TOR solves a common problem in living beings: deciding whether to grow, based on the presence or absence of nutrients. It does it so well that it is present in a multitude of species: primates, fungi, birds, insects, plants...Tafur’s latest findings have been published in 'Nature Structural & Molecular Biology'.

Cryopreservation is not a new technology, but there is still much to explore and perfect in the field. Current methods use slow freezing, a method that is conducive to ice formation, cell dehydration and an increase in cryoprotective agents (CPAs). These are not ideal circumstances for achieving immaculately cryopreserved cells. Researchers from the University of Tokyo use vitrification, a process that transforms a substance into a noncrystalline solid by rapid cooling. This cooling yields favorable outcomes in biological samples, even those that are typically difficult to freeze and thaw successfully. Despite challenges within this method, the future of regenerative medicine research may be greatly, and positively, impacted by the use of vitrification for cell cryopreservation.

Study helps to better understand ecological and evolutionary processes.

Researchers led by Hiroki R. Ueda at the University of Tokyo developed comprehensive 3D cellular atlases spanning all organs and the entire body, termed the CUBIC Organ/Body Atlas. By optimizing the CUBIC tissue-clearing method and establishing high-resolution whole-body imaging, the group mapped the spatial positions of individual cells and enabled quantitative comparisons across samples. This platform enables whole-body–scale quantitative analysis, integration with molecular data, and opens new opportunities for 3D biological and pathological analysis.

A new Maths study from the University of Bath in the UK finds that adopting a neutral stance – such as abstaining in a vote – can speed up and stabilise group decision-making. By reducing the pool of active decision-makers, neutrality helps new consensus positions emerge faster.

Kyoto, Japan -- Toward the right side of the periodic table below oxygen you'll find the chalcogens, or "ore-forming" elements. The chalcogens that occur naturally, including sulfur, selenium and tellurium, are all somehow involved in biological processes. Molecules containing sulfur, like the antioxidant glutathione, play a central role in redox regulation, the balance between oxidation and reduction that is essential for maintaining cellular health.

Recent studies have suggested that the heavier selenium and tellurium are active in biological redox systems as well, but the instability of molecules containing chains of different chalcogen atoms has made structural analysis difficult. Traditional methods have largely relied on mass spectrometry, which cannot be used to directly observe molecular bonds. This limitation motivated a team of researchers at Kyoto University to develop a method that would allow them to more clearly observe chains of chalcogens.

"We have long been interested in understanding how subtle atomic substitutions can alter biological function," says corresponding author Kazuma Murakami. "Chalcogen chemistry offers a unique window into redox biology that remains largely unexplored."