EurekAlert! News by Subject: Biology - News by Subject: Biology

Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Aug-2025 02:11 ET (17-Aug-2025 06:11 GMT/UTC)

Microscopy method breaks barriers in nanoscale chemical imaging

SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Current super-resolution microscopes reveal structural details but lack chemical specificity. To overcome this limitation, researchers developed structured illumination mid-infrared photothermal (SIMIP) microscopy, integrating structured illumination with mid-infrared photothermal detection. This technique enables enhanced spatial resolution and demonstrates high-speed chemical imaging. By providing nanoscale molecular insights, SIMIP opens new possibilities for biomedical research, material science, and chemical analysis, with the potential for widespread adoption in laboratories.

Journal: Advanced Photonics

Do neurons transmit light?

University of Rochester
Grant and Award Announcement

Researchers from the University of Rochester have begun an ambitious project to study if living neurons can transmit light through their axons—the long, tail-like nerve fibers of neurons that resemble optical fibers.

Funder: John Templeton Foundation

Research Spotlight: Comparison of single-cell profiling methods reveals strengths and limitations

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Peer-Reviewed Publication

David A. Drew, PhD, of the Clinical & Translational Epidemiology Unit and Division of Gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the corresponding author of a paper published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Droplet vs. Picowell: Considerations for single-cell transcriptomic profiling of human colon biopsies

Journal: Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Funder: NIH/National Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, NIH Loan Repayment Program, NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Tropical bounty: How forests can turn into chemical factories

Washington University in St. Louis
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden has uncovered a surprising layer of diversity in tropical forests. Not only are the forests populated by a dizzying number of tree species, but each of those species takes a different approach to chemistry, increasing the array of natural compounds that provide important functions for the plants — and potentially for humans.

Journal: Ecology
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. National Science Foundation

Illegal poisonings imperil European raptors and could disrupt ecosystem health

Raptor Research Foundation
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent comprehensive assessment on the poisoning of raptors across Europe does not yield good news. This is according to the new paper “Poisoning in Europe Between 1996 and 2016: A Continental Assessment of the Most Affected Species and the Most Used Poisons,” published in the Journal of Raptor Research. A large team of raptor researchers amassed retrospective data on poisoning events across 22 European countries between 1996 and 2016. Carbofuran and aldicarb were the most common toxins reported and disproportionately affected scavenging raptors, especially in Northern Europe. As high-level participants in trophic interactions and providers of ecosystem services, raptors are crucial agents of Europe’s ecological health. These poisonings are, therefore, troubling. They are also illegal.

Journal: Journal of Raptor Research

Lab-grown teeth might become an alternative to fillings following research breakthrough

King's College London

Adults could one day grow their own replacement teeth instead of having fillings – as scientists make a key discovery.

Gestational age and cognitive development in childhood

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study of children ages 9 to 10, moderately preterm birth was associated with long-term cognitive problems independent of socioeconomic status, genetics, and other risk factors. These findings underscore the need for continued follow-up of all preterm children, with particular focus on those born before 34 weeks’ gestational age, because they may face greater developmental challenges over time.

Journal: JAMA Network Open