Photosynthesis News and Research

RSS

Photosynthesis is a chemical process by which plants, some bacteria, and algae convert energy derived from sunlight to chemical energy. This is an important process for biological life on earth because it allows energy from sunlight to be harnessed and transferred into a form that can be utilized by organisms to fuel their activity.

Plant-based eye drops harness photosynthesis to heal dry eyes

What if your eyes could use light to heal themselves? Drawing inspiration from how plants harness sunlight, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are pioneering a revolutionary treatment for dry eye disease.

20 May 2026

Analysis reveals long-term male bias in European meat access

Access to nutritious food is a fundamental pillar of human success, but such access has been unequal throughout history. In pre-industrial European societies, meat was a highly sought-after food, and access to it was often related to a higher social status.

7 Apr 2026

Cambridge’s LED breakthrough reinvents drug synthesis

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new way to alter complex drug molecules using light rather than toxic chemicals – a discovery that could accelerate and improve how medicines are designed and made.

13 Mar 2026

Far-red light suppresses biofilm formation and virulence in pathogenic bacteria

Light is a universal stimulus that influences all living things. Cycles of light and dark help set the biological clocks for organisms ranging from single-celled bacteria to human beings.

20 Jan 2026

Could chlorophyll become the next antidiabetic therapy?

Research highlights chlorophyll's role in blood sugar regulation and insulin mimicry, though safety risks and lack of human trials warrant caution.

20 Aug 2025

Camena Bioscience and Constructive Bio join synthetic biology collaboration to develop plant genomics

Camena Bioscience (Camena), an innovator in enzymatic DNA synthesis, and Constructive Bio (Constructive), a pioneer in whole genome writing, today announced they have joined a collaborative project led by the Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP), Germany, for a research initiative to develop synthetic chloroplast genomes.

14 Aug 2025

Tracking counterfeit medicines through chemical fingerprints

Medicines have a unique chemical fingerprint, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen. Researchers say this knowledge can be used to trace counterfeit or stolen medicine.

7 Aug 2025

Warming temperatures and CO2 levels threaten food quality

New preliminary research suggests that a combination of higher atmospheric CO2 and hotter temperatures contribute to a reduction in nutritional quality in food crops, with serious implications for human health and wellbeing.

9 Jul 2025

Study uncovers molecular mechanism behind 'ticking' of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria

Researchers from the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS)/SOKENDAI and Kyushu University have uncovered the molecular mechanism that drives the "ticking" of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria.

13 Jun 2025

Greener And Cleaner: Yeast-Green Algae Mix Improves Water Treatment

...

8 Nov 2024

Bioactive peptides from Chlorella vulgaris for therapeutic applications

Chlorella vulgaris is a green, photosynthetic microalga in the phylum Chlorophyta. The goal of our study was to perform a bioinformatics analysis of Photosystem I P700 chlorophyll a apoprotein A2, one of its photosynthesis-related proteins, and to hunt for potent bioactive peptides.

27 Oct 2024

Bacteriophages unveil auxiliary genes critical for infection

Viruses that infect bacteria—known as bacteriophages - could be used in a targeted manner to combat bacterial diseases.

16 Oct 2024

Phytoene increases lifespan, reduces oxidative stress and amyloid toxicity

Research indicates phytoene from microalgae protects against oxidative stress and beta-amyloid toxicity, suggesting its potential in promoting healthy aging.

30 Sep 2024

Could microalgae be the secret weapon to ending global hunger and saving the planet?

Researchers highlight the potential of commercially farmed microalgae to combat global undernutrition by providing essential nutrients and reducing environmental impacts.

26 Sep 2024

Scientists reveal global catalog of microbial small proteins, unlocking microbiome secrets

Researchers developed a global catalog of nearly one billion small open reading frames (smORFs) from microbial genomes, revealing significant protein diversity, particularly in archaea, and providing new tools for microbiome research.

2 Sep 2024

Integrating laboratory and field data to model plant circadian clock responses

Much of what we know about plant circadian rhythms is the result of laboratory experiments where inputs such as light and temperature can be tightly controlled.

23 Aug 2024

Study reveals enhanced electron transport in folded peptides

What puts the electronic pep in peptides? A folded structure, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

26 Jul 2024

Quantum biology's new frontier: Tryptophan networks and brain disease defense

The effects of quantum mechanics - the laws of physics that apply at exceedingly small scales - are extremely sensitive to disturbances.

29 Apr 2024

Scientists take a major step towards realizing synthetic CO2 fixing pathways in living cells

Synthetic biology offers the opportunity to build biochemical pathways for the capture and conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2).

2 Jan 2024

Oxidized amino acids signal damaged photosynthesis proteins for repair

Photosynthesis refers to the fundamental biological process of the conversion of light energy into chemical energy by chlorophyll (a green pigment) containing plants.

18 Dec 2023