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Three-dimensional gene hubs may promote brain cancer

A recent preclinical study from Weill Cornell Medicine researchers suggests that three-dimensional gene hubs may promote brain cancer. The findings, published in Molecular Cell, offer a new way to think about cancer beyond gene mutations and highlight the importance of understanding DNA organization in tumor cells.

SourceWeill Cornell Medicine·JournalMolecular Cell·DateApr 22, 2025

Beyond words

Researchers analyzed massive audio recordings to create a dictionary of short melodies in English-language prosody, assigning functions and meanings. They discovered hundreds of basic patterns with linguistic functions, including conveying attitudes such as curiosity or surprise, and identified syntactic rules governing their order.

SourceWeizmann Institute of Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 22, 2025

Using blue light to fight drug-resistant infections

University of Oklahoma researchers create bioactive sugars to develop novel antibiotics against multi-drug-resistant infections in cancer patients. By using abundant, inexpensive, iron or metal-free, non-toxic blue light, the team can more easily and rapidly synthesize these important carbohydrates.

SourceUniversity of Oklahoma·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 22, 2025

UT Health San Antonio-led discovery means IV medication could be taken orally for range of cancer, Alzheimer’s treatments

A UT Health San Antonio-led discovery could redefine drug discovery by turning IV medications into orally administered treatments for brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other complex conditions. The new strategy uses a protein receptor called CD36 to efficiently deliver large molecules into cells.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2025

The chemical basis for life can form in interstellar ice

Researchers at CNRS have discovered that chemical intermediates of the citric acid cycle can form spontaneously in interstellar ice. This finding suggests that the raw materials necessary for life could be present in space and potentially delivered to Earth.

SourceCNRS·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 21, 2025

Female children may face greater emotional and immune challenges from prenatal stress, study finds

A new study found that prenatal stress alters the expression of tiny RNA molecules in newborn blood, particularly in female children, affecting key enzymes in the brain's stress-regulation system. This may explain why some children are more vulnerable to developmental or psychiatric challenges.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 20, 2025

ELVIS has entered orbit: Pioneering imaging system to enhance space biology and life detection beyond earth

The Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System (ELVIS) will test a new holographic microscope on the International Space Station to analyze the adaptability and resilience of microorganisms. The system aims to reveal how life might persist on distant moons and planets, significantly enhancing our search for life outside Earth.

Tying light from lasers into stable “optical knots”

Engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method to create stable optical knots using laser beams, which could be used to transmit encoded information or measure turbulence in pockets of air. The team found that by adding more squiggles to the knot's features, they could make it stable for longer and resist degradation.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2025

Personality test for bees

A study by the University of Konstanz found that individual bees within a colony exhibit different stinging behaviors, with some defending and others remaining calm. Social factors play a role, but personality is a key factor in determining group dynamics.

SourceUniversity of Konstanz·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateApr 17, 2025

City of Hope research on artificial intelligence (AI), precision medicine, immunotherapies and other topics to be presented at American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025

Researchers with City of Hope will present more than 74 sessions on emerging technologies in cancer research, advances in natural killer cells, new clinical trial results, and precision medicine. The presentations will explore the use of artificial intelligence and multiomics to improve cancer care.

AACR: Advancements in combination therapies for liver and pancreatic cancers, organoid-based platform for personalized head and neck cancer treatment, liquid biopsies for cancer detection and more

Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are presenting new findings on combination therapies for liver and pancreatic cancers, including a new organoid model for personalized head and neck cancer treatment. Additionally, they are discussing the potential of liquid biopsies for cancer detection and monitoring.

CHOP, Penn Medicine researchers use deep learning algorithm to pinpoint potential disease-causing variants in non-coding regions of the human genome

Researchers employed a deep-learning-based method to detect footprints of DNA-protein interactions, allowing them to pinpoint disease-causing variants in non-coding regions. This approach could inform novel treatments for common diseases.

SourceChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·TypeObservational study·DateApr 17, 2025

Disrupting ‘communication’ with plants could limit soybean cyst nematode infections

A study co-authored by an Iowa State University professor identified a single protein that triggers chemical signals called effectors in cyst nematodes, which hijack plant cells. Disrupting this protein could severely reduce nematode infections, making it a powerful method for reducing crop damage.

SourceIowa State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2025

Machine learning model to predict the fitness of AAV capsids for gene therapy

A new machine learning model accurately predicts the fitness of AAV capsids based on their amino acid sequence, enabling more efficient and cost-effective gene therapies. The model's robustness and generalizability have been demonstrated through tests on independent datasets, offering a promising tool for capsid engineering.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalHuman Gene Therapy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 17, 2025

UTA professor explores healing power of music

Dr. Rhonda Winegar investigates the effectiveness of music therapy in supporting neurological care, including its ability to reduce anxiety and depression in Alzheimer's patients. Her research also highlights its potential to regulate heart rate and blood pressure, as well as improve motor function in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Arlington·JournalThe Journal for Nurse Practitioners·TypeLiterature review·DateApr 16, 2025

New evidence suggesting magnetar origin of GRBs

A new study finds that a millisecond magnetar could have triggered the flashes of GRB 230307A, an extremely bright GRB detected in March 2023. The observation suggests that the magnetar model is consistent with the features of the prompt emission and the long-lasting X-ray plateau.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeObservational study·DateApr 15, 2025