A University of Washington-led research team discovered well-preserved fossil feathers in a dinosaur coprolite, which could provide insight into why some birds survived the mass extinction. The feathers have features similar to modern birds' feathers, including a sponge-like center, and may have played a role in the extinction event.
Researchers at University of California San Diego have demonstrated that one of biology's most essential enzymes can accurately read and transcribe an expanded, eight-letter genetic alphabet. This breakthrough advances synthetic biology and could allow scientists to create new biological systems and diagnostic tools.
The Plant Journal has transitioned to gold open access, removing paywalls and making its research freely available. This change is part of the Society for Experimental Biology's strategy to support the plant science community and ensure discoveries reach the widest audience.
A team of scientists used predictive AI to investigate the mechanism behind 'subjective color' - the phenomenon where people perceive colors in black-and-white patterns. The study suggests that learning the association between motion and color may enable colors to emerge from black-and-white stimuli.
Researchers discovered a structural aberration in octopus ribosomes that enhances accuracy and reduces errors in protein synthesis. This finding may be linked to the evolution of the octopus's complex sensory system, which includes a highly sensitive 'taste by touch' system.
Scientists have discovered that oxygenic photosynthesis is possible with only one photosystem, overturning a long-held assumption in biology. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that the absence of one photosystem can be compensated by an alternative mechanism.
A new collaboration between Tufts University and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences provides graduate students with immersive, experiential learning opportunities in marine science. Students participating in the Sea Change Semester will learn and work in state-of-the-art laboratories and on research voyages.
MD4SB integrates molecular dynamics tools into three European Research Infrastructures, enabling researchers to share and reuse data, and accelerate drug discovery. The project also involves pharmaceutical companies like Almirall and Sanofi.
A new review suggests that ageing results from overlapping changes occurring simultaneously at many levels of biological organization. This approach is reflected in the concept of the 'hallmarks of ageing', which are interconnected biological characteristics and processes consistently associated with aging.
The foundation has awarded fellowships to Minsoo Kim, Sahana Kuthyar, and Matthew Leventhal to investigate rare cell populations in healthy tissues and pneumonia risk in immunocompromised patients. They aim to develop new computational tools to understand biomarkers and microenvironmental influences.
UW researchers found that most biology education guidelines lack connections to society, with only 7% of elements discussing ethics and public health issues. This can lead to a lack of engagement and retention among students, as real-world examples support their interest in science and help develop their scientific identity.
An international team of researchers used AI to create tiny 'smart' proteins that detect chosen targets, opening the way to low-cost biosensors. The protein switches can work inside living cells and generate electrical signals, making them suitable for various sensing technologies.
Dr. Hongmei Wang joins Stem Cell Reports as an Associate Editor, bringing expertise in early embryo and placental development. Her laboratory investigates mechanisms governing embryonic and placental development, with potential for improving reproductive health outcomes.
Xuesong He, a professor at ADA Forsyth, has been recognized with the 2026 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for his groundbreaking research in oral biology. His work has greatly advanced our understanding of microbial ecology in the human mouth and its connections to various diseases.
Hal Duncan, a Professor and Consultant in Endodontics at Trinity College Dublin, received the 2026 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for his outstanding research contributions in pulp biology. His work focuses on translational pulp biology and applied vital pulp treatment using epigenetic modifications.
The Dream Biology Award recognizes original ideas with potential to advance biological research and deliver benefits to society. The competition invites ambitious proposals across various biological sciences and offers a unique trophy and €10,000 prize.
New research by Henkjan Honing reveals that humans are born with biological predispositions for music structure, detectable from birth. The study, published in Current Biology, challenges the long-held assumption that music is a cultural product and instead suggests that musicality is an ancient biological capacity.
Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center will be the first in the southern US to offer biology-guided radiotherapy (BgRT), a breakthrough treatment that uses cancer biology to guide radiotherapy delivery. This new therapy aims to provide more focused and accurate treatment with fewer side effects for patients.
The ISSCR recognizes Dr. Kyle M. Loh's groundbreaking work on human pluripotent stem cells, enabling precision differentiation of various cell types and bridging stem cell biology and virology. His research has far-reaching implications for developmental biology, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine.
Researchers develop novel method to manipulate cell structures using weak magnetic fields and isotopes, bridging structural biology, biophysics, and quantum biology. This work offers a potential new strategy for stabilizing damaged brain proteins, typical of neurodegenerative diseases.
Chemical Insights scientists received awards for their research on vaping-associated exposures and health risks, as well as other papers that integrate molecular biology or systems biology to toxicology research. The institute's efforts aim to safeguard public health by advancing scientific understanding of chemical risks.
Researchers Connor Thompson and Samuel Morriss share the US$30,000 prize for proposing innovative experiments on viruses and skin as test subjects for quantum biology. Their essays present novel frameworks for studying 'quantum advantage' and its applications to life's quantum foundations.
Advanced Cancer Research defines a platform for integrating molecular biology, genomics, immunology, engineering, and computational science to understand cancer as a complex disease. The journal prioritizes studies that provide mechanistic depth and bridge disciplinary boundaries.
A research team at KAIST has proposed an AI-driven approach to solve the long-standing mystery of gene function. The team suggests combining computational biology with experimental biology to discover gene functions, leveraging tools like AlphaFold and generative AI.
Gerald M. Wilson, PhD, joins UMSOM as Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, bringing expertise in RNA biochemistry and cancer mechanisms. He aims to strengthen departmental capabilities and foster collaboration to advance research, education, and service.
The Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Aging Biology and Geroscience Research will support 18 junior investigators studying age-related diseases and healthspan. The awards, worth $375,000 each, are designed to advance research projects in basic biology of aging and geroscience.
A QUT-led study introduces a framework to assess the potential of different strategies to mitigate climate change through plant agriculture and synthetic biology innovations. Reducing reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers is seen as a key solution, with gigatonne-level potential for carbon mitigation.
The ISSCR, SDB, and the Allen Institute are hosting a three-day scientific symposium featuring early-career scientists, focusing on cross-disciplinary exchange and amplifying emerging leaders in developmental biology and stem cell science. Confirmed topics include data analysis, model systems, spatial awareness, and cell fates.
The Biohub initiative combines world-class compute capacity, frontier AI research and engineering, and state-of-the-art experimental and imaging technologies to accelerate science. The combined team will develop datasets, laboratory technologies, and modeling innovations needed to build next-generation AI systems for biological discovery.
The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) introduces a new journal, Insights in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, broadening its scope to cover molecular life science discoveries. The journal joins ASBMB's family of journals with swift publication and constructive review.
The partnership creates a stable, high-impact venue for MCBIOS members to publish their research, particularly the output from the Society's annual conference. The designation of JMIR Bioinformatics and Biotechnology as the official journal provides maximum visibility for cutting-edge work in bioinformatics and computational biology.
The Stowers Institute has appointed its first AI Fellow, Sumner Magruder, to harness the potential of artificial intelligence in biological research. He will collaborate with researchers to design new algorithms and unlock insights from large datasets.
Boston University researcher Brian Cleary has been awarded a five-year, $2.25 million NIH grant to investigate how gene expression changes over time in single cells. His project aims to develop new computational-experimental approaches to track RNA velocity vector fields and deepen understanding of cell physiology.
The new German center, Instruct-DE, joins pan-European distributed research infrastructure Instruct-ERIC to make high-end technologies freely available to researchers across Europe. Partner institutions include top-tier German research centers, enhancing European collaboration in structural biology.
University of Michigan researchers propose a technique called Dynamic Sensor Selection to identify disease biomarkers. The approach, which applies control theory and observability principles to biological systems, has been shown to pinpoint biomarkers at each time point and reduce data complexity.
Lucia Strader's lab at Salk will explore how plants sense and integrate environmental cues to shape their growth and development. Her work aims to advance fundamental understanding of plant biology and design more resilient crop varieties.
PLOS Biology joins forces with MetaROR to enhance the peer-review process, utilizing pre-existing reviewer reports to streamline publication practices. This collaboration aims to promote open science and accelerate meaningful change in research publishing.
EMBL's initiative integrates AI into molecular biology, medical research, and data analysis to advance genomics and drug discovery. The funding enables the creation of dedicated AI research groups and infrastructure.
A four-level hierarchical framework has been developed to standardize all experimental processes in biofoundries, facilitating the accumulation of high-quality process data usable in AI applications. This structure enables consistent recording, sharing, and automation of complex biological experiments.
Michael Danquah, a professor at University of Tennessee at Knoxville, has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology for his significant contributions to biotechnology and molecular bioengineering. His research in biosensing, bioremediation, and targeted drug delivery addresses critical healthcare and environmental challenges.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's latest AI model, GREmLN, is designed to predict and understand how genes interact within cells. It focuses on the molecular logic that defines gene behavior, allowing researchers to track critical changes pinpointing the earliest signs of disease.
Sara Freeman, a neurobiologist at Utah State University, has received the Council on Undergraduate Research Biology Mentor Early-Career Award for her exceptional mentorship of undergraduate researchers. She has mentored over 40 students and developed courses to encourage research involvement.
Professor Eran Meshorer's groundbreaking research in epigenetics and stem cell biology has uncovered critical insights into chromatin structure and gene expression. His work has broad implications for regenerative medicine, developmental biology, and understanding neurological disorders.
The SEB Conference 2025 will feature over 500 talks on latest advances in experimental research across animal, plant and cell biology. The event highlights groundbreaking research in biomechanics, wildlife conservation, human disease and bio-inspired robotics.
The Berggren Center for Quantum Biology and Medicine will merge quantum technology with biology to transform medicine, driving the development of revolutionary quantum tools and cultivating bilingual scholars. Researchers will translate quantum advances into clinical solutions, enabling new diagnostics and therapies.
A new study by University of Cologne researchers found that teaching 'threshold concepts' like randomness and probability in a biological context improves students' understanding of biology. The study suggests that addressing these concepts can increase the complexity and coherence of concept networks.
The foundation recognizes five early-career scientists who apply computational methods to cancer research, with a focus on developing new protein designs and understanding chromatin modifications. Their work aims to improve treatment strategies and precision oncology for various cancers.
Researchers at UCL and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology successfully replicated RNA in a simple way, overcoming the challenge of double helix formation. This breakthrough provides new insights into the origin of life, suggesting that RNA played a key role in early life forms.
A Cornell University study found that plant genes respond to auxin in a chaotic manner, despite the precise formation of flowers. Researchers discovered that spatial averaging helps smooth out gene expression noise, allowing plants to control development. This finding has implications for plant engineering and synthetic biology.
John N. Weinstein, MD, PhD, chair of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been elected Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Academy. He made significant contributions to advancing our knowledge of molecular profiles of cancer through multi-omic studies and data analysis.
Researchers from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw discovered a crucial role of enzyme TENT5A in extending poly(A) tails of therapeutic mRNA molecules, making them more stable and effective. Macrophages play a key role in vaccine effectiveness, capturing and neutralizing 'intruders' after administration.
Berger has made significant contributions to cancer epigenetics and tumor biology. Her work has elucidated key mechanisms of p53 regulation and immune cell epigenetics, advancing our understanding of cancer biology.
Biology Open's Fast & Fair peer review pilot has successfully reduced publication delays by recruiting contracted reviewers who are paid per manuscript. The innovative system, launched in July 2024, ensures high-quality reviews within 7 business days, often faster.
The National Initiative for RNA Biology and Its Applications (NIRBA) aims to strengthen Singapore's RNA research capabilities, focusing on human health and diverse applications. The program will integrate leading institutions and promote interdisciplinary collaborations to achieve groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
A study published in BMC Biology found that different scientists working with the same datasets can arrive at vastly different results, emphasizing the importance of transparent analysis methods. The findings raise fundamental questions about reproducibility and reliability in scientific results.
Dr. Mikael Simons is being recognized for his pioneering research on myelin biology, glial cell biology, and neuroinflammation that continues to inform MS research. His work has helped identify a promising therapeutic target with potential to benefit people with MS.
The final synthetic chromosome unlocks new possibilities in metabolic engineering and strain optimisation, enabling the generation of genetic diversity on demand. The achievement represents a major milestone in synthetic biology and has important implications for future genome engineering projects.
The Arc Institute is collaborating with NVIDIA to develop powerful computational models and tools for biomedical research. The partnership aims to advance the capabilities of the global biomedical research community through the use of generative AI.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have developed an AI method that can accurately predict the activity of genes within any human cell, revealing the cell's inner mechanisms. The system can also uncover hidden biology of diseased cells and explore the role of genome's 'dark matter' in cancer and other diseases.
The team developed a Synthetic Translational Coupling Element (SynTCE) that enhances the precision and integration density of genetic circuits in synthetic biology. This allows for more efficient gene circuit integration, minimizing interference between biological parts and enabling precise control over multiple genes.