A new tool allows researchers to design and produce synthetic proteins faster, more safely, and at larger scale than previously possible. Each protein can contain up to 34 custom amino acids rather than the naturally occurring 20. The work promises to expand the development of novel protein-based medicines and other materials. The technology arises from a discovery that overturns decades of understanding of how transfer RNAs (tRNAs) help turn the genetic code into proteins.

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed and demonstrated a step-by-step framework called Socratic Challenger that uses artificial intelligence to help undergraduate students cultivate critical thinking skills. Specifically, the framework uses AI as a collaborator to develop research questions that can be pursued in laboratory or classroom settings.