Ebolaviruses are among the most dangerous known human pathogens. Three ebolavirus species have repeatedly caused major disease outbreaks on the African continent. Most outbreaks have been caused by Zaire ebolavirus. Vaccines and therapeutics are available for this virus species. In contrast, no therapeutics or vaccines are currently available against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, which is responsible for the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This significantly complicates efforts to control the outbreak, which is already the largest documented Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak to date. It was previously unclear whether the currently circulating virus variant can enter human cells more efficiently than earlier variants and thereby contribute to the unusual dynamics of the outbreak. It was also unknown whether licensed vaccines against Zaire ebolavirus can provide at least partial protection against Bundibugyo ebolavirus. A research team from the German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research (DPZ), together with scientists from the TWINCORE – Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, and the Charité – University Hospital Berlin, investigated both questions. The researchers found no evidence that the current Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant infects human cells more efficiently. Viral entry into cells could be inhibited by antibodies present in sera from individuals vaccinated with the vector vaccine VSV-ZEBOV-GP. The study therefore provides important evidence that an already available vaccine might protect individuals at risk of severe disease and contribute to combat the ongoing outbreak (The Lancet Infectious Diseases).

Teenagers who spent six or more hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and three times as likely to report suicidal ideation than those who spent less than an hour on social media each day, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston. 

The low endosomal escape efficiency of endocytosis-based delivery has become a key barrier restricting therapeutic biomacromolecule applications in biomedicine. A review published in Biomedical Analysis highlights emerging non-endocytic transmembrane delivery strategies that bypass conventional cellular uptake pathways and enable direct cytosolic delivery of proteins, nucleic acids, and gene-editing tools. Led by Dr. Yang Liu from Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, the review summarizes recent advances in physical, biomimetic, and bioengineered delivery platforms and discusses their potential for gene therapy, drug delivery, and cellular engineering.

Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, will participate in Cure’s virtual fireside chat, “Racing to Cures: US–China Biomedical Competitiveness,” on July 27 from 10:00 to 11:00 PM Beijing Time. The discussion will explore the competitive landscape and areas of collaboration between the United States and China in biomedical innovation.

Researchers at Kyushu University have discovered a compound called lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS) that strengthens HGF, a protein that drives muscle repair but can lose its function with age. LASSS protects HGF from this age-related damage while also enhancing its ability to trigger repair. The team hopes the findings could lead to treatments for age-related muscle loss in humans and companion animals, supporting longer, healthier lives.