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How cells fight infection from the inside

Scientists discovered a new way cells fight infection, using a method called antibody-directed xenophagy (ADX), which can digest bacteria and viruses inside infected cells. ADX is triggered by a protein called TRIM21, which flags invading pathogens for destruction.

SourceCell Press·JournalMolecular Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2026

Scientists find groundbreaking potential for tissue regrowth and immortality in the ocean

Researchers found that discarded sea cucumber tissue can grow, diversify cells, and reorganize itself in natural seawater, challenging assumptions of tissue immortality. This discovery has profound implications for biomedical sciences and engineering, with potential applications in tissue regrowth and anti-microbial healing.

SourceBigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 27, 2026

The “broker” family helps tidy up the cell

A research team at Goethe University Frankfurt has compiled a catalog of human E3 ligases and mapped their relationships, revealing family-specific functions. The study identifies 40 additional E3 ligases suitable for PROTAC development, expanding the range of tissues and diseases targeted by degradation therapies.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 15, 2026

Open-sourcing the future of food

The Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture has teamed up with the Good Food Institute to salvage intellectual property from failed startups and make it publicly available. Eight commercially developed beef cell lines have been obtained, including two that have been engineered to remove antibiotic resistance markers, making th...

Researchers identify 166 human pluripotent stem cell lines available for use in clinical applications

Researchers have compiled a comprehensive list of 166 human pluripotent stem cell lines available for clinical applications, guiding researchers and developers in selecting optimal cell lines. The study aims to drive hPSC-derived products towards the clinic, addressing a knowledge gap in off-the-shelf product development.

SourceInternational Society for Stem Cell Research·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateDec 18, 2025

Psychedelics offer healing for concussion, traumatic brain injuries

A new review from the University of Victoria suggests that psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT may help treat concussions and traumatic brain injuries by increasing neuroplasticity and reducing inflammation. The compounds have shown promise in treating depression, anxiety, and other conditions in clinical research.

SourceUniversity of Victoria·JournalProgress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 17, 2025

Accelerating bacterial evolution in the laboratory

Researchers at the University of Tokyo accelerated bacterial evolution by activating 'jumping genes', resulting in rapid genome changes. The study sheds light on the role of insertion sequences and composite transposons in evolution, offering a new reference for future laboratory experiments.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalNucleic Acids Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 12, 2025

Synthetic RIG-I-agonist RNA induces death of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

A synthetic retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) agonist RNA has been shown to induce innate immune signaling and death of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The addition of recombinant interferon-b potentiated this cell death, suggesting a potential new mechanism for treating patients with liver cancer.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalJournal of Interferon & Cytokine Research·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2025

New computational tool could improve discovery of cancer treatments

A new tool named retriever extracts disease-specific drug response signatures to predict cancer treatment combinations, improving personalized treatment strategies. The tool refines predictions using single-cell RNA sequencing data and demonstrates its potential in identifying effective treatments for triple-negative breast cancer.

SourceeLife·JournaleLife·DateFeb 4, 2025

Towards a better understanding of endothelial cell transformation in cancer progression

A novel reporter cell experimental system enables the visualization of sequential changes during endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) induced by transforming growth factor-β. Researchers identified CD40 as a potential partial EndoMT marker, which suppresses the transition from partial to full EndoMT.

SourceTokyo Medical and Dental University·JournalCancer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 7, 2024

New study at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple casts light on protein that could help defeat Alzheimer’s disease and increase productive lifespan

Scientists at Temple University's Alzheimer's Center have identified a promising new therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease: the protein ABCA7. The study found that cholesterol depletion and inflammation suppress ABCA7 levels in human brain cells, potentially contributing to disease onset.

Promising anti-inflammatory properties of black soldier fly larvae oil – implications on conditions such as ulcerative colitis

The study found that black soldier fly larvae oil exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, suppressing proinflammatory cytokines and improving colon health. BSFL oil's unique compound profile may offer a new approach to managing inflammatory diseases.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 17, 2023

Cancer’s origin story features predictable plot line, Stanford Medicine researchers find

Researchers at Stanford Medicine found that cancer cells accumulate a series of specific genetic changes in a predictable and sequential way, years before they are identifiable as pre-malignancies. These changes affect pathways controlling cell division, structure, and internal messaging, leaving the cells poised to go bad long before ...

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateJul 7, 2023

CARD8 helps human immune system respond to some viruses, including COVID-19

A study published in PLOS Biology found that the CARD8 inflammasome sensor is essential for detecting coronavirus infections, but may detect different viruses in different people. The researchers also discovered that genetic variation among humans and across species affects the sensor's ability to detect viral enzymes.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 8, 2023

Comprehensive genomic characterisation of malignant peripheral nerve tumour-derived lines challenges current diagnostic criteria

A new genomic catalogue of malignant peripheral nerve tumour-derived lines has challenged current diagnostic criteria, revealing misdiagnosed cell lines and a shared cell line masquerading as different types. The catalogue provides new information to develop precision therapies for these tumours.

SourceGermans Trias i Pujol Research Institute·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 14, 2023

Scientists make a breakthrough in the cellular recognition of microplastics

Researchers at Ritsumeikan University have made a breakthrough in understanding how macrophages recognize microplastics, discovering an interaction between aromatic rings that drives this process. The study suggests that while microplastics may not induce acute inflammation, chronic exposure could lead to autoimmune diseases.

SourceRitsumeikan University·JournalScience of The Total Environment·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 29, 2023

New technology offers pathways to finding treatments for kidney disease

Researchers at Washington University have developed a hydrogel system that preserves biochemistry and mechanical environments of cultured podocyte cells. This allows researchers to identify new ways to control mechanisms used by cells to heal themselves, potentially leading to therapies for currently incurable diseases.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 31, 2022

Moffitt researchers discover cancer-associated fibroblasts induce drug sensitivity

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have discovered that cancer-associated fibroblasts can both promote and inhibit drug sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer cells, depending on the type of tumor cell and drug used. The study suggests that targeting specific signaling pathways, such as the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway...

SourceH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute·JournalScience Signaling·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 16, 2022

Scientists successfully transition cell line to be completely animal-free

Researchers at PETA Science Consortium International successfully transitioned a human lung cell line to animal-free media, improving reproducibility and relevance of studies. This achievement sets a precedent for transitioning other cell types, offering far-reaching implications for the field of in vitro research.

SourcePeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)·JournalToxicology in Vitro·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 26, 2022

Light shed on SARS-CoV-2 replication in bat cells

Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and CNRS studied SARS-CoV-2 replication in bat cells, finding that viral infection triggers a powerful immune response that prevents the virus from replicating. The study uses real-time imaging techniques to visualize the speed of cell infection and the formation of syncytia.

SourceInstitut Pasteur·JournalJournal of Virology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 19, 2022

LSU Health New Orleans develops new human cell line to study blinding eye disorders

The new human cell line, ABC, was developed from retinal pigment epithelial cells and retains their properties, allowing for the study of events relevant to normal repair processes. The research may lead to discoveries in senescence gene programming, neuroprotection, and cellular replacement therapies for blinding eye diseases

SourceLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 12, 2022