Feature Channels: Cell Biology

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In a groundbreaking study, a team of Georgia Tech researchers has unveiled a remarkable discovery: the identification of novel bacterial proteins that play a vital role in the formation and stability of methane clathrates, which trap gigatons of greenhouse gas beneath the seafloor. These newfound proteins not only suppress methane clathrate growth as effectively as toxic chemicals used in drilling but also prove to be eco-friendly and scalable. This innovative breakthrough not only promises to enhance environmental safety in natural gas transportation but also sheds light on the potential for similar biomolecules to support life beyond Earth.

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A readily available, inexpensive small molecule drug can improve the fitness of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that are modified outside of the body, potentially improving the success of procedures like ex vivo gene therapy, according to a new study by researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

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Patterns of chemical interactions are thought to create patterns in nature such as stripes and spots. This new study shows that the mathematical basis of these patterns also governs how sperm tail moves.

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The Center of Excellence for Evolutionary Therapy at Moffitt Cancer Center has received a $10.4 million grant to study the eco-evolutionary dynamics responsible for non-small cell lung cancer growth and treatment resistance.

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RUDN University chemists and colleagues from China built several machine learning models and discovered a group of potential drugs that inhibit the enzyme responsible for uncontrolled cell division.

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Chromosomal instability is a phenomenon characterised by rapid changes in the number and structure of chromosomes during cell division. It is very common in solid tumours and it is linked to the aggressive spread of cancer, that is to say, metastasis.

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Evelyn Handel Zapata, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, Senior Director of Drugs & Biologics Programs at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) was named a 40 Under 40 in Cancer: Emerging Leader; launches new resources for a type of pediatric lymphoma.

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Single Cell Protein (SCP) is an alternative and eco-friendly protein source from microorganisms which can be produced by utilizing agro-industrial wastes. SCP presents multiple applications, including animal feed, human food, packaging and is characterized by a rich nutritional profile.

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A study has revealed new details about a key population of immune system cells critical to successful vaccination against the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2.

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In order to keep track of their environment, cells use cilia, antenna-like structures that can sense a variety of stimuli, including the flow of fluids outside the cell.

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Alfred E. Mann possessed a rare superpower: He could seamlessly connect the dots between science and philanthropy to improve the lives of people all over the world.

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Scientists revealed the intercellular choreography that governs protein regulation, including how unwanted proteins are tagged for degradation, an important player in human health and disease.

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Engineers and chemists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Meta have developed a new kind of 3D-printed material capable of replicating characteristics of biological tissue, an advancement that could impact the future of “augmented humanity.”

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Researchers expand the use of ribosome profiling, also known as Ribo-seq, to understand protein production in cells

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Glen N. Barber, PhD, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s internationally known cell biologist who chairs the University of Miami’s Department of Cell Biology, will be awarded the 2023 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia for outstanding contributions to basic research in biology and biochemistry.

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Zhijian “James” Chen, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been awarded the 2023 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in recognition of his groundbreaking work on innate immunity.

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Life on a faraway planet — if it’s out there — might not look anything like life on Earth. But there are only so many chemical ingredients in the universe’s pantry, and only so many ways to mix them.

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In 1998, scientists reported being able to derive cells from human embryos that could develop into almost any cell in the body. In 2007, the field took a huge leap when scientists discovered they could reprogram human adult skin cells to act like these embryonic stem cells.

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Regular and intense aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with Lynch Syndrome (LS) by improving the immune system's ability to detect and remove potentially harmful cells, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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As the days get shorter and chillier in the northern hemisphere, those who choose to work out in the mornings might find it harder to get up and running. A study in PNAS identifies a protein that, when missing, makes exercising in the cold that much harder—that is, at least in fruit flies.

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There has been a real race among scientists to create a technology that enables easy protein sequencing. Professor of Chemical Biology Giovanni Maglia of the University of Groningen has now found the missing piece in the puzzle: a way to transport a protein through a nanopore, which allows sequencing of proteins in a simple, handheld device.

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In living organisms, cells have a very high capacity to process and communicate information by moving molecules or ions through tiny channels that span the cell membrane.

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An international team of researchers has demonstrated that a combination of inhibitors may suppress tumor growth and prevent relapse in patients with certain cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma.

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For his work discovering the basis for hemoglobin gene switching and applying those insights to develop a therapy for sickle cell disease and other blood diseases, the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania awarded Stuart Orkin, MD the third Elaine Redding Brinster Prize in Science or Medicine.

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Bacteria are nearly ubiquitous and have tremendous impacts on human and ecological health. And yet, they remain largely mysterious to us. Princeton MOL faculty Zemer Gitai, Britt Adamson and Ned Wingreen launched a joint effort to develop new tools to help us better understand bacteria.

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CAR T cell therapy pioneer Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (CCI) at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, has been named a winner of the 2024 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.

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The Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai has earned a prestigious designation for its excellence in adult and pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO—an often lifesaving treatment where blood is pumped outside of a patient’s body to a portable heart-lung machine, giving the patient’s own organs a rest.

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New UC Riverside research has revealed COVID’s Achilles heel — its dependence on key human proteins for its replication — which can be used to prevent the virus from making people sick.

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Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered an intracellular mechanism that converts protective intestinal cells into disease-driving pathogenic cells, a finding that could lead to improved treatments for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists studied hot springs on different continents and found similarities in how some microbes adapted despite their geographic diversity. The findings yield clues to the evolution of life and whether some of the hardiest microbes may be harnessed for biotechnology.

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Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in New Orleans is proud to be the first institution in Louisiana to use CAR T cell therapy in adults, the revolutionary treatment for certain types of blood cancers.

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Scientists at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital are shedding new light on the causes of Type 2 diabetes and offering a potential strategy for developing new therapies, or perhaps, even prevent Type 2 diabetes from developing.

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Over the years, dedicated sickle cell disease programs and research initiatives have greatly improved patient care and life expectancy. But, giving these patients the care they require still presents a number of challenges, including inadequate funding for sickle cell programs, lack of research, and limited access to healthcare.

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The study identified a molecule that reduced the spread of the herpes simplex virus in human cells.

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FASEB’s Excellence in Science Awards highlight outstanding achievements by women in the biological and biomedical sciences. The awards are bestowed to female scientists demonstrating not only excellence and innovation in their research fields, but exemplary leadership and mentorship as well.

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The blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been found to play a significant role in controlling behavior critical to how ant colonies function, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

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The immunotherapy drug, durvalumab, has been the standard of care for patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) to improve survival, when prescribed after chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

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Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified the structure of a special transporter found in red blood cells and how it interacts with drugs.

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Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital found that a subset of CD8+ T cells in the brain lessens the activation of microglia and limits disease pathology in a model of Alzheimer’s disease.