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Scientists simulate complete life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell

By simulating the life cycle of a minimal bacterial cell - from DNA replication to protein translation to metabolism and cell division - scientists have opened a new frontier of computer vision into the essential processes of life.

9 Mar 2026

STING agonists exert potent antitumor effects against nervous system tumors

The cGAS-STING signaling pathway has emerged as a major focus in cancer immunotherapy because it stimulates interferon production and enhances antitumor immune responses.

9 Mar 2026

New CRISPR technique boosts mitochondrial function to treat heart failure

After a heart attack, the heart struggles to recoup and maintain energy. One third of patients develop heart failure as a result ⎯ a condition that impacts 6.8 million Americans and carries a high lifetime risk with 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. expected to develop the condition during their lifetime.

9 Mar 2026

Cytotrait secures £3 M seed funding to address global food security and sustainable agriculture

Cytotrait, a biotechnology spinout company from The University of Manchester focussed on the development of novel traits for food and agriculture, today announced the close of its £3 M seed funding round.

9 Mar 2026

FOXJ3 gene identified as the critical link between abnormal brain development and epilepsy

Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a "master switch" failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy.

9 Mar 2026

Targeting Wnt signaling to solve the dental pulp challenge

Dental pulp regeneration remains a major clinical challenge. Researchers have discovered that SMAD7 directly forms a transcriptional complex with β-catenin in human dental pulp stem cells, activating Wnt signaling and promoting regenerative gene expression.

9 Mar 2026

Identifying common genetic markers for multiple sclerosis

A new study published in Neurology and led by Queen Mary University of London, has revealed that people of South Asian, African and European ancestry share many of the same genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS).

9 Mar 2026

How somatic mutations shape disease and reveal new drug targets

Researchers reviewed how somatic mutations accumulate in normal and diseased tissues, showing that natural selection can expand clones that influence disease risk, tissue adaptation, or cellular resilience. The study proposes somatic genomics as a powerful strategy to uncover disease mechanisms and identify new therapeutic targets across multiple conditions.

8 Mar 2026

Med14 protein drives GLP-1 benefits in pancreatic beta cells

GLP-1s are building a reputation as "wonder drugs." First characterized for their ability to improve insulin release and treat diabetes, the drugs were later found to promote weight loss and improve cardiovascular health.

6 Mar 2026

Ketone body can strengthen the fitness and antitumor activity of CAR T cells

A naturally occurring byproduct of liver metabolism–the ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)–can strengthen the fitness and antitumor activity of CAR T cells.

6 Mar 2026

New optovolution technique uses light to guide protein evolution

Evolution is biology's powerful method of engineering. It works by generating many variants of DNA, RNA, and proteins inside cells and letting nature "select" the organism that performs best.

6 Mar 2026

Research reveals nuclear metabolic fingerprint in human cells

More than two hundred metabolic enzymes, many of which are normally tasked with producing energy in the mitochondria, are also found sitting directly on top of human DNA, according to a study published today in Nature Communications.

6 Mar 2026

Scientists identify common molecular program across multiple brain tumor types

Research uncovering the origin of pineoblastoma, a rare pediatric brain tumor, has also revealed a dependency across multiple brain tumor types that share a similar molecular program.

6 Mar 2026

Researchers develop non-hormonal contraceptives to reduce side effects for couples

In the 1970s, the contraceptive pill was the most frequently used method of contraception in Western countries; in Germany, for example, one in three women used "the pill."

6 Mar 2026

New compound shows promise in protecting the liver from damage after small bowel surgery

When parts of the small intestine are diseased or die, the treatment can involve surgically removing the affected tissue.

6 Mar 2026

Scientists discover how herpes simplex virus softens cells to multiply faster

Herpes simplex virus partially liquifies the tightly packed, gel-like interior of human cell nuclei to copy itself faster, a new study shows.

6 Mar 2026

Six federal scientists run out by Trump talk about the work left undone

Marc Ernstoff, a physician who has pioneered immunotherapy research and treatments for cancer patients, said his work as a federal scientist proved untenable under the Trump administration.

6 Mar 2026

MSK uncovers how interacting mutations shield breast cancer

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have made an important discovery about how genetic mutations in breast cancer patients can interact and drive resistance to certain drugs called CDK4/6 inhibitors. This finding, published in Nature, suggests a new strategy for predicting and preventing resistance to specific therapies based on the tumor's genetic profile.

6 Mar 2026

AI trained on 9 trillion DNA letters predicts harmful mutations and designs new genomes

Scientists developed Evo 2, a large biological foundation model trained on about 9 trillion DNA base pairs that can analyse genomic sequences across bacteria, plants, and humans. The model predicts functional effects of genetic variants and can generate genome-scale DNA sequences, enabling new approaches to studying and designing biological systems.

5 Mar 2026

Tufts researchers identify new vulnerabilities to combat persistent C. diff infections

Affecting roughly half a million Americans each year, bacterial infections caused by Clostridioides difficile—commonly known as C. diff—are a serious and persistent problem for patients and hospitals alike.

5 Mar 2026