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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

Opioid receptors caught in motion offering clues for safer painkillers

Scientists have known for decades that opioids relieve pain by binding to molecular switches in the brain called mu-opioid (pronounced "mew-opioid") receptors. What they didn't know - until now - was exactly what happens next.

5 Nov 2025

Breakthrough study reveals how rabies virus uses few proteins to hijack cells

New antivirals and vaccines could follow the discovery by Australian researchers of strategies used by viruses to control our cells.

5 Nov 2025

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

Explore how smart automation enables precise, reproducible workflows in anaerobic microbiome research, improving accuracy and experimental control.

From Molecular Devices UK Ltd 5 Nov 2025

PTGES3 emerges as key regulator of androgen receptor in prostate cancer

A poorly characterized protein, historically thought to be a chaperone or enzyme, may actually be a key player in prostate cancer.

5 Nov 2025

Researchers reveal common synaptic pathway behind Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases

Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases are the two most common neurodegenerative disorders, affecting millions of people worldwide.

4 Nov 2025

Loud noise exposure worsens motor deficits in Parkinson’s disease model

In the development of Parkinson's disease, it may not be a good idea to turn the amp to 11. High-volume noise exposure produced motor deficits in a mouse model of early-stage Parkinson's disease, and established a link between the auditory processing and movement areas of the brain, according to a study published November 4th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Pei Zhang from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, and colleagues.

4 Nov 2025

Study finds high intake of ultra-processed foods tied to reduced DNA methylation

Women who consumed more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) showed distinct DNA methylation patterns, mostly reduced across key gene regions. These exploratory findings suggest that high UPF intake may influence gene regulation through epigenetic mechanisms.

4 Nov 2025

UQ researchers capture first high-resolution images of the yellow fever virus

University of Queensland researchers have captured the first high-resolution images of the yellow fever virus (YFV), a potentially deadly viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that affects the liver.

4 Nov 2025

Swapping meat for plant-based options cuts fat but lowers protein, study finds

Replacing meat with plant-based or mycoprotein alternatives in UK diets lowers saturated fat and boosts fiber but reduces protein intake, especially for teens and older adults. The overall saturated fat reduction is too small to meaningfully affect cholesterol levels, researchers report in npj Science of Food.

4 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs calm inflammation beyond diabetes and weight loss

This Journal of Clinical Investigation review describes how glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)–based medicines reduce systemic and tissue inflammation through both weight-dependent and weight-independent mechanisms. It details preclinical and clinical evidence linking GLP-1 receptor activation to cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, neural, and joint anti-inflammatory effects while outlining uncertainties and future research needs.

4 Nov 2025

Motor protein Myosin II regulates temperature sensitivity of immune cells

Temperature is a key physiological factor that determines the speed of immune reactions. While this may seem obvious, it has remained largely unexplored at the single-cell level-until now.

4 Nov 2025

Novel vaccine strategy could solve the challenge of implanted device infections

Patients with implanted medical devices like orthopedic joint replacements, pacemakers, and artificial heart valves run a small but significant risk that these devices get infected with bacterial pathogens.

4 Nov 2025

Study reveals how "P bodies" heavily influence a cell's fate

How do stem cells know what to become? Nearly three decades after scientists isolated the first human embryonic stem cells, researchers are still working hard to understand precisely how a single, undifferentiated cell can become any one of the roughly 200 cell types that make up the human body.

4 Nov 2025

New approach harnesses tumor's own machinery to produce immune-stimulating molecules

By stimulating cancer cells to produce a molecule that activates a signaling pathway in nearby immune cells, MIT researchers have found a way to force tumors to trigger their own destruction.

3 Nov 2025

Small increases in daily steps may slow Alzheimer’s progression

Increasing your steps by even a little bit may help slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease among people at heightened risk, according to a new study.

3 Nov 2025

How walnuts combat inflammation and oxidative stress in the body

This review in Food Science & Nutrition synthesizes evidence showing that walnuts (Juglans regia L.) exert potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, apoptosis-regulatory, and immunomodulatory effects through bioactive compounds influencing mitochondrial, cytokine, and redox pathways.

3 Nov 2025

St. Jude scientists identify new therapeutic target for high-risk pediatric leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia driven by tandem duplications within the UBTF gene (UBTF-TD AML) is a high-risk pediatric cancer in urgent need of novel therapeutic options.

3 Nov 2025

Johns Hopkins study reveals enzyme that shields neurons from oxidative stress

New research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that the enzyme biliverdin reductase A (BVRA) plays a direct protective role against oxidative stress in neurons, independent of its role producing the yellow pigment bilirubin.

3 Nov 2025

Northwestern team develops antibody to expose hidden pancreatic cancer cells

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously hard to treat and often resists the most advanced immunotherapies. Northwestern Medicine scientists have uncovered a novel explanation for that resistance: Pancreatic tumors use a sugar-based disguise to hide from the immune system.

3 Nov 2025

Researchers develop a versatile tool for controlling gene activity

Investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a versatile and non-toxic technology for controlling the activity of any gene in a cell. Such "gene-switch" tools allow scientists to "turn on" or "turn off" a target gene to study how it works, model diseases and design new therapies.

3 Nov 2025