Microscopy News and Research

Latest Microscopy News and Research

Unraveling the Evolutionary Link to Eukaryotic Cells

A decade ago, the existence of Asgard archaea was unknown. However, in 2015, researchers analyzing deep-sea sediments uncovered gene fragments that suggested the presence of a new, previously unidentified group of microbes.

24 Mar 2025

First-Ever Molecular Movie Shows DNA Unzipping Mechanism in Action

Scientists at the University of Leicester have captured the first detailed "molecular movie" showing DNA being unzipped at the atomic level – revealing how cells begin the crucial process of copying their genetic material.

22 Mar 2025

Visualizing the Fundamental Process of DNA Strand Separation

The exact moment DNA starts to unravel has been seen by scientists for the first time, exposing a chemical process that is essential for DNA to be the molecule that codes for all life.

20 Mar 2025

Breakthrough Microscopy Sheds Light on the Dynamics of Biomolecular Condensates

Biomolecular condensates are shifting blobs in our cells that organize cellular matter. They are distinct molecular communities made of DNA, RNA and proteins that "condense" molecules to key locations, yet they frequently defy description.

17 Mar 2025

New Tool for Microscopic Temperature Mapping

At the cellular level, temperature is a crucial factor that affects innumerable biological processes. It is still difficult to measure temperatures inside living cells precisely, though.

17 Mar 2025

SRS Microscopy Unlocks New Insights into Cellular Metabolism and Disease

Cellular metabolism plays a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes. High resolution imaging of intracellular metabolic activities is crucial for understanding many biological pathways, and for facilitating disease prognosis and treatment assessment.

14 Mar 2025

Molecular Intelligence Simplifies Cryo-EM Data Analysis with AI

Scientists from Purdue University’s College of Science and the Rosen Center for Advanced Computing have established Molecular Intelligence, a software company dedicated to assisting researchers in determining the 3D structures of biomolecules captured through cryogenic-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

13 Mar 2025

New Cannabinoid Drug Brings Hope For Treating Chronic Pain Without Addiction

VIP36, a new CB1 agonist, targets a cryptic pocket to provide analgesia for chronic pain while minimizing side effects and avoiding opioid-related risks.

13 Mar 2025

Cryo-EM Reveals 3D Structure of Nipah Virus RNA Polymerase

The replication of the Nipah virus's genetic material in infected cells has been demonstrated for the first time by researchers from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Multidisciplinary Sciences and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG). In humans, the virus can cause fatal encephalitis.

11 Mar 2025

Novel Expansion Microscopy Technique for Detailed Plant Biomolecule Mapping

The approach to studying plant cells is evolving quite literally due to new research led by Kevin Cox, an Assistant Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and an Assistant Member of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

10 Mar 2025

Protective ‘Slime’ In The Brain May Help Prevent Aging And Neurodegeneration

The study shows that boosting mucin-type O-glycosylation in aged mice reinforces the blood-brain barrier and improves memory, paving the way for new treatments.

10 Mar 2025

Study Shows How Transposons Exploit Telomeres in Bacteria

Transposons, or "jumping genes" – DNA segments that can move from one part of the genome to another – are key to bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

8 Mar 2025

Structural Insights into uMtCK Offer New Pathways for Targeting Cancer Energy Mechanisms

Cancer cells have an insatiable appetite for energy as they multiply more rapidly than normal cells. Greedy cancer cells hijack various cellular functions to find and exploit energy and other resources, including a group of enzymes that help normal cells maintain a balance of energy.

8 Mar 2025

New Insights into Biofilm Formation and Dispersal

The oldest type of multicellularity on Earth is biofilms, which are common bacterial communities embedded in a slimy matrix.

7 Mar 2025

Ancient Fish Fossils Reveal Synovial Joints Evolved Millions of Years Earlier Than Thought

Recent research reveals that synovial joints originated in early jawed fish, reshaping our understanding of vertebrate skeletal evolution and movement.

7 Mar 2025

Discovery of Ball-and-Chain Mechanism Sheds Light on Ion Channel Regulation

A new study has unveiled a precise picture of how an ion channel found in most mammalian cells regulates its own function with a "ball-and-chain" channel-plugging mechanism, according to investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine.

5 Mar 2025

Scientists Unveil Molecular Process of Polymerase Theta in Cancer Cells

DNA repair proteins act like the body's editors, constantly finding and reversing damage to our genetic code.

4 Mar 2025

Mapping Bacterial Responses to Reactive Nitrogen and Oxygen Species

A study in Microbiological Research explored the impact of varying ratios of Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) on pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

28 Feb 2025

New Cancer-on-Chip Tech Could Replace Animal Testing—Faster, Cheaper, More Accurate!

A new modified silicone rubber for cancer-on-chip applications improves cell adhesion and drug testing, paving the way for personalized cancer treatments.

28 Feb 2025

Unveiling the Role of Flexibility in Designer Proteins

Artificially designed proteins typically rely on building blocks with strict symmetrical rules, allowing for computational prediction of their structures.

27 Feb 2025