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Category: biotech/medical – Page 171

Researchers pioneer groundbreaking light-driven method to create key drug compounds

Researchers at Indiana University and Wuhan University in China have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body. Their study, published in Chem, describes a novel light-driven reaction that efficiently produces tetrahydroisoquinolines, a group of chemicals that play a crucial role in medicinal chemistry.

Tetrahydroisoquinolines serve as the foundation for treatments targeting Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. These compounds are commonly found in medications such as painkillers and drugs for , as well as in natural sources like certain plants and marine organisms.

Traditionally, chemists have relied on well-established but limiting methods to synthesize these . The new research, co-authored by Kevin Brown, the James F. Jackson Professor of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington, and Professors Xiaotian Qi, Wang Wang, and Bodi Zhao of Wuhan University, presents a fundamentally different approach.

KAIST team discovers molecular switch to reverse cancer cells

Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho’s research team has recently been highlighted for their work on developing an original technology for cancer reversal treatment that does not kill cancer cells but only changes their characteristics to reverse them to a state similar to normal cells. This time, they have succeeded in revealing for the first time that a molecular switch that can induce cancer reversal at the moment when normal cells change into cancer cells is hidden in the genetic network.

KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) announced on the 5th of February that Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho’s research team of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering has succeeded in developing a fundamental technology to capture the critical transition phenomenon at the moment when normal cells change into cancer cells and analyze it to discover a molecular switch that can revert cancer cells back into normal cells.

A critical transition is a phenomenon in which a sudden change in state occurs at a specific point in time, like water changing into steam at 100℃. This critical transition phenomenon also occurs in the process in which normal cells change into cancer cells at a specific point in time due to the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes.

Gut health study of world’s oldest person reveals longevity secrets

Scientists have discovered a “blueprint” for long life by decoding the genome, gut health and lifestyle of the world’s oldest person who died last year at 117.

Maria Branyas Morera, an American-Catalan Caucasian woman, was born in March 1907 in San Francisco, US, and died in August 2024.

While centenarians are becoming more common thanks to advances in health care, supercentenarians aged over 110 are still extremely rare.

Neurological disorders as a window into cognitive function

Brain injury, disease and subsequent interventions can alter behaviour, providing a unique opportunity to study cognitive processes. This Collection seeks to bridge the gap between neurologists and neurosurgeons studying clinical disorders and neuroscientists studying neural processes underlying typical cognition.

The editors at Nature Communications, Communications Biology and Scientific Reports therefore invite original research articles examining neural mechanisms underlying cognitive functions in people affected by neurological conditions. This call for papers includes but is not limited to studies in patients with epilepsy, brain tumours, stroke, neuropsychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative disease or traumatic brain injury using brain stimulation and recording techniques and/or neuroimaging that offer new insights into the mechanisms behind cognitive processes. We also encourage submissions aiming to develop best practices and reporting of these studies. Preclinical work is not within scope for this collection.

This is a cross-journal Collection across Nature Communications, Communications Biology and Scientific Reports. Please see the relevant journal webpages to check which article types the journals consider.

Automated insulin delivery improves glycemic control of type 2 diabetes in randomized trial

Jaeb Center for Health Research conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluating the impact of automated insulin delivery (AID) in adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. AID significantly lowered glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and improved glucose control compared to standard insulin therapy with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM).

AID therapy resulted in a mean HbA1c reduction of 0.9 percentage points over 13 weeks, while the control group experienced a 0.3 percentage point reduction.

Automated systems have demonstrated benefits for patients with type 1 diabetes, yet their efficacy and safety for individuals with type 2 diabetes remain less established. Prior studies have either lacked randomized controlled designs or involved limited sample sizes, creating a gap in clinical understanding.

What Happens When You Swap Atoms? A Nanotech Revolution Begins

Cadmium-based nanostructures are opening new possibilities in near-infrared (NIR) technology, from medical imaging to fiber optics and solar energy.

A major challenge in their development is controlling their atomic structure with precision, which researchers at HZDR and TU Dresden tackled using cation exchange. This technique allows for precise manipulation of nanostructure composition, unlocking new optical and electronic properties. The research highlights the crucial role of active corners and defects, which influence charge transport and light absorption. By linking these nanostructures into organized systems, scientists are paving the way for self-assembling materials with advanced functions, from improved sensors to next-generation electronics.

Harnessing Near-Infrared Light with Cadmium-Based Nanostructures.

Revolutionary Shape-Shifting Nanorobots: The Future of Technology

Scientists have developed shape-shifting nanorobots that can flow like liquid and solidify like steel, paving the way for breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, and robotics. These nanobots, inspired by gallium-based materials, respond to magnetic fields, allowing them to navigate through tight spaces, repair electronics, and even perform medical procedures. While still in the early stages, this futuristic technology could lead to self-healing materials, autonomous repairs, and shape-adaptive robotics, bringing us closer to a world of smart, responsive materials.

Origin of life: How a special group of single-celled organisms laid the foundation for complex cells

Ten years ago, nobody knew that Asgard archaea even existed. In 2015, however, researchers examining deep-sea sediments discovered gene fragments that indicated a new and previously undiscovered form of microbes.

With computer assistance, the researchers assembled these fragments like puzzle pieces to compile the entire genome. It was only then that they realized they were dealing with a previously unknown group of archaea.

Like bacteria, archaea are . Genetically, however, there are significant differences between the two domains, especially regarding their cell envelopes and metabolic processes.