Crystallography News and Research

RSS

Researchers identify new molecular switch involved in programmed cell death

In the fight against disease, programmed cell death – also known as apoptosis – is a key protective function of the body. It breaks down cells that are damaged or have undergone dangerous changes.

3 Nov 2025

New research reveals how human astroviruses enter the body

Human astroviruses are a leading viral cause of the stomach bug-think vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. It often impacts young children and older adults, leading to vicious cycles of sickness and malnutrition, particularly for those in low and middle income countries.

3 Nov 2025

New study reveals how the glucocorticoid receptor forms complex structures inside cells

Drugs to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases - such as asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis or Chrousos syndrome - act mainly through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR).

27 Oct 2025

Revolutionary structures show how chaperone proteins prevent diseases caused by protein misfolding

The first full-length structures of two heat shock chaperone proteins in a complex reveal the key structural region regulating their function, according to a new study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

15 Oct 2025

University of Vienna team develops method to measure molecular charges

An international research team led by the University of Vienna has succeeded in developing a new method to directly measure partial charges in molecules. The results, now published in Nature, provide new insights into molecular interactions and offer potential applications in drug development and materials science.

22 Aug 2025

Researchers solve longstanding mystery of protein release in cells

It's known as biology's central dogma: All living organisms' genetic information is stored in DNA, which is transcribed into RNA, which is translated into proteins that perform nearly all essential tasks in a cell.

5 Aug 2025

Scientists uncover hidden superfamily of lipid trapping proteins in bacteria

Scientists have identified a new type of protein in bacteria that could change our understanding of how these organisms interact with their environments.

8 Jul 2025

New tool reveals hidden water patterns in protein structures

Every protein in the body is encased in a water shell that directs protein structure, provides vital stability and steers function.

30 Jun 2025

Researchers identify key differences in Alzheimer's progression in humans and animal models

Although it is known that Alzheimer's disease can start up to 20 years before the first symptoms appear, the lack of knowledge about how it progresses prevents the development of effective treatments, as well as a clear diagnosis to confront this neurodegenerative disease, which origin is also unknown.

19 Jun 2025

AI and film animation tools lead to breakthrough in coronavirus drug discovery

About 30% of all respiratory tract infections are caused by coronaviruses, leading to widespread illnesses and, in some cases, to epidemic and even pandemic outbreaks, as we experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic.

13 Jun 2025

Researchers find way to protect mitochondria from stress-induced damage

Mitochondria are the cell's power plants: They turn the food we eat into the energy our cells can use. But when stress hijacks the process they use to maintain their quality, they get snipped into useless fragments and go into a tailspin that spreads from cell to cell and triggers a wide range of human diseases.

26 May 2025

New antiviral compounds show broad protection against COVID-19 variants

Novel Mpro inhibitors exhibit broad activity against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.

30 Apr 2025

Antimalarial drug enhances effect of aminoglycosides in genetic disorders

The antimalarial drug mefloquine could help treat genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as well as some cancers.

23 Apr 2025

Discovery solves 67-year-old biochemical mystery about vitamin B1

Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a reactive molecule in water - a feat long thought impossible.

21 Apr 2025

Small antibody fragment shows potential for non-hormonal contraception

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows how a small antibody fragment can block fertilization by targeting a key protein on the surface of the egg.

15 Apr 2025

New quinoline-based antiviral shows strong promise against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers develop quinoline-based drug with inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro).

10 Apr 2025

Scientists stop long-COVID symptoms in mice using a new antiviral compound

Australian scientists developed a novel antiviral that targets the SARS-CoV-2 PLpro enzyme, showing strong preclinical efficacy in reducing both acute and long COVID symptoms in mice.

9 Apr 2025

New structural and mechanistic understanding for cancer drug design

A University of Iowa-led study has revealed the unexpected structure adopted by the DNA repair protein RAD52 as it binds and protects replicating DNA in dividing cells. This new structural and mechanistic understanding of the RAD52-DNA complex may help researchers develop new anti-cancer drugs.

3 Apr 2025

New enzyme target could lead to breakthrough therapies for Lyme disease

Researchers have discovered that an enzyme can serve as an ideal target for developing new therapeutics against Lyme disease, and most likely other tick-borne diseases as well.

20 Mar 2025