Dr. Brett Finlay is a leading expert in how microbes affect health for better and for worse. He teamed up with his daughter, gerontologist Jessica Finlay, to publish their new book The Microbiome Master Key, which explores the unexpected ways in which microbes influence areas ranging from cognition and mood to immunity and susceptibility to disease. In this Q&A, the authors dissect the latest microbiome research, dispel common myths and provide simple, science-backed tips on how to leverage your microbiome to promote healthy living and aging.

An international team of researchers has created the most detailed model yet of how cells regulate traffic through the nuclear pore complex—the gateway between a cell’s nucleus and its cytoplasm. The study solves a decades-old puzzle about how these pores can rapidly and selectively transport molecules, revealing that flexible protein chains create a dynamic “entropic barrier” that admits only properly escorted cargo. This computational model not only clarifies how healthy cells maintain precise control but also provides insight into diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and ALS, where this transport system fails. It opens new avenues for medical and biotech innovation, including the design of artificial nanopores for targeted therapies and biosensing.