News by Subject Biology

A new scientific study published in Nature Catalysis shows that baker's yeast can be designed and optimised to produce polyamines and polyamine analogues for tackling grand challenges in both the health and agricultural sector.

A hydrogel that forms a barrier to keep heart tissue from adhering to surrounding tissue after surgery was developed and successfully tested in rodents by a team of University of California San Diego researchers. The team of engineers, scientists and physicians also conducted a pilot study on porcine hearts, with promising results. They describe their work in the June 18, 2021 issue of Nature Communications.

Researchers have established an approach to identify the orientation of molecules and chemical bonds in crystalline organic-inorganic hybrid thin films deposited on substrates using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and polarized infrared light with a 3D-printed attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit. This inexpensive method with laboratory-grade equipment quickly reaches the crystal-structure model of even extremely thin films of less than 10 nm.

A study led by researchers from IBEC and IDIBAPS achieves, for the first time, the control of brain state transitions using a molecule responsive to light, named PAI. The results not only pave the way to act on the brain patterns activity and to understand their connection to cognition and behavior, but they also could lead to the development of photomodulated drugs for the treatment of brain lesions or diseases such as depression, bipolar disorders or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases.

Purdue innovators have created a biosensor that allows for simultaneous recording and imaging of tissues and organs during a surgical operation. Traditional methods to simultaneously record and image tissues and organs have proven difficult because other sensors used for recording typically interrupt the imaging process. The ultra-soft, thin and stretchable Purdue biosensor is capable of seamlessly interfacing with the curvilinear surface of organs even under large mechanical deformations.

Nanodecoys made from human lung spheroid cells (LSCs) can bind to and neutralize SARS-CoV-2, promoting viral clearance and reducing lung injury in a macaque model of COVID-19. By mimicking the receptor that the virus binds to rather than targeting the virus itself, nanodecoy therapy could remain effective against emerging variants of the virus.