Modern methods of radiotherapy would fight cancer more effectively and safely if treatments could be planned taking into account the radiation quality of the therapeutic proton beams. An achievement by physicists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Cracow brings us closer to this goal.

Since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, several variants of the virus have developed into Variants of Concern (VOCs), as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO). VOCs are virus variants that are predicted or known to cause large waves of infections due to their altered phenotypic characteristics and with risk of altering disease severity, reducing vaccine effectiveness or otherwise leading to increased burden of health care systems. The CoVerage web platform for genomic surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus enables a rapid, computational identification and characterization of potential Variants of Interest (pVOIs), with a lead time of almost three months before their WHO designation as a VOC or as related variant categories and predicts their ability to escape existing immunity acquired by prior vaccinations or infections. Researchers led by Alice McHardy have successfully demonstrated this in a comprehensive analysis published in Nature Communications. Early detection of VOCs is particularly important for vaccine development in order to ensure vaccine protection against new virus variants.

Pain is an important physiological response triggered by physical injury or psychological stressors. While studies have shown that mice housed with mice experiencing pain show heightened pain sensitivity, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. A new study by researchers from Tokyo University of Science finds that exposure to stress calls emitted by mice experiencing pain triggers pain and inflammation in naïve mice, thus providing novel insights into pain perception and its social transmission.

Diabetes affects millions worldwide, causing both nerve and metabolic complications. A recent study suggests that diabetic nerve damage may also lead to impaired bone health. Using a mouse model of Type 2 Diabetes, researchers uncovered that sensory nerve loss in tissues surrounding bones disrupts key cell signaling pathways in bone tissue—leading to reduced strength and regenerative capacity. The study offers new insights on the link between neuropathy and skeletal deterioration.

Gene delivery is a key area in biomedicine, where nucleic acids are delivered into cells to treat diseases by modulating genes. The low micelle concentration, effective nucleic acid complexation, and low immunogenicity make Gemini surfactants promising gene delivery vectors. Recently, a paper published in MedComm-Future Medicine summarizes strategies to improve the transfection efficiency or biocompatibility of Gemini surfactant vectors and explores their delivery mechanisms, thereby offering new insights into the field's development.