Species that evolved rapidly in body size - such as the Greater Kudu and Big Horn Sheep - have fewer cancerous tumours, but the same is not true for non-cancerous tumours, according to new research.  

Researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) have created a Raman spectral database that is accessible and open to the scientific community with 140 of the main types of biomolecules, including nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. The project, based on the Raman spectroscopy analytical technique, is key resource for progress in research into diseases such as cancer. It is an open database that aims to grow with contributions made by the scientific community.

In seahorses, males are the ones to bear offspring. A research team led by Konstanz evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer examined the cellular basis for "male pregnancy".

A new study offers an innovative way to track the spread of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans. Using high-resolution melting (HRM) PCR, researchers developed a fast, reliable method to identify sand fly species, detect Leishmania parasites, and determine the source of their blood meals from a single sample. The study mapped twelve sand fly species, four Leishmania species, and twenty-five host animals across Israel, revealing complex patterns of transmission. This approach provides a powerful new tool for veterinarians and public health authorities to monitor and control zoonotic diseases more effectively.