Hydrogels boost ability of stem cells to restore eyesight and heal brains
Researchers show that engineered hydrogels not only help with stem cell transplantation, but actually speed healing in both the eye and brain.
May 14th, 2015
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Fusion protein controls design of photosynthesis platform
A central part of photosynthesis takes place in a specialized structure within chloroplasts, the thylakoid membrane system. Despite its apparent important function, until now it was not clear how this specialized internal membrane system is actually formed. Researchers have now identified how this membrane is generated.
May 13th, 2015
Read moreScientists regenerate bone tissue using only proteins secreted by stem cells
Scientists have discovered a way to regrow bone tissue using the protein signals produced by stem cells. This technology could help treat victims who have experienced major trauma to a limb, like soldiers wounded in combat or casualties of a natural disaster. The new method improves on older therapies by providing a sustainable source for fresh tissue and reducing the risk of tumor formation that can arise with stem cell transplants.
May 12th, 2015
Read moreMolecular chaperones help with folding
Researchers demonstrate how so-called chaperones collaborate to create barrels for protein folding.
May 12th, 2015
Read moreDeciphering the neural code that links food to aging
A new study has found that serotonin and TGF-beta hormone levels in specific neurons of C. elegans communicate information about food abundance in roundworms. These signals from the nervous system influence the animal's lifespan, thus mediating the effects of food on ageing.
May 12th, 2015
Read moreBiofuels: plant the right crop in the right place
Corn, wheat and rapeseed can be used to produce biofuels, such as bioethanol and biodiesel. According to recent findings by environmental scientists, the location of the agricultural lands used to grow these biofuel crops has a major impact on the greenhouse gas emission they ultimately produce.
May 12th, 2015
Read morePhotosynthesis has unique isotopic signature
Geochemists report that photosynthesis leaves behind a unique calling card in the form of a chemical signature that is spelled out with stable oxygen isotopes. The findings suggest that similar isotopic signatures could exist for many biological processes, including some that are difficult to observe with current tools.
May 11th, 2015
Read moreFirst beef with the goodness of fish
Chinese scientists have reared beef rich in the beneficial fatty acids associated with fish oils.
May 11th, 2015
Read moreChemists create new pathway to potential medicines
Researchers have discovered a new chemical reaction that has the potential to facilitate the search for pharmaceutical drugs.
May 9th, 2015
Read moreAltering genes with the aid of light
Scientists have been manipulating genes for a while. Researchers have just found a way to control the process with higher precision. By using light.
May 8th, 2015
Read moreEngineering bacteria to design vaccines
The EU-funded MycoSynVac project combines gene engineering and biotechnology to design a novel veterinary vaccine chassis based on the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
May 8th, 2015
Read moreResearchers develop custom artificial membranes with programmable surfaces
Researchers have helped develop artificial membranes with programmable features, enabling studies of cell communication and the molecular basis of disease.
May 8th, 2015
Read moreResearchers sound out scaffolds for eardrum replacement
An international team of researchers has created tiny, complex scaffolds that mimic the intricate network of collagen fibres that form the human eardrum.
May 7th, 2015
Read moreMolecular homing beacon redirects human antibodies to fight pathogenic bacteria
Bacteria-specific molecules attract pre-existing antibodies to help immune system clear infection.
May 6th, 2015
Read moreOriented growth is an emergent property of cellularised tissues
Scientists have shown that the ability of tissues to orient their growth in response to externally applied forces is a simple consequence of the mechanics of cellularised materials and the ability of individual cells to divide along their long axis.
May 6th, 2015
Read moreAutomated counting of tumor cells in blood
Biological and medical scientists have been using flow cytometry to count cancer cells for the past 40 years. But the large instruments are expensive and can only be operated by trained personnel. By contrast the PoCyton cytometer is cheap to produce, no bigger than a shoebox, and automated.
May 6th, 2015
Read moreThe nucleus: blueprints for the construction of nuclear pores deciphered
In a recent study, researchers offer new insights into how nuclear pores are constructed in the nuclear envelope.
May 6th, 2015
Read more'Freezing a bullet' to find clues to ribosome assembly process
Researchers figure out how protein-synthesizing cellular machines are built in stepwise fashion.
May 5th, 2015
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