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Tough Bacterial Spores Unlock New Bioengineering Frontiers

A remarkable quality of bioengineering is the fact that scientists can take biological processes honed by millions of years of evolution and use them to efficiently create drugs, chemicals, and other products to improve our lives.

21 Jul 2026

Bullfrog Protein Saxiphilin Acts as Effective Antidote for Marine Saxitoxin

The "red tide" algal blooms that are becoming more frequent along the Pacific coast produce one of the most potent neurotoxins known: saxitoxin, or STX.

17 Jul 2026

Intermicrobial Antagonism Controls Essential Bacteria Populations in Human Guts

Mougous, John F. Enders Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine (YSM), studies bacterial warfare, or how different microbes defend their ecological niches against other species.

14 Jul 2026

Zombie Cells Help Develop Crucial Blood-Brain and Cerebrospinal Fluid Barriers

Among the body's most crucial protective features are the brain barrier systems, including the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barriers.

17 Jun 2026

Evolutionary Biology Unlocks Secret Toxins Hidden Inside Poison Dart Frogs

There is a group of colorful amphibians that are known for storing defensive alkaloids in glands on their skin.

16 Jun 2026

New Internal Cellular Process Creates Cysteine When Primary Systems Fail

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail.

13 Jun 2026

Brazilian Researchers Identify Forty Five New Toxins in Salmonella Samples

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered 45 new toxins produced by Salmonella bacteria, some of which are associated with foodborne infections.

12 Jun 2026

Genomewide CRISPR Screen Reveals Unexpected Structural Protein Link Behind Chronic Colon Inflammation

Since a landmark 2009 study, researchers have known that a common gut bacterium, Bacteroides fragilis, drives colon tumor formation, potentially leading to colorectal cancer, by secreting a toxin that damages the lining of the colon. But until now, the exact mechanism the toxin uses to latch onto those cells remained a mystery.

25 May 2026

New 3D Human Liver Model Mimics Chronic Disease For 30 Days

Researchers developed a 3D liver model that functions for a month, replicating inflammation and fibrosis, crucial for studying liver diseases and therapies.

19 May 2026

Cryo-EM Study Explains Why Coffee Tastes Bitter to Humans

Have you ever wondered why freshly brewed coffee smells so delicious, but tastes bitter?

12 May 2026

New CRISPR System Destroys Diseased Cells With High Precision

A new kind of CRISPR that destroys cells rather than gene editing them has shown potential for killing sick cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.

8 May 2026

New Epigenetic Marker Reveals Lasting Impact of Arsenic Exposure

Public health experts estimate that more than 200 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water.

5 May 2026

How the Microbiome Shapes Cancer Immunity and Therapy Response

This review examines how the human microbiome regulates anti-tumor immunity through DNA damage, inflammation, immune-cell activity, microbial metabolites, and tumor microenvironment remodeling. It highlights emerging microbiome-based strategies, including FMT, probiotics, prebiotics, engineered bacteria, and live biotherapeutics, while stressing the need for rigorous validation and clinical trials.

29 Apr 2026