Living Cells News and Research

RSS

Non-destructive technique enables repeated transcriptome analysis in living cells

Normally, cells must be lysed for a so-called transcriptome analysis - which reveals which genes are currently being expressed - making repeated measurements on the same cells impossible.

5 May 2026

UCLA researchers build programmable artificial organelles using RNA

Just as the human body relies on organs such as the heart or liver for essential functions, cells depend on their own tiny organs, or organelles, to carry out vital tasks, including transporting nutrients, removing waste and regulating genetic activity.

30 Apr 2026

Scientists identify new inflammatory mechanism to treat chronic health conditions

A protein long understood to drive inflammation by producing nitric oxide has a second, previously unknown role - it physically binds to another key protein inside cells to directly modulate the immune response.

24 Apr 2026

Innovative light probes allow real-time visualization of cellular processes

Fluorescent proteins have revolutionized science, enabling researchers to tag and visualize individual molecules in living cells, tissues, and animals.

23 Apr 2026

Researchers use tiny glass capillaries to sample living cancer cell parts

A new analytical method could improve how cancer treatments are designed - by allowing scientists to track, for the first time, exactly where inside a living cell a drug accumulates. Researchers from the University of Surrey and King's College London developed the method, which detects trace amounts of metal inside individual living cells and their internal compartments without the need to kill the cells first

17 Apr 2026

Study explains failure of cellular cleanup in neurodegenerative diseases

Inside every cell, a cleanup operation runs around the clock. Proteins are constantly damaged by wear and tear. Some can be repaired, while others must be dismantled and recycled.

15 Apr 2026

Damon Runyon supports young scientists driving cancer research innovation

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has named 13 new Damon Runyon Fellows, exceptional postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators.

11 Apr 2026

Dynamic binding of linker histone H1 shapes flexible chromatin organization

DNA inside the nucleus is not packed as a rigid regular fiber-linker histone H1 dynamically binds and loosely "glues" nucleosomes together, creating a dynamic, fluid organization that can still support essential genome functions.

9 Apr 2026

Pol theta enzyme identified as key driver of cancer resilience

A cancer drug target already being investigated in clinical trials turns out to be doing something even more consequential than researchers realized.

7 Apr 2026

CiQUS researchers develop flexible chemical strategy to create biomimetic synthetic cells

A team at the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) at the University of Santiago de Compostela has developed a more flexible chemical strategy to create biomimetic structures—artificial systems that mimic cellular functions.

7 Apr 2026

New compounds reduce inflammation without weakening immune defense

Scripps Research scientists have developed a new class of drug compounds that reduce harmful inflammation while leaving the body's ability to fight infections intact-a long-sought goal in treating autoimmune diseases.

6 Apr 2026

Nanotube membrane injector enables precise transfer of cytoplasmic contents between cells

Cells are not isolated units; they continuously exchange proteins, genetic material, and even entire organelles with their neighbors.

3 Apr 2026

Where digital holographic microscopy complements fluorescence microscopy

Integrating Digital Holographic Microscopy with fluorescence techniques enhances live-cell imaging, preserving cellular integrity and improving assay accuracy.

From Park Systems 2 Apr 2026

New method reveals hidden protein motions for improved drug design

For many of us "protein" is the key element of a food order. However, beyond your preferred choice of meats or plant-based alternatives, proteins encompass a large class of complex biomolecules whose chemical structure is encoded in our genes.

27 Mar 2026

HOBIT device improves oxygen supply for drug-producing cells

Implanting living cells as long-term drug producers could transform treatment for numerous diseases, but it is difficult to house the tiny workers in quantities high enough to ensure dosage needs are met while also keeping the cells alive and thriving.

27 Mar 2026

Microtubules unveiled as active enzyme regulators

Microtubules, the dynamic filaments that form the cell's internal scaffolding, have long been viewed as mere passive structural supports. But a new study reveals they play a far more active signaling role. The findings, published in Science Advances, demonstrate that microtubules are in fact regulators of enzymatic reactions through reshaping the geometry of the enzyme's substrate proteins attached to them and controlling when key events occur to conduct cell division.

26 Mar 2026

New approach developed to visualize proteins at unprecedented scale and sensitivity

Proteins, one of the smallest building blocks of life on Earth, hold promise for answering some of biology's biggest questions.

18 Mar 2026

Study reveals dual role of PFK enzyme in metabolism and cell cycle progression

A metabolic enzyme studied for over seven decades has a hidden second function - it can unwind RNA and promote cell cycle progression, an additional function beyond its role in energy production, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey.

16 Mar 2026

Using blood proteins to make living brains transparent

Making a living brain transparent and watching its neurons fire without disturbing their function-sounds like science fiction, doesn't it? Yet the solution may already exist within our own bodies.

13 Mar 2026

Understanding PIEZO2 mutations and sensory disorders

Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal that the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts as a key sensor for touch, it remained unclear why PIEZO2 is specialized for the localized mechanical forces experienced by sensory neurons, whereas its close relative PIEZO1 responds to broader mechanical stresses such as those generated when cells stretch, as occurs in blood vessels.

9 Mar 2026