Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a revolutionary laboratory technique that enables the replication of a specific DNA sequence. Using PCR, millions of copies of a target DNA can be easily synthesized within a short period of time.

New technique improves detection of central nervous system infections

New research led by Aston University's Dr Ghaniah Hassan-Smith, has found a new technique to diagnose infections of the central nervous system, such as meningitis and encephalitis, which can be difficult to determine using conventional methods.

23 Sep 2026

Cannabis-derived nanovesicles showed early antitumor potential in mice

Researchers developed a Cannabis sativa hairy root culture system that produced stable plant-derived nanovesicles capable of promoting dendritic cell maturation and activating T-cell responses through TLR2- and TLR4-associated signaling. Oral administration also restored selected immune responses in immunosuppressed mice and suppressed tumor growth in an E.G7 lymphoma model, providing preliminary evidence for their immunomodulatory and antitumor potential.

15 Sep 2026

Europe has a new mosquito problem, but it may not be the one you think

A scoping review of 91 studies, combined with a workshop involving 41 experts from six European countries, mapped the spread, biology, surveillance challenges, and potential disease relevance of the invasive mosquito Aedes koreicus. The researchers identified major gaps in species identification, vector competence, ecology, genetics, and long-term surveillance that must be addressed as the cold-tolerant mosquito expands across Europe.

2 Sep 2026

Researchers tested dozens of clues for long COVID. One finding stood out

A nationwide study of 218 people in the Faroe Islands examined clinical, neurological, and blood-based markers associated with persistent symptoms around six months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite extensive testing, researchers found no convincing biomarker for long COVID, while a statistical association with lower INR remained within the normal clinical range and requires replication.

27 Aug 2026

Superstorm Sandy reshaped indoor fungal communities, with an unexpected asthma result

and lower fungal diversity than non-damaged homes. Despite these persistent but variable fungal changes, researchers found no statistically significant increase in asthma morbidity, impaired lung function, or airway inflammation among children with relatively mild asthma.

13 Aug 2026

Synthetic peptide enables modular detection of coronavirus protease activity

A research team has computationally designed a synthetic peptide that enables modular detection of the enzymatic activity of coronavirus 3C-like protease (3CLPro), an enzyme essential for viral replication and maturation.

13 Aug 2026

Cannabis compounds may weaken glioblastoma response to chemotherapy and radiation

Several cannabinoids reduced chemotherapy- and radiation-induced apoptosis in glioblastoma cell models, with effects linked to reduced apoptotic priming, increased pro-survival signaling, and G1 cell-cycle arrest. The findings raise concern that cannabinoid exposure could interfere with some cancer treatments, although the results are limited to laboratory models and require in vivo and clinical validation.

12 Aug 2026

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

A two-year cohort study of 428 people exposed to H5N1-infected birds in England found fewer than 1% met criteria for infection, with no severe disease or secondary human transmission. The findings support continued PPE use, biosecurity, and targeted surveillance while highlighting challenges around occupational exposure, mucosal contamination, and pandemic preparedness.

10 Aug 2026

Severe COVID-19 reactivates dormant viruses and may leave a lasting viral signature

A longitudinal study of 1,154 hospitalized COVID-19 patients found widespread reactivation of chronic Herpesviridae and Anelloviridae, with distinct viral patterns linked to disease severity, inflammation, and clinical outcomes. Anelloviridae also persisted during convalescence and were associated with physical deficits in long COVID, although the study did not establish causation.

7 Aug 2026

Galápagos wastewater is creating new reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Portable field surveillance reveals how untreated sewage is reshaping coastal microbial communities and spreading diverse resistance genes across one of the world’s most protected marine environments.

6 Aug 2026

Airplane wastewater pilot shows how airports could track pathogens across borders

Researchers showed that airplane wastewater from a shared US-UK transatlantic route could be collected and analyzed to detect respiratory and enteric pathogen genetic material. The pilot also captured SARS-CoV-2 lineage patterns, including earlier detection of XEC on UK-origin flights, while showing the need for harmonized assays and broader sampling.

4 Aug 2026

Children remain more vulnerable to influenza despite protective antibody levels

Researchers analyzing 1,518 South African household participants found that higher pre-season antibody titers were associated with lower infection risk for three of four influenza viruses studied. Children remained more susceptible after accounting for measured exposure and antibody titers, while younger children shed viral RNA longer than older adults.

3 Aug 2026

Cigarette smoke extract primes airway cells for greater nanoplastic damage

Researchers found that cigarette smoke extract weakened epithelial barriers and increased the proportion of human airway cells that were polystyrene nanoparticle-positive. Sequential treatment caused greater metabolic disruption and increased mucus-producing cells, suggesting heightened epithelial vulnerability, although the findings are limited to in vitro models.

30 Jul 2026

Filtered coffee links to slower biological aging while instant coffee shows the opposite

Filtered coffee consumption was associated with slower biological aging, while instant coffee was linked to faster aging in UK Biobank participants. The cross-sectional findings do not prove causation, but they suggest that brewing method may influence coffee’s relationship with aging biomarkers.

20 Jul 2026

New portable strip test accurately detects mosquito-borne viruses

A research team has developed a multisite bridging-mediated lateral flow immunoassay (mbLFIA) that enables highly sensitive, portable detection of mosquito-borne viruses, using Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) as a model target.

17 Jul 2026

Mitochondrial DNA mutations link to cardiometabolic parameters in metabolic syndrome

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variability, especially heteroplasmy, is believed to affect cellular immunobiogenesis, particularly in monocytes in metabolic syndrome (MetS).

14 Jul 2026

Wild carnivores reveal wider West Nile and Usutu virus exposure in the Netherlands

Researchers detected Usutu virus RNA in nine of 818 wild carnivores sampled across the Netherlands, while no animals tested positive for West Nile virus RNA. Neutralizing antibodies to one or both viruses in red foxes and stone martens indicate broader spillover exposure and suggest these species may support arbovirus surveillance.

14 Jul 2026

Rising tick-borne disease in Canada can trigger heart inflammation

Move over, Lyme disease - there's another tick-borne disease to worry about in Canada. Anaplasmosis, the second most common tick-borne disease in the country, can cause a range of health issues, including myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).

13 Jul 2026

Cold-exposed mothers pass metabolic protection to male rat offspring through milk

Maternal cold exposure during early pregnancy improved glucose control and reduced liver fat in male rat offspring, with benefits persisting into late adulthood. The findings implicate a breast milk LCA, gut microbiota, and Th17 immune pathway, while human cohort data showed an observational link between winter conception and lower MASLD risk.

12 Jul 2026

Blood circRNAs may predict Alzheimer’s before symptoms emerge

Blood-based circular RNAs showed strong potential for identifying biomarker-confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and predicting progression to symptomatic disease. When combined with pTau217, the circRNA model produced the strongest predictive performance, but larger prospective validation is still needed.

2 Jul 2026

Polymerase Chain Reaction News and Research

Further Reading

New technique improves detection of central nervous system infections

Cannabis-derived nanovesicles showed early antitumor potential in mice

Europe has a new mosquito problem, but it may not be the one you think

Researchers tested dozens of clues for long COVID. One finding stood out

Superstorm Sandy reshaped indoor fungal communities, with an unexpected asthma result

Synthetic peptide enables modular detection of coronavirus protease activity

Cannabis compounds may weaken glioblastoma response to chemotherapy and radiation

H5N1 infections remain rare among workers exposed to infected birds

Severe COVID-19 reactivates dormant viruses and may leave a lasting viral signature

Galápagos wastewater is creating new reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Airplane wastewater pilot shows how airports could track pathogens across borders

Children remain more vulnerable to influenza despite protective antibody levels

Cigarette smoke extract primes airway cells for greater nanoplastic damage

Filtered coffee links to slower biological aging while instant coffee shows the opposite

New portable strip test accurately detects mosquito-borne viruses

Mitochondrial DNA mutations link to cardiometabolic parameters in metabolic syndrome

Wild carnivores reveal wider West Nile and Usutu virus exposure in the Netherlands

Rising tick-borne disease in Canada can trigger heart inflammation

Cold-exposed mothers pass metabolic protection to male rat offspring through milk

Blood circRNAs may predict Alzheimer’s before symptoms emerge

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition) eBook

Latest eBooks

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (3rd edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Microbiome (1st edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition)

Advancing degrader and proximity-based drug development

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo