors in the future.

Researchers at Tohoku University discovered an intranodal lympho-venous shunt (a sort of bypass route) that could help us unravel the complicated, intertwined network of our body’s lymphatic system.

A comprehensive analysis of supersulfide production in fermented soybeans

When cultivated tobacco is crossed with a wild relative it erases lethal genes, allowing normally fatal hybrids to survive.

A potential breakthrough for jet lag and shift work-related sleep disorders. A Japanese research team has discovered a new compound that can advance the body’s internal clock—offering hope for faster recovery from jet lag and better adaptation to night-shift work. The compound, called Mic-628, specifically activates the transcription of a clock gene named Period1 (Per1). When given orally to mice, it advanced their body clocks and activity rhythms, regardless of dosing time. The findings suggest a new approach to controlling circadian rhythms through drug action rather than light exposure.

A Hiroshima University-led project has secured a $1.8 million grant to develop a way to store bull semen using simple refrigeration instead of costly cryopreservation, a shift that could remove a major barrier to modern dairy cattle breeding that has long shut out farmers in low-resource regions. If successful, the technology is expected to boost milk yields, stabilize incomes for small-scale dairy farmers, and improve nutrition.

More than 190 students from 13 local secondary schools will take part in a year-long programme to gain hands-on experience in preparing an extremely rare whale specimen for public exhibitions scheduled for 2027. The Environment and Conservation Fund “Sea” Through Cetacean: STEAM Student Ambassador Programme & Cetacean Conservation Exhibition, organised by the Division of Science of Lingnan University in collaboration with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Cetacea Research Institute, and Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, was officially launched on 1 February 2026. This initiative builds on the rare stranding of a Longman’s beaked whale in Hong Kong in 2024, providing students with a unique opportunity to assist in the preparation of skeletal specimens of one of the world’s most mysterious marine mammal species. The project also promotes cetacean conservation and will educate the public in key marine environmental issues, including plastic pollution in the oceans.

A collaborative team from National Taiwan University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University identified an alternative strategy to regulate an immune enzyme linked to cancer and inflammation.

Sticky life beginnings. Precarious pitcher plant, Breaking the cobalt "cage", Toxic algae killer & “Pure-bred” stem cell medium. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Asia Research News 2026 is out now and SciCom Coffee talk by Rachael Smith at Wellcome Sanger Institute.