Researchers argue that biology teachers need special training to address students' incorrect ideas about evolution, which can hinder scientific understanding. The study found that experienced teachers diagnosed around 60% of misconceptions correctly, while those with no experience did so only half the time.
The Experimental Biology 2022 meeting will feature renowned speakers, including Nobel laureates and research pioneers, who will present the latest findings and trends in life sciences. Keynote presentations include talks on vaccine science, navigation, RNA splicing, pharmacology, and cancer classification.
Researchers at UC Berkeley engineered bacteria to produce an unnatural molecule through a combination of synthetic chemistry and biology. This breakthrough enables the creation of previously impossible chemicals, paving the way for sustainable materials and innovative products.
A recent study published in PaleoAmerica journal challenges the long-held theory that Native Americans originated from Japan. The research, led by Professor Richard Scott, analyzed genetics and skeletal biology of teeth samples from multiple continents, finding little connection between the Jomon people and Native Americans.
Fionnuala Lundy, an Associate Professor at Queen's University Belfast, has received the IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for her groundbreaking research on naturally-occurring antimicrobial peptides. Her work focuses on oral/dental stem cells, pulp regeneration and various oral diseases.
YiPing Chen, a renowned developmental biologist, has made significant contributions to the understanding of genetic control and molecular regulation of mammalian organ development. He is recognized for his work on genetic regulation of tooth development and cleft palate, which have improved our knowledge of craniofacial biology.
Researchers developed an optimized schedule for automated biology lab robots, maximizing experiments within time and resource constraints. The S-LAB framework accounts for time constraints and resource conflicts, improving efficiencies in life science experiments.
Scientists developed a machine learning algorithm that uses artificial neural networks to accurately forecast cell size as it grows and divides. By recognizing patterns in the data, the computer can make more complex predictions than conventional methods, which rely on simplifying assumptions.
The FUTURE-MINDS-QB program provides rigorous training and academic mentorship for students from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups in quantitative biology and biomedical data sciences. The program aims to equalize access to high-level training and streamline the PhD application process.
Researchers John Schwabe and Daniel Panne have been awarded £3.89 million to investigate gene regulation, with a focus on histone deacetylase complexes and DNA folding. The study aims to understand how genes are regulated and its potential in treating diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.
A recent review in Genome Biology and Evolution discusses the evolutionary fates of supergenes, revealing new findings that challenge classical models. The genomic architecture of a supergene is inextricably tied to its evolutionary fate, with empirical studies yielding surprises about their origin and genetic architecture.
Researchers found elevated levels of specific biomarkers in COVID-19 patients, particularly those with comorbidities like high blood pressure and diabetes. These findings suggest that non-invasive urine analysis could predict which individuals are at risk of developing severe disease.
The Protein Data Bank (PDB) is celebrating 50 years of sharing scientific knowledge, with millions of users accessing its data for fundamental biology, energy, and biomedicine. The event highlights the PDB's role in understanding protein folding, including SARS-CoV-2, and structural biology's impact on medicine and drug discovery.
Mehrnaz Afkhami, a University of Oklahoma doctoral biology student, received the graduate student poster award for her research on female behavioral response to male novel traits in fruit flies. Her study focuses on genetics and neurobiology aspects of this behavior.
Scientists have successfully generated human-monkey chimeric embryos, allowing them to study human development and disease under in vivo conditions. The research has the potential to provide new insights into evolutionary barriers to chimera generation and improve model systems for studying human biology.
Researchers at the University of Miami have successfully cultured cells from coral and sea anemones for up to 12 days, opening new avenues for studying evolutionary biology and human health. The breakthrough uses antibiotic treatment to prime tissues before culture, allowing for longer and more robust cell cultures.
Herbert Waldmann has been awarded the Richard Willstätter Prize for his groundbreaking work in chemical biology. He is recognized for developing novel approaches to create new active substances that can target specific biological processes, such as stopping cancer cell glucose uptake.
Researchers used synthetic biology to develop a genetic design that reproduces key processes in natural systems, such as symmetry breakage observed in embryos. The new platform can generate spatial patterns seen in more complex animals like Drosophila melanogaster and humans.
Researchers have developed a new type of model using synthetic biology to replicate symmetry breakage observed in embryos, enabling the creation of complex structures. The study identified essential parameters that modulate spatial pattern emergence in E. coli, paving the way for understanding embryonic development.
The US is ill-prepared to confront disease outbreaks and food-supply threats caused by airborne organisms due to fragmented research. Unifying atmospheric biology research could improve the country's response to pandemics and other national security threats.
The genomes of platypus and echidna have been published in Nature, providing a valuable resource for research on mammalian biology and evolution. The study sheds light on the unique biology and reproductive strategy of these animals, offering new leads for drug development and genetic management of threatened populations.
A recent study published in Genome Biology reveals a high level of site-specificity in bacteria found in the human mouth, with distinct genetic forms associated with specific sites. The researchers used metapangenomics to identify novel bacterial strains and potential habitat-specific genes.
Researchers at WPI will develop computational models to understand cellular forces and geometry during cell division. The study aims to identify factors that lead to defective spindle structure in cells, which can be targeted to promote cancer cell death.
Research reveals thymoquinone's ability to induce apoptosis and DNA damage in 5-Fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic agent. The compound targets CSCs enriched from both sensitive and resistant cell lines, suggesting a promising effect on chemoresistant cells.
A University of Minnesota-led research network seeks to address diversity gaps in biology education by incorporating diverse perspectives and student experiences from non-traditional institutions. The EDU-STEM network, funded by the National Science Foundation, aims to improve learning outcomes for underrepresented STEM students.
This article discusses the integration of ultrasound imaging in medicine and biology, enabling advanced techniques such as molecular imaging and therapy. The use of ultrasound contrast agents and microbubble cavitation has opened up new opportunities for intracellular delivery and cancer treatment.
A partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and BioBright LLC aims to improve synthetic biology equipment security. The team is developing countermeasures to risks, protecting America's bioeconomy and digital infrastructure from potential data theft or targeted attacks.
Recent studies in human genetics reveal insights into transcriptional regulation, gene expression, and mutation's role in shaping the human genome. These findings have important implications for understanding human health and disease, with applications in fields such as medicine and evolutionary biology.
Researchers aim to determine how autophagy, a cellular recycling process, is related to Alzheimer's disease and dementia. They will examine the effect of compromised autophagy on peripheral tissues and explore potential interventions to reverse decline.
A collaborative team of 28 professors from various biology fields will integrate recent discoveries about microbial symbiosis and its impact on evolution and ecology.
Recent reports suggest a lower incidence of COVID-19 among high-altitude populations, however, current data is insufficient to confirm this association. The authors conclude that there is currently little supporting evidence for any protective benefit of genetic or nongenomic adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia.
Piya Ghose, an assistant professor of biology at UTA, has established a new lab with $2 million in CPRIT funding. Her research focuses on programmed cell death, which can lead to cancer through tumor creation. Ghose's work aims to understand how tumors behave throughout the body and could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment.
Researchers at Insilico Medicine developed a new AI model that combines generative biology and chemistry to generate novel molecular structures for a desired transcriptional response. The Bidirectional Adversarial Autoencoder can be used for virtual screening, discovering new molecular structures and predicting transcriptional responses.
Researchers developed a novel computational tool called Millefy to visualize heterogeneity in RNA biology between single cells. The study reveals that even small differences in RNA processing can significantly impact cell behavior, offering new insights into why patients with the same disease respond differently.
The Annual Review of Cancer Biology has converted to open access, making its content freely available worldwide. The move is part of a pilot program called Subscribe to Open, which uses existing library relationships and subscription purchases to convert gated journals to open access.
The study found that SLC25A32 inhibition resulted in anti-proliferative effects on certain tumor cell lines, potentially by increasing reactive oxygen species. Treatment with riboflavin and glutathione rescued cancer cell proliferation upon SLC25A32 down-regulation.
A new synthetic biology toolkit called COMET allows researchers to design and tune gene expression programs in mammalian cells with unprecedented precision. This breakthrough could lead to the development of novel cell-based therapies for cancer and other challenging diseases.
Dr. Allon M. Klein receives the Dr. Susan Lim Award for his groundbreaking contributions to stem cell and developmental biology, including novel approaches to adult stem cell self-renewal and a cell-isolation system for transcriptional analysis.
A recent focus issue explores the cell biology of virus-host and virus-vector interactions to improve crop management. Research reveals insights into plasmodesmatal connections, cell-cell signaling, and biotechnological approaches for host resistance.
The book Rethinking Biology highlights how biology is often oversimplified, leading to a false public understanding of biological processes. The authors study children and adults' perceptions, journalists' writing, legal contexts, and religious world views to shed light on this issue.
Researchers have made significant breakthroughs in cell-free gene expression, enabling high-yielding protein synthesis and expanding genetically encoded chemistry. This has opened doors to create new types of enzymes, materials, and therapeutics. Northwestern University's Center for Synthetic Biology is at the forefront of this field.
Molecular Systems Biology has appointed systems biologist M. Madan Babu as its new Chief Editor, strengthening the journal's position in the field of systems biology. The appointment aims to encourage interdisciplinary research and bridge silos between fields.
New studies reveal a broader range of genetic code deviations than previously thought, particularly among green algae. The research suggests that these changes may have driven the evolution of unique mitochondrial genome organizations.
Researchers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture join a global call for responsible synthetic biology development. The authors highlight four major areas where improvements are needed to advance the field, including genome design, DNA synthesis, genome editing, and chromosome construction.
Twelve emerging scientists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain, and Uruguay have won PROLAB travel grants to collaborate with top researchers in the US, Canada, and Spain. They will work on various projects, including reproductive biology, neuronal proteostasis regulation, exercise-induced mood changes, and cancer progression.
Twelve scientists have been recognized by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for their significant contributions to biochemistry, molecular biology, and education. The award winners include Paul Black, Manajit Hayer-Hartl, Jean Schaffer, Edward Dennis, Yang Zhang, David Pagliarini, Kevin Campbell, among others.
A new roadmap by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium outlines potential breakthroughs in synthetic biology, including genetically modified crops, disease-fighting microbes, and novel biofuels. The report aims to secure federal support for this field to address societal challenges and fuel economic growth.
Anibal Diogenes, a University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio researcher, received the 2019 IADR Distinguished Scientist Award for his contributions to pulp biology and regeneration. His work has demonstrated novel applications of mesenchymal stem cells in regenerative endodontic procedures.
Dr. Frank Scannapieco is recognized for his contributions to oral microbiology, with a focus on molecular mechanisms of oral bacterial colonization and saliva-bacterial interactions. He has published nearly 200 research articles and received multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health.
Lillian Fritz-Laylin is a recipient of the Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences, which includes four years of funding to investigate complex mechanisms of biology. Her research focuses on understanding how cells deploy actin for various functions, with implications for disease prevention and progression.
A 5,000-year-old toy has inspired a portable centrifuge that can prepare scientific samples including DNA, working as well as expensive cousins but costing less than $1. The device, dubbed the 3D-Fuge, was demonstrated in two applications, one in a rainforest and another in a high school for synthetic biology competition.
Scientists at Indiana University found that bacteria can evolve new genes from phages, a discovery that could help advance research on bacterial resistance. The study shows bacteria's ability to transform an implement of war into a tool to create life.
A new project at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology aims to discover a thousand new ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) using synthetic biology and automation. The project uses an automated robotic system, called iBioFAB, to identify new RiPPs and create new molecules.
The UCI Skin Biology Resource-based Center will provide critical research infrastructure and resources for investigating skin biology and diseases. The center aims to discover fundamental mechanisms that may ultimately improve the understanding and treatment of skin diseases.
A recent study by Doyle and Coate explores the mechanisms of polyploidy in plants, highlighting its impact on cell biology and evolutionary novelty. The authors found that genome doubling can alter cell size, nuclear volume, and cell cycle duration, with many effects attributed to changes in bulk DNA amount.
A new science curriculum, Integrating Biology with Inquiry (IBIS), has been shown to increase student buy-in and satisfaction over time, while maintaining learning gains. The four-year study found that students recognized the connection between their teaching methods and their learning outcomes.
Researchers have developed EmbryoPhenomics, a technology that captures detailed measurements of organism development, revealing sensitive responses to environmental stressors. The technology has the potential to be a game-changer in assessing climate change impacts and preserving biodiversity.
A recent study finds that introductory biology textbooks devote less than 1% of their text to discussing insects, despite them making up over 60% of animal species. This lack of coverage provides a poor foundation for understanding ecosystems and biodiversity.
A study from Bentley University's Center for Integration of Science and Industry reveals that many undergraduate biology textbooks fail to provide context for applying science in business. This can lead to impaired student engagement and limited ability to apply science in the workforce, hindering the goals of science education.
Researchers have identified three proteins that regulate each other with surprising complexity, potentially leading to treatments for some forms of infertility and fighting aggressive cancers. The discovery could also inform precision medicine treatments for certain types of aggressive cancers.