Biology

- DGIST team led by professors Jaesok Yu and Jungho Hyun realizes ultrasound super-resolution imaging technology that reduces data by one-third using existing equipment - High-speed, long-duration, and 3D imaging without image degradation… Opening the way for non-invasive cerebral blood flow observation

Elastic fiber component level in human hepatic stellate cells may predict liver damage

Researchers at National Taiwan University have uncovered, for the first time at atomic resolution, how the human proteasome recognizes branched ubiquitin chains. This breakthrough reveals a multivalent decoding mechanism that enhances protein degradation accuracy and speed.

A team of researchers from Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University has identified the Drosophila Cul2 substrate adaptor DmZer1 as a key regulator of protein quality control, acting at the intersection of two major cellular “cleanup systems”: autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Interestingly, lowering DmZer1 levels activates the Cnc/Nrf2 stress-response pathway, which in turn strengthens the cell’s ability to defend itself against oxidative stress.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Nano the successful creation of artificial synaptic vesicles that can be remotely controlled by near-infrared (NIR) light. By embedding a phthalocyanine dye into lipid bilayers, the team achieved local heating that modulates membrane permeability, enabling precise release of neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine. These findings demonstrate that nanoscale heating can control communication between nerve cells. The work opens new avenues for non-genetic modulation of neuronal activity, with potential applications in neuroscience, drug delivery, and bioengineering.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have developed a breakthrough method for quantitative imaging of ATP levels inside living cells. The study, published in Nature Communications, introduces qMaLioffG, a genetically encoded fluorescence lifetime indicator that allows scientists to observe how cells produce and consume energy in real time.

Surface-bound gels may have provided the structure and chemistry for life to take root on Earth, and perhaps beyond

- Professor Ko Jae-won’s research team at DGIST uncovers key role in signal transmission between neurons and memory formation - Establishing the molecular foundation of learning and memory, expected to treat dysfunctional brain disorders, such as autism and dementia

- The DGIST research team, led by Professors Eom Ji-won and Ko Jae-won, identified the cause: a protein abnormality in autistic patients that disrupts brain signal transmission and leads to communication difficulties. - Identifying the ‘Switch inside Brain’ linked to autistic symptoms, expected to provide clues for developing future treatments for mental illness.

Researchers have created a special culture medium that allows dog stem cells to stably differentiate into functional heart muscle cells complete with contractions

Scientists at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, have discovered how a gene-regulating protein forms tiny liquid-like droplets inside the cell nucleus (the compartment that stores and manages DNA) to guard against cancer. Their study, published in Nature Communications, shows that these protein droplets act as control centers that keep tumor-suppressor genes switched on.

Untangling cosmic knots, Samurai jellyfish, Controlling rogue antibodies, Search for anti-ulcer vaccine & Metal-recovering yeast. Plus next SciCom coffee talk on experiences in science journalism in the AI era and WHO guide to reporting on non communicable diseases. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Scientists at The University of Osaka developed a new 3D culture scaffold by integrating the strong cell-adhesive domain of laminin-511 into a clinically used fibrin gel, creating a chimeric protein called Chimera-511. This laminin-functionalized fibrin gel supports efficient 3D expansion of human iPS cells while maintaining pluripotency. As a chemically defined, xeno-free material, it offers a promising alternative to Matrigel and a potential platform for clinically applicable organoids and regenerative therapies.

Lactate, once thought to be just a waste product, is now recognized as an important fuel and signaling molecule in the brain. This study introduces a red fluorescent biosensor that allows scientists to visualize both brain metabolism and neuronal activity at the same time.

Did you know your brain might be more receptive to learning new things depending on the time of day? This study examined how a 24-hour cycle alters brain plasticity and neuronal excitability in rats.

UOsaka and MIT scientists revealed that the motor proteins KIF18A and CENP-E work together to align chromosomes during mitosis. Cancer cells with reduced CENP-E levels are especially sensitive to KIF18A inhibition, and dual inhibition of both proteins leads to efficient cell death. The discovery offers new insights into chromosome mechanics and a potential strategy for targeted cancer therapy.

- A research team led by DGIST Professors Pyungok Lim, Jongchan Lee, and Minsik Kim identifies a mechanism that delivers plant aging signals to chloroplasts - The findings of the study are published in Nature Plants, one of the world’s most renowned journals in botany

The balance of nutrition in early childhood affects height.

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in ACS Applied Nano Materials a new method to precisely measure nuclear elasticity—the stiffness or softness of the cell nucleus—in living cells. By employing a technique called Nanoendoscopy-AFM (NE-AFM), which inserts a nanoneedle probe directly into cells, the team revealed how cancer cell nuclei stiffen or soften depending on chromatin structure and environmental conditions. The findings provide fundamental insights into how the physical properties of cancer cell nuclei change during disease progression, highlighting their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment evaluation.

A novel study from scientists at National Taiwan University challenges the long-held view of ketone bodies as mere energy substrates, revealing instead that those produced during lactation act as epigenetic signals that promote beige adipocyte formation and protect against obesity.

Duke-NUS scientists have built one of the largest and most comprehensive maps of the developing human brain, marking a major step forward in testing new therapies for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions

A new species of jellyfish has been discovered! Researchers at Tohoku University named this venomous creature Physalia mikazuki, after the crescent moon helmet worn by Sendai’s feudal lord Date Masamune.

Researchers at The University of Osaka and The University of Tokyo developed a photoactivatable alkyne tag that enables stable, selective visualization of biomolecules inside living cells. The technology would contribute to reveal previously unseen molecular communication, paving the way for advances in cell biology and drug discovery.

$5.5 Million partnership with WCS and WorldFish will expand Bangladesh’s Marine Protected Area network and strengthen community-led ocean stewardship

Merging Molecular Biology and Photochemistry for Breakthrough Innovation

A collaboration team of researchers from the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Graduate School of Science at Nagoya University, and the RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS) reports in ACS Nano an integrative modeling workflow to understand with atomistic precision biomolecular dynamics from high-speed atomic force microscopy experiments.

In the marine green alga Codium fragile, unusual carotenoids rapidly dissipate harmful chlorophyll triplet states, protecting the organism from light-induced damage. Using EPR spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations, the study revealed the structural and electronic principles behind this photoprotection, offering insights for potential bio-inspired solar technologies.

A Hiroshima University ecologist proposes a flexible anytime, anywhere bird survey approach to expand biodiversity data collection

Modified yeast developed to efficiently adsorb targeted elements from solutions

Lab tests confirm that Pin1 inhibitors could reduce and stop outbreaks of herpes simplex virus-1