An international research team led by scientists from the University of Vienna has uncovered new insights into how specialized cell types and communication networks at the interface between mother and fetus evolved over millions of years. These discoveries shed light on one of nature's most remarkable innovations – the ability to sustain a successful pregnancy. The findings have just been published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Researchers at the School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), have made a breakthrough in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Their study reveals that combining the active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Astragalus membranaceus (huang qi) with the widely used Western drug methotrexate (MTX) can effectively reduce chronic inflammation in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s disease. This study provides a new solution to address the drug resistance and the side effects caused by long-term medication. The research findings were published in two leading international journals, Acta Pharmacologica Sinica and Journal of Leukocyte Biology, where they were featured as cover stories.

Scientists have conducted a study of the predatory behavior of sharks in deep-sea ecosystems. This research provides insights into the behavior and distribution range of Pacific sleeper sharks. The research is published in the journal Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research on June 1, 2025.

Neuroform Atlas Stent (NAS) is used in treating localized dilation of blood vessels in the brain. The stent is designed for placement in vessels of 2.0─4.5 mm diameter. However, studies that assess whether NAS is equally effective in smaller blood vessels are limited. Researchers from China addressed this critical clinical question, and report that even in smaller vessels of diameter less than 2.5 mm, NAS-assisted coiling led to fewer complications and favorable short-term outcomes.

Like all complex organisms, every human originates from a single cell that multiplies through countless cell divisions. Thousands of cells coordinate, move and exert mechanical forces on each other as an embryo takes shape. Researchers at the Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks (CIDBN), the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation, and the University of Marburg have now discovered a new way that embryonic cells coordinate their behaviour. This involves molecular mechanisms previously known only from the process of hearing. The researchers attribute the fact that such different cells use the same proteins for two such different functions to their evolutionary origin. The results were published in Current Biology.

Can animals share the same space peacefully high above the ground in the treetops? A research team at the University of Göttingen has found that forests combining both deciduous and conifer trees make it easier for red squirrels and dormice to coexist. Using cameras placed high in the canopy, scientists discovered that red squirrels tend to prefer coniferous forests, while dormice are more commonly found in beech forests. However, in mixed forests that include both tree types, both species were observed living side by side. This suggests that mixed forests could play an important role in supporting biodiversity. The findings were published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research.

In an unprecedented international study, researchers at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, have discovered a previously unknown type of neural stem cell located outside the experimental mouse central nervous system. It challenges the long-standing belief that ‘neural stem cells are confined to the brain and spinal cord’, opening up transformative possibilities in regenerative medicine for treating neurological diseases and injuries. The findings were published in Nature Cell Biology, and included into ‘A year of stem cell and developmental biology’ collection in this past year by Nature.