Biology

Matcha surprise, Smart sea urchin spines, Breaking biomass bonds, Hybrid air-conditioning, Alga in gloom & A touch of tech. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus Early Bird submissions for Asia Research News 2027

Researchers from The University of Osaka have shown that the MIC11 gene of Toxoplasma gondii is essential for the parasite to egress, or exit, the host cell, a key part of the lifecycle. Deletion of MIC11 caused parasites to be unable to permeabilize host cell membranes and prevented egress. This study identifies potential new therapeutic targets for human diseases caused by parasites, such as toxoplasmosis and malaria, which represent a major global health problem.

Carbohydrates affect weight gain and metabolic energy

Light enhances adhesion between epidermal and inner tissues in plant stems

Major international recognition for research exploring largely unknown microbial life in groundwater

As climate change intensifies harmful algal blooms worldwide, an international team led by Hiroshima University has developed a hybrid modeling approach that combines algal movement simulations, AI, and long-term monitoring data to sharpen forecasts of these bloom events—linked to environmental damage, mass fish die-offs, economic losses, and risks to human health.

- First Discovery of How Somatostatin Converts Brain Immune Cells into a Protective State - Mechanism Found to Overcome Clinical Limits Using FDA-Approved Drugs

Dragonflies have evolved special light-sensing proteins that let them see deeper red light than most animals. Researchers have now discovered that the mechanism of red vision is shared with humans and this ability comes from small molecular changes that could inspire new biomedical technologies.

- Professor Jaewon Ko’s research group has found the mechanism by which a MDGA1 gene mutation induces autism symptoms only in male mice. - Restoring broken brain circuits with female hormone modulating drugs ... Proposing a new treatment strategy for autism

Assessing the toll of elongated working hours in community-dwelling, middle-aged adults

Researchers have confirmed that golden sweeper fish steal the bioluminescence enzymes from their prey rather than produce them naturally.

Single monomer containing thiolactone and pyridyl disulfide molecules allows for variable polymer functionalities

A collaborative research group has shown that biological neurons can be trained to perform a temporal pattern learning task that was previously carried out by artificial systems

A review finds that antibiotic resistance genes—capable of undermining modern medicine—can travel through the air across both cities and farmland, and argues that airborne spread represents an overlooked public health risk.

Psst, have you heard that mushrooms can “gossip” and spread information to their neighbours? Researchers at Tohoku University showed how electrical information flows between mushrooms in response to a unique stimulus: urine.

Researchers identified the tegmentum in the midbrain as an ‘integration center’ of fish. The area receives visual information from the eyes that is combined with color information detected by the pineal organ—the ‘third eye.’ These inputs are integrated to control how fish orient themselves in the water.

Hiroshima University researchers have developed a practical framework to identify candidate pathogenic variants hidden among the large number of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) detected in comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of cancers. This framework could improve the accuracy of precision oncology by more reliable prioritization of VUS.

Researchers at Hiroshima University have developed a new tool to quickly and accurately map fungal gene functions, even for species that have never been studied before.

A new global review shows countries taking very different approaches to regulating polygenic embryo testing

Assessing the Impact of Chemical Contaminants on Finless Porpoises Using In Vitro Data and Mass Distribution Modeling

Scientists at CityUHK achieved a breakthrough in recent months with the discovery a novel compound, named MF-8. The compound and its associated pharmaceuticals demonstrate significant potential to provide safer, more effective treatments for psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as memory impairment, depression and anxiety, while effectively mitigating the side effects associated with existing medications.

Published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, a novel study led by National Taiwan University connects plant and insect physiology, chemical ecology, molecular function, and evolutionary analysis to offer a new perspective on plant–insect coevolution.

According to a 20-year study in mice published in Nature Communications, repeated cloning cannot be sustained indefinitely in mammals.

Researchers from The University of Osaka found that leukemia caused by NUTM1 rearrangements is distinguished from other forms of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) by a unique pattern of gene activity and gene regulation. Unlike the common form of B-ALL caused by KMT2A rearrangement, which is resistant to treatment, leukemic cells with NUTM1 rearrangements are highly sensitivity to chemotherapy.

A single-celled predator maintains stolen chloroplasts with its own proteins, linking the host cell and stolen organelles at the molecular level. This process, now supported by biochemical evidence, may offer clues to early steps in the evolution of plant cells.

The possible existence of a new phosphate regulatory mechanism through estrogens biosynthesized by aromatase in adipose tissue

- Designed a novel peptide (MLPH) using computational modeling to extract only the active region that promotes hair growth - Overcomes the limitations of existing drugs, such as hormone-related side effects or skin irritation and gender limitations - Published in the internationally renowned pharmacology journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

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.