A new FAU study shows astrocytes help neurons fire in sync, shaping brain rhythms key for attention, memory, and sleep – guiding how groups of neurons work together during high-focus or restful states.

Researchers at the College of Design and Engineerin at the National University of Singapore have discovered that human stem cells can be guided to become bone cells simply by squeezing through narrow spaces—without the need for chemical signals. The study, led by Assistant Professor Andrew Holle and published in Advanced Science, shows that physical confinement alone triggers genetic changes that push mesenchymal stem cells toward bone cell development. These findings could lead to new, low-cost methods for preparing stem cells for therapeutic use, particularly in bone repair. The research opens up promising possibilities for designing biomaterials and treatments that use mechanical forces to steer cell behaviour.The team is now exploring whether this confinement-based approach can also improve healing in injury models and be applied to more potent stem cell types used in regenerative medicine.

A fundamental discovery by University of Missouri scientists could help solve one of the most frustrating challenges in treating lung cancer: Why do some patients initially respond to drug treatment, only for it to stop working 18 months later?

The team, led by Dhananjay Suresh, Anandhi Upendran and Raghuraman Kannan at Mizzou’s School of Medicine, identified a hidden molecular “seesaw” involving two proteins inside cancer cells — AXL and FN14. When investigators try to block one protein to stop the cancer, the other one takes over, helping the tumor survive. To fix this, the team developed a new solution: a gelatin-based nanoparticle that can shut down both proteins at the same time.