Biochemistry News and Research

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Natural Skincare Hero Madecassic Acid Found to Combat Antibiotic Resistance

Fans of Korean skincare may be familiar with 'hero ingredient' Madecassic acid for its skin-soothing properties, but researchers at the University of Kent have revealed its greater potential for use in the battle against antibiotic resistance.

11 Apr 2026

CIPHER-seq Reveals RNA and Protein Activity in Immune Cells

A new single-cell technology is giving scientists their clearest view yet of immune cell behavior-capturing not just genetic intent but real-time activity.

9 Apr 2026

How Bacterial Enzymes Use Ratchet Mechanisms to Break Down Collagen

Collagen is an important protein that helps build the tissues of humans and animals. It is very strong because it is made of three protein strands twisted tightly together like a rope. Because of this sturdy structure, ordinary protein-cutting enzymes usually cannot break it down.

6 Apr 2026

Cysteine Pathways Shape T Cell Expansion and Cancer Defense

A research team from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered how the immune system's CD8+ T cells use the nutrient cysteine to control two essential functions that compete for this resource - the immune cell's ability to multiply and its ability to kill cancer cells.

1 Apr 2026

How Toxic Protein Spreads in Huntington’s Disease

Huntington's disease is a debilitating brain disorder that gradually robs people of mobility, memory, and personality.

23 Mar 2026

New Base Editing Tool Reduces Unwanted DNA Bystander Mutations

The trajectory of base editing has been remarkable, progressing from the laboratory to patient care, treating debilitating or terminal illnesses, in less than a decade.

19 Mar 2026

ANKIB1 Identified as the Essential Master Switch for Innate Immunity

Innate immune sensors – known as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) – detect specific molecular components of bacterial or viral intruders.

9 Mar 2026

Herpes “Liquefies” Human Cells to Speed up Infection

According to a new study, the herpes simplex virus partially liquefies the densely packed, gel-like core of human cell nuclei to duplicate itself more quickly.

6 Mar 2026

Evo 2 AI Model Learns Patterns Across DNA of Life

The DNA foundation model Evo 2, first released in February 2025 as a preprint, is now published in the journal Nature.

5 Mar 2026

Mitochondria Unveiled as the Cell’s Lipid Regulators

The cell’s powerhouse, known as mitochondria, appears to have the ability to control the quantity of lipid droplets in the cell. A mechanism designed for an entirely different purpose plays a key role here.

27 Feb 2026

Biofilms: The Unseen Factor in Human Space Travel

A global team of scientists has identified an often-overlooked biological system - biofilms - as a critical factor in the future of human space exploration.

26 Feb 2026

Study Reveals New Structural Role for HIV Integrase

The tiny shell protecting the HIV virus resembles a slightly rounded ice cream cone, but there is nothing sweet about it.

19 Feb 2026

Extracellular Matrix Sensing Enables Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Regulate Autophagy Levels

A feature of pancreatic cancer cells' surroundings determines whether they grow fast or become resistant to chemotherapy, a new study shows.

17 Feb 2026

Hidden Neuronal Lattice May Shield the Brain From Alzheimer’s

Brain cells are constantly swallowing material from the fluid that surrounds them - signaling molecules, nutrients, even pieces of their own surfaces - in a process known as endocytosis that is essential for learning, memory and basic neural upkeep.

12 Feb 2026

Cells Use Protein Partnership to Manage Oxidative Stress

Cornell researchers have discovered a new way cells regulate how they respond to stress, identifying an interaction between two proteins that helps keep a critical cellular recycling system in balance.

10 Feb 2026

Rapid Enzyme Screening Unlocks Efficient Routes to Complex Pharmaceuticals

A team of biochemists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has developed a faster way to identify molecules in the lab that could lead to more effective pharmaceuticals.

6 Feb 2026

New Insights into TRiC and Prefoldin Mechanics

Proteins are the molecular machines of cells. They are manufactured in protein factories known as ribosomes using their blueprint, or genetic information.

6 Feb 2026

Study Reveals Dual Action Protein Protecting Bacteria From Phages

University of Toronto researchers have expanded our understanding of bacterial immunity with the discovery of a new protein that can both sense and counteract viral infections.

5 Feb 2026

Chemistry Breakthrough Improves Gene Delivery, Reduces Side Effects

Gene therapy holds the promise of preventing and curing disease by manipulating gene expression within a patient's cells.

5 Feb 2026

ER-Phagy: A Novel Target for Age-Related Diseases

Improvements in public health have allowed humankind to survive to older ages than ever before, but, for many people, these added golden years are not spent in good health.

4 Feb 2026