Metabolism News and Research

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Metabolism is the means by which the body derives energy and synthesizes the other molecules it needs from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins we eat as food, by enzymatic reactions helped by minerals and vitamins.

Salk Scientists Use CRISPR to Uncover Microproteins Linked to Obesity

The obesity rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years, affecting more than one billion people worldwide.

8 Aug 2025

Smaller Scale Mutations in HNF1A Gene Nudge Millions Toward Type-2 Diabetes

Mutations in a single gene, HNF1A, are known to cause MODY3, a rare, early onset form of diabetes.

7 Aug 2025

Small Changes in Brain Enzyme May Have Shaped Modern Human Behavior

The evolutionary success of our species may have hinged on minute changes to our brain biochemistry after we diverged from the lineage leading to Neanderthals and Denisovans about half a million years ago.

5 Aug 2025

New Genetic Research Reveals Hibernation Secrets Hidden in Human DNA

Animals that hibernate are incredibly resilient. They can spend months without food or water, muscles refusing to atrophy, body temperature dropping to near freezing as their metabolism and brain activity slow to a crawl.

1 Aug 2025

Gut Bacteria Breakthrough Could Help Fight Chronic Diseases

An international research team led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen has discovered a common gut bacterium that lowers body weight and blood sugar while increasing bone density.

1 Aug 2025

Mitochondrial Gene Found to Regulate Wood Formation in Poplar

Mitochondria are widely known as the "powerhouses" of the cell, generating the energy needed for life. But in plants, their role goes far beyond metabolism.

31 Jul 2025

Cancer Cells Trigger Instant Energy Surge When Squeezed

Cancer cells mount an instant, energy‑rich response to being physically squeezed, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

31 Jul 2025

Multi-Omics Approaches Reveal New Insights into Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis

Colorectal cancer is among the most prevalent and lethal malignancies worldwide, with liver metastases occurring in nearly one-third of patients and accounting for a major share of cancer-related deaths.

29 Jul 2025

Tiny Artificial Cells Demonstrate Reliable 24-Hour Rhythms

A team of UC Merced researchers has shown that tiny artificial cells can accurately keep time, mimicking the daily rhythms found in living organisms.

29 Jul 2025

New Insights into Yolk Protein Trafficking and Secretion in Worms

Yolk proteins (vitellogenins, VITs) are crucial lipid-carrying molecules that supply nutrients from the mother to embryos in oviparous animals.

28 Jul 2025

Misfolded Proteins in Mitochondria Linked to Type 2 Diabetes

Aging-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders and type 2 diabetes, are associated with defects in protein synthesis and folding.

23 Jul 2025

New Method Enables Precise Fatty Acid Delivery Without Albumin

Fatty acids (FAs) are essential to cell membrane formation, energy storage, and lipid metabolism. Yet, delivering them for research remains a challenge due to their insolubility in water and the reliance on albumin to facilitate transport.

23 Jul 2025

Brain Cells Show Unexpected Self-Sufficiency in Energy Use

A new Yale study has revealed that neurons - the energy-hungry cells that connect and direct activity in the brain - are equipped with "backup batteries" that kick in to keep the brain running during periods of metabolic stress.

18 Jul 2025

Simple Models Reveal Soil’s Complex Microbial Conversations

Just like any living organism, the soil has its own metabolism. Plants, worms, insects, and most importantly, microorganisms in the soil, break down organic matter, consume and generate nutrients, and process other materials to give the soil a life of its own.

18 Jul 2025

Molecular Chatter Between Cells Drives Tumor Growth and Immune Suppression

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a complex chain of molecular chatter by which cancer cells, exploiting ordinary metabolic processes, program one set of noncancerous cells to manipulate another set of such cells to support their growth and survival.

18 Jul 2025

Gut Bacteria Adapt to Local Diets Offering Hope for Personalized Probiotics

Probiotics are emerging tools used by neonatal intensive care units to promote healthy outcomes and prevent intestinal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis.

18 Jul 2025

Synthetic Cells Offer New Clues About the Origins of Life

At some point during the evolution of life on Earth, inorganic matter became organic, nonliving matter became living. How this happened is one of humankind's greatest mysteries.

18 Jul 2025

New Metabolic Map Reveals How Blood Stem Cells Age and Become Diseased

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg and ETH Zürich have created the first integrated map detailing the metabolic and molecular changes in human blood stem cells as they age, specialize, or turn cancerous.

16 Jul 2025