The new technology deploys a recently discovered CRISPR protein, Cas12a2, which acts like a paper shredder. When activated by a specific genetic target, it rips the genome apart, a lethal move that researchers can program to destroy harmful virus-infected cells or cancer cells.

An FAU researcher has earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award to study why amine-based sorbents used in pollution control degrade over time. By uncovering molecular-level mechanisms behind this breakdown, the project aims to improve the durability and efficiency of materials used to capture carbon dioxide, toxic gases, heavy metals and “forever chemicals,” with potential benefits for air and water purification, sustainability and energy systems.

The EU-funded HARMONY project has reached a major milestone in rare earth magnet recycling, successfully producing and validating injection-moulded magnets from recycled materials. 

Researchers have developed an innovative method that uses light and artificial intelligence (AI) to measure and control the fabrication of ultra-thin optical fibers in real time. By interpreting light interference patterns—akin to reading the growth rings of a tree—the system reconstructs the fiber's entire shape with nanometer precision. This breakthrough enables intelligent, precise manufacturing crucial for next-generation photonic devices in communications, computing, and sensing.

A research team led by Prof. HSING I-Ming, Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with Prof. ZHAI Yuanliang, Associate Professor of the Division of Life Science (LIFS), has successfully developed the world's first DNA-guided CRISPR-Cas system capable of programmable RNA targeting and cleavage.

 

This breakthrough overturns the conventional CRISPR paradigm, which uses RNA as a guide to target DNA. The new system holds tremendous potential for clinical applications, opening new avenues for RNA-targeted therapies and diagnostics, including improved accuracy in rapid infectious disease testing and the advancement of antiviral treatments. The findings have been published in the international prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology.

Vaia Lida Chatzi, MD, PhD, professor of population and public health science and pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has received the highly competitive Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental health Research (RIVER) award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. The $10 million grant will support research on the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as efforts to translate these discoveries into real-world solutions. The new grant will fund research on the link between PFAS and metabolic conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease. Chatzi and her colleagues will combine several research methods to investigate these links and identify ways to reduce risk. They will conduct large-scale studies of more than 50,000 people, analyze human tissue samples in the lab, use advanced technology to search for a “signature” of PFAS exposure and work directly with affected communities to develop practical, tailored solutions.The project’s overarching goal is to build a “precision environmental health” approach that connects the dots between PFAS exposure, disease risk and ways to reduce that risk. In the coming years, the researchers aim to generate evidence to inform public health guidelines and regulatory decisions around PFAS. They also expect to create new tools to identify the earliest biological effects of PFAS exposure, as well as scalable strategies to reduce exposure and prevent disease.

Researchers have established a comprehensive public dataset, GlycoHBF, which provides a detailed map of proteins and their glycosylation (N-glycosylation) across 15 types of human body fluids. Using standardized processing and advanced mass spectrometry, the study reveals significant molecular heterogeneity among fluids like plasma, urine, saliva, tears, and cerebrospinal fluid. This work provides a rigorous analytical framework and a baseline reference that will accelerate the discovery of liquid biopsy biomarkers for diseases including cancer and neurological disorders.