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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory


Plants have a backup plan

Researchers found that plants use both DDM1 and RNAi to control chromosome division, providing a 'backup plan' when one molecule is lost. This discovery may lead to better treatments for human diseases such as ICF syndrome and cancer progression.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Plants·DateOct 3, 2024

How does cancer spread? Follow the map

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory create a roadmap of how prostate cancer spreads throughout the body, showing that aggressive cells seed cancer's rare migrations to bones, liver, lungs, and lymph nodes. The new technology offers a clearer picture of cancer spread and could lead to more targeted therapeutics.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalCancer Discovery·DateSep 25, 2024

The curious immune cells caught between worlds

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered that innate-like T cells mature differently in humans than in mice, with age playing a critical role in their development. This finding has significant implications for the development of immunotherapeutics, highlighting the need to consider human-specific differences when te...

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalCell Reports·DateSep 24, 2024

Is CREME AI’s answer to CRISPR?

CREME, a new AI-powered virtual laboratory, allows scientists to run thousands of virtual experiments with the click of a button to identify key regions of the genome. This breakthrough may lead to discovering new therapeutic targets and giving scientists access to cutting-edge technology without a real laboratory.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Genetics·DateSep 16, 2024

The nervous system’s matchmaker

A new algorithm, inspired by the nervous system's matchmaker, pairs drivers with riders in a way that maximizes everyone's happiness. The algorithm creates near-optimal pairings while preserving privacy, making it suitable for everyday applications.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 2, 2024

How breast cancer goes hungry

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered a strategy to kill breast cancer cells and shrink tumors by depriving them of two vital nutrients: glutamine and its backup supply, alpha-ketoglutarate. This approach was successful in lab experiments and effective in treating tumors in mice.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Metabolism·DateAug 28, 2024

Old chemo drug, new pancreatic cancer therapy?

Researchers have discovered a new approach to treating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a rare type of pancreatic cancer. Folinic acid has been found to weaken the cancer's defenses by elevating levels of anti-cancer immune molecules, enabling a more effective immune response and slower tumor growth.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 26, 2024

Corn’s ‘missing link’

Researchers discover a gene drive system, Teosinte Pollen Drive (TPD), that enables the quick transfer of traits from teosinte to maize. This finding sheds light on corn's rapid adaptation to the highlands and has significant implications for agriculture.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature·DateAug 7, 2024

This protein does “The Twist”

Researchers have identified the critical step in NMDAR's routine where it rotates into an open formation, enabling electrical signals crucial for cognitive functions. This discovery may pave the way for drug compounds that can correct faulty NMDARs, potentially treating conditions like Alzheimer's and depression.

Finding the sweet spot in brain development

A study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers has discovered a crucial receptor protein that regulates the timing of temporary neural connections in the developing brain. Without this protein, mice exhibit atypical behaviors, highlighting its potential role in shaping brain circuits and preventing neurodevelopmental disorders.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 1, 2024

Can AI learn like us?

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory designed a new way for AI algorithms to move and process data more efficiently, inspired by the human brain. This design allows individual AI neurons to receive feedback and adjust on the fly, processing data in real-time.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalFrontiers in Computational Neuroscience·DateJun 20, 2024

Pancreatic cancer’s cellular amnesia

Researchers have discovered that a protein called MED12 plays a critical role in pancreatic cancer's development, particularly in basal-like cells. The study builds on decades of research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which previously identified the importance of p63 for basal cell formation.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Genetics·DateJun 17, 2024

RNA splicing’s spotters

A study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has discovered two regulator proteins that work together to keep the splicing process on track. The research, led by Professor Adrian Krainer, identifies SRSF1's interactions with other proteins, providing new insights into how this critical regulator works.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 10, 2024

Mapping the mind with BARseq

Researchers have used BARseq to map the brains of nine mice, tracing gene expression in the visual cortex. The results show that losing vision leads to changes in gene expression across neighboring cortical areas, highlighting the complex connections between brain regions.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature·DateJun 3, 2024

New AI accurately predicts fly behavior

A new AI model developed by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Benjamin Cowley and team uses a 'population code' to predict fruit fly behavior, revealing that multiple neurons combine to sculpt actions. The breakthrough enables the AI to accurately predict how real flies will behave in response to visual stimuli.

A link between breast changes and … UTIs?

Researchers found that UTIs can provoke structural changes in breast tissue in mice, which are reversible once the infections are resolved. The study suggests a possible link between UTIs and abnormal breast cell growth, highlighting the importance of considering everyday occurrences on women's well-being.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 2, 2024

Why some RNA drugs work better than others

Researchers have discovered why some RNA-splicing drugs work better than others, revealing a key factor that impacts treatment efficacy. By analyzing the interactions between drugs and RNA, they found that combining splice-modifying drugs targeting the same gene segment can lead to greater therapeutic effects.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 6, 2024

Pancreatic cancer lives on mucus

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have uncovered a mechanism involved in pancreatic cancer transformation, discovering that low-grade pancreatic cancer cells depend on mucus to survive and thrive. This knowledge could help set the stage for future diagnostic or therapeutic strategies.

Chronic stress spreads cancer … here’s how

A recent study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers reveals that chronic stress can increase cancer's ability to spread. By mimicking chronic stress in mice with cancer, the team discovered that stress causes neutrophils to form sticky web-like structures called NETs, making body tissues more susceptible to metastasis.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalCancer Cell·DateFeb 22, 2024

The immune system’s moonlighters

Researchers have found a new potential therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis by identifying an overlooked sequence in the IκBζ protein. This sequence, known as the OCA peptide, can activate key proteins in immune cells and may help reeling in immune cells gone haywire.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalMolecular Cell·DateFeb 20, 2024

Smells like learning

A team of scientists discovered two types of neurons in fruit flies and mice that enable them to identify distinct smells. With experience, these animals can learn to differentiate between very similar odors, a process that could improve machine-learning models and AI systems.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 31, 2023

You say genome editing, I say natural mutation

Researchers found that certain combinations of gene mutations resulted in predictable effects on tomato size, while others yielded random outcomes. The study suggests the role of background mutations demands reassessment for genome editing applications. This new interpretation may help humanity adapt crops to meet evolving societal needs.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalScience·DateOct 19, 2023

These worms have rhythm

A team of researchers has discovered that the worm C. elegans uses a unique system to regulate its development, with a quartet of molecules working in concert to control gene expression. This process shares similarities with human circadian clocks, and understanding how it operates could provide insights into developmental biology.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateSep 8, 2023

How plants pass down genetic memories

Researchers have discovered how plants pass along chemical markers that instruct cells on using DNA codes, a process known as epigenetic inheritance. The study reveals the role of protein DDM1 in making way for enzymes that add regulatory marks to new DNA strands, preserving genetic controls across generations.

Once rhabdomyosarcoma, now muscle

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have made a significant breakthrough in transforming rhabdomyosarcoma cells into regularly functioning muscle cells using differentiation therapy. This innovative approach has the potential to spare patients and their families from pain and suffering by offering a new treatment option.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 28, 2023

This eight-armed octopus-like pore detects taste

Researchers have captured never-before-seen images of the CALHM1 pore, which assembles into a circular channel with flexible arms resembling octopus tentacles. The discovery reveals how fatty molecules stabilize and regulate the channel, offering potential insights into its role in taste perception and Alzheimer's disease.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 14, 2023

The digital dark matter clouding AI

Scientists using popular computational tools to interpret AI predictions are picking up too much 'noise' when analyzing DNA. Researchers have found a way to fix this by applying a new line of code, leading to more reliable explanations and potentially unlocking the next breakthrough in health and medicine.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalGenome Biology·DateJun 5, 2023