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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

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

Hemostatic Dressing Developed for Severe Burn Injuries

A team led by Dr. Chao Zhong and Bolin An of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, along with Dr. Yan Liu of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, created a novel hemostatic dressing based on bacterial cellulose (BC) that allows for quick and long-lasting bleeding control.

4 Aug 2025

AI-Powered Protein Design Opens Doors to New T-Cell Based Immunotherapies

A new paper published today in Cell highlights how researchers have leveraged AI-based computational protein design to create a novel synthetic ligand that activates the Notch signaling pathway, a key driver in T-cell development and function.

4 Aug 2025

AI Tool Accelerates Hunt for Elusive Genome‐Encoded Microproteins

Proteins sustain life as we know it, serving many important structural and functional roles throughout the body.

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

Gene-Edited Mosquitoes Block Malaria Transmission

Genetic modification of mosquitoes with the FREP1Q224 allele shows significant promise for malaria elimination, maintaining fitness and reducing infections.

31 Jul 2025

Researchers Identify Key Gene for Restoring Fertility in Hybrid Peppers

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) systems have revolutionized hybrid seed production by eliminating the need for manual pollen removal.

30 Jul 2025

Bacterial Battle Strategies Involve Durable Amyloid Armor

Amyloids are perhaps best known as a key driver of Alzheimer's disease.

30 Jul 2025

PD-1 Guides T Cells to Become Long-Term Immune Defenders in the Skin

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have discovered that PD-1—a molecule best known for putting the brakes on immune cells—also plays a critical role in helping T cells become long-term immune defenders in the skin.

30 Jul 2025

Proteins as a Natural Weapon Against Predatory Bacteria

Amyloids are perhaps best recognized as a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

30 Jul 2025

Blocking TG2 Could Help Immune Cells Attack Ovarian Tumors

The study reveals TG2's role in ovarian cancer metastasis, suggesting that its inhibition could re-educate the immune system for better anti-tumor efficacy.

30 Jul 2025

AI-Designed Proteins Offer New Hope for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy

Precision cancer treatment on a larger scale is moving closer after researchers have developed an AI platform that can tailor protein components and arm the patient's immune cells to fight cancer.

29 Jul 2025

Stability in Proteins Is More Like Lego Than Jenga

Proteins are life's molecular workhorses, doing everything from turning sunlight into food to fighting viruses.

29 Jul 2025

Small Viral Protein ORF3a Reveals Big Role in SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity

In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Chicago discovered that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses a small but powerful protein, ORF3a, to assemble the infectious particles, making it more efficient at spreading the disease.

29 Jul 2025

Discovery of New Mitophagy Trigger Offers Hope for Parkinson’s Disease

Autophagy is essentially the 'rubbish collection' of our cells. If there are problems in this process, which is so important for our health, diseases such as Parkinson's can result. In their latest study, leading cell biologists at the Max Perutz Labs at the University of Vienna investigated mitophagy – a form of autophagy – and came to a remarkable conclusion: the researchers have described a new trigger for mitophagy.

29 Jul 2025