The review was led by Prof. Shaorong Gao of Tongji University, in collaboration with researchers from multiple universities and research institutes across China. It examines how epigenetic mechanisms decide which genes are used, when they are used and how strongly they are expressed - from the earliest stages of development to aging, cancer and therapy.

Bringing together evidence from reproduction, embryonic development, stem-cell research, tissue maintenance, aging, cancer and clinical translation, the review assesses what these mechanisms may mean for reproductive medicine, regenerative medicine and precision treatment. It also distinguishes promising directions from interventions that still require stronger evidence on delivery, specificity and long-term safety.

A new study by researchers from the Atopy (Allergy) Research Center of the Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan, led by Professor François Niyonsaba, has uncovered an “arms race” between melanoma cells and the surrounding skin cells called keratinocytes. Keratinocytes produce LL-37, an antimicrobial peptide that can directly suppress melanoma growth and spread. Melanoma cells escape this protective mechanism by transferring hsa-miR-221-5p through exosomes to keratinocytes in their vicinity, reducing their LL-37 production.

A new study published in Biomedical Analysis reports a protein-coated nanoparticle platform that combines the powerful light-to-heat conversion ability of copper sulfide with the biological compatibility of albumin, offering a potential strategy for safer photothermal cancer therapy.

One of Australia's largest real world studies of younger adults with advanced bowel cancer has identified important differences between cancers diagnosed before and after the age of 50, which could help doctors tailor treatments for younger adults more effectively.