Published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, a new study presents a novel composite hydrogel combining bacterial cellulose, conductive polypyrrole, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat diabetic wounds. The hydrogel mimics the skin’s natural healing cascade, offering antibacterial protection, immune regulation, and enhanced tissue regeneration. In vitro and in vivo results show accelerated wound closure, improved vascularization, and reduced inflammation. The material’s electrical responsiveness allows controlled release of bioactive molecules, making it a promising advanced wound dressing for chronic diabetic ulcers.

The Allen Institute’s 2025 Next Generation Leaders (NGL) cohort features eight talented researchers exploring the frontiers of bioscience and pursuing insights into biology with the potential to advance human health. This year, researchers bring critical expertise in theory, immunology, and cell biology, which aligns with the Allen Institute’s vision of collaborative, cross disciplinary science aimed at advancing human health and our understanding foundational principles in biology.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is central to gene regulation, but accurately simulating its folding is a long-standing challenge in computational biology. In a recent study, Associate Professor Tadashi Ando from Tokyo University of Science rigorously evaluated state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulation tools. By testing 26 diverse RNA stem loops, he achieved highly accurate folding predictions and outlined areas for improvement, marking a major step toward RNA-based drug discovery and design.

Researchers from Kumamoto University and collaborating institutions have discovered a new species of deep-sea sea anemone that builds shell-like “homes” for hermit crabs — an extraordinary case of mutualism and co-evolution in the ocean depths.

A new Genomic Psychiatry High-Priority Research Communication by Professor Yogesh Dwivedi and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham reports original, peer-reviewed findings demonstrating that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in stress-linked chromatin silencing during glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation. Using an in vitro neuronal model, the team identified 79 significantly altered lncRNAs (44 upregulated, 35 downregulated; p < 0.05) following GR overexpression, with several physically interacting with the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) via EZH2 and the histone mark H3K27me3. These lncRNAs inversely correlated with nearby gene expression (R = –0.21, p < 0.005), repressing genes essential for synaptic communication and neuronal signaling. The discovery offers a mechanistic link between chronic stress exposure and long-lasting gene repression, suggesting that lncRNAs could serve as molecular signatures or intervention targets in major depressive disorder.