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A breakthrough in chiral capsule tools for advanced optical technologies

Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo create terpene-based chiral capsules that facilitate the easy preparation of well-defined host–guest composites with tunable chiroptical properties. The resulting composites can be used in water without organic solvents, paving the way for advances in cutting-edge optical technologies.

SourceInstitute of Science Tokyo·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 2, 2024

Starting a fluorescent biosensor revolution

A novel synthetic biology platform enables rapid and cost-effective transformation of protein binders into high-contrast nanosensors for various applications. The platform uses fluorogenic amino acids to increase fluorescence up to 100-fold, enabling the detection of specific proteins, peptides, and small molecules.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 5, 2024

Protein mutant stability can be inferred from AI-predicted structures

Researchers used AlphaFold2 to predict structural effects of mutations on protein stability, finding correlations between small structural changes and stability changes. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for protein engineering, enabling scientists to design proteins with specific functions more effectively.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 28, 2024

New photoacoustic probes enable deep brain tissue imaging, with the potential to report on neuronal activity and enable better understanding of brain function

Researchers have developed novel photoacoustic probes for neuroscience applications, enabling visualization of neurons in specific brain regions. The probes use a combination of protein and synthetic dye to bind to chemicals and emit sound waves that can be detected by imaging equipment.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 27, 2024

Unlocking the power of nanopores

Researchers have successfully designed transmembrane β-barrel pores with custom shapes and properties, enabling miniaturization of sensing and sequencing applications into portable devices. The design method uses computational tools to control the shape and chemistry on a molecular level, resulting in stable and quiet signal generation.

SourceVlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2024

NSF CAREER grant to investigate design of fluorescent protein sensors with computer simulations that may aid human health and disease

Dr. Alice Walker will investigate the design of fluorescent protein sensors using computer simulations, which may aid in tracking diseases and monitoring treatment effectiveness in living cells and organisms. The five-year $690,816 grant also supports undergraduate research opportunities for WSU students.

Producing novel liquid crystals by stacking antiaromatic units

Scientists have developed a new approach to designing materials with useful electronic and optical properties. By stacking antiaromatic units using van der Waals interactions, researchers created highly conductive liquid crystals. This breakthrough could lead to advances in organic electronics, optoelectronics, and sensing devices.

SourceRitsumeikan University·JournalChemical Science·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 23, 2024

Healing faster: Unveiling the future of tissue & organ repair

A team of scientists at the University of Ottawa has developed a novel peptide-based hydrogel that can be used for on-the-spot repair to damaged organs and tissues. The material shows great potential for closing skin wounds, delivering therapeutics to damaged heart muscle, and reshaping and healing injured corneas.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 13, 2024

Synthetic droplets cause a stir in the primordial soup

Scientists from OIST created synthetic droplets to mimic biological processes, finding that pH gradients facilitate Marangoni effect and enabling droplets to detect and migrate towards each other. This study sheds light on the movement of simplest forms of life in primordial soup billions of years ago.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 25, 2024

It takes two to TANGO: New strategy to tackle fibrosis and scarring

Researchers developed a new experimental strategy to tackle scarring and fibrosis by releasing enough collagen to prevent tissue damage while protecting it from excessive amounts. The strategy, which uses molecules known as peptides to block the export of collagen from cells, shows promise in treating conditions such as scleroderma.

SourceCenter for Genomic Regulation·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 24, 2024

Insilico Medicine develops novel PTPN2/N1 inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy using generative AI

Researchers at Insilico Medicine have developed a novel PTPN2/N1 inhibitor with improved oral absorption and robust antitumor efficacy using the company's generative AI engine. The new compound demonstrates enhanced biological activities compared to existing inhibitors, offering new treatment possibilities for cancer patients.

SourceInSilico Medicine·JournalEuropean Journal of Medicinal Chemistry·DateApr 11, 2024

Promising target for CAR T-cell therapy leads to potent antitumor responses against cutaneous and rare melanomas

Researchers at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified the protein TYRP1 as a promising target for CAR T-cell therapy. The study demonstrates potent antitumor responses against cutaneous and rare melanoma types, offering new hope for treating these challenging-to-treat cancers.

Breakthrough in designing complicated all-α protein structures

A team of researchers created five unique all-α protein structures with non-uniformly arranged α-helices, holding immense potential for designing functional proteins. The novel approach enables the generation of a diverse set of all-α protein structures by combining typical motifs and canonical α-helices.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalNature Structural & Molecular Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 4, 2024

A long-acting biologic with transmucosal transport properties that arrest SARS-CoV-2 virus variants

A long-acting biologic with transmucosal transport properties has been developed to block cellular infection of all SARS-CoV-2 variants. The biologic utilizes a soluble recombinant human ACE2 protein fused to an engineered human albumin variant, offering improved pharmacokinetic properties and delivery across selective barriers.

BSC scientists create artificial protein capable of degrading microplastics in bottles

Researchers from BSC and CSIC have developed an artificial protein capable of degrading PET micro- and nanoplastics with efficiency between 5 and 10 times higher than current PETases. The protein can be used as filters to purify or recycle plastics, offering a potential solution to environmental pollution.

SourceBarcelona Supercomputing Center·JournalNature Catalysis·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 23, 2023

Neural network helps design brand new proteins

Researchers have developed a novel neural network approach to design brand new proteins with unique arrangements and dynamic functionalities. The method combines attention neural networks with graph neural networks to predict existing protein properties and envision new proteins that nature has not yet devised.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateAug 29, 2023

Hummingbird beak points the way to future micro machine design

A Cornell research team has developed a new way to design complex microscale machines, one that draws inspiration from the operation of proteins and hummingbird beaks. The lead author is Itay Griniasty, who led the development of an algorithm to simplify the search for magnetic patterns that spur the desired bifurcation.

SourceCornell University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 16, 2023

Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together

Researchers developed a method to design weaker transcription factors that work together to activate genes without activating naturally occurring genes. This approach, called cooperative assembly, strengthens the factors as a group but weakens them individually, ensuring targeted gene activation and long-term circuit stability.

SourceRice University·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 15, 2023

Deep learning for new protein design

Deep learning methods significantly improved protein design success rates by 10-fold using AI-augmented pipelines and machine learning software tools AlphaFold 2 and RoseTTA fold. The study successfully generated accurate models of protein structures, paving the way for new discoveries in fields like cancer and COVID-19 research.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 3, 2023

New technology promises rapid and reliable development of new diagnostic tests

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have developed a new approach to designing molecular ON-OFF switches based on proteins, which can be used in various biotechnological and biomedical applications. The novel technique allows for faster and more accurate diagnostic tests for detecting diseases and monitoring water quality.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 27, 2023

A chance to design better vaccines?

Researchers developed a bioinformatic tool that selects parts of proteins to elicit strong immune responses. This approach, grounded in immunological theory, was four times more efficient than current methods, suggesting better vaccine protection against diseases.

SourceOxford University Press USA·JournalBiology Methods and Protocols·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 25, 2023

Copper could help create clearer MRI images and improved diagnosis - study

Researchers have discovered a novel copper protein binding site that shows promise for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, potentially leading to clearer images and improved diagnoses. The new structure displayed highly effective levels of relaxivity, equal and superior to existing Gd(III) agents used in clinical MRI.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 11, 2023

Engineering molecular interactions with machine learning

Researchers at EPFL have computationally designed novel protein binders that attach seamlessly to key targets, including the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, using deep learning-generated 'fingerprints' to characterize millions of protein fragments. This method demonstrates therapeutic potential for rapidly designing protein-based therapeutics.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 4, 2023