A new technology that uses clinical MRI machines to image metabolic activity in the brain could give researchers and clinicians unique insight into brain function and disease, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report. The non-invasive, high-resolution metabolic imaging of the whole brain revealed differences in metabolic activity and neurotransmitter levels among brain regions; found metabolic alterations in brain tumors; and mapped and characterized multiple sclerosis lesions — with patients only spending minutes in an MRI scanner.

Engineers and plant scientists worked together to improve a basic tool of plant research. The result is more efficient and consistent gene editing. That could help researchers develop crops that withstand hot weather, provide better nutrition or contribute to renewable energy production.

A collaborative multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine and New York University has developed a miniature chip that could transform how blood cancer treatments are tested and tailored for patients. “This device addresses a significant gap in preclinical research, offering an advanced tool for studying CAR T cell therapy’s dynamic and multifaceted responses to leukemia,” says Saba Ghassemi of the Perelman School of Medicine at the Unviersity of Pennsylvania.

In Applied Physics Letters, researchers in China created a machine vision sensor that uses quantum dots to adapt to extreme changes in light far faster than the human eye can — in about 40 seconds — by mimicking eyes’ key behaviors. The sensor’s fast adaptive speed stems from its unique design: lead sulfide quantum dots embedded in polymer and zinc oxide layers. The device responds dynamically by either trapping or releasing electric charges depending on the lighting, similar to how eyes store energy for adapting to darkness.

Cucumbers, a summer staple of salads and sandwiches, are a valuable commercial crop. They also have a less well-known role as valuable model plants which are helping researchers to extend the boundaries of genomic discovery. 

A scientific team has just developed an innovative polymer, PHOx, which could significantly improve the safety of implantable medical devices, while being more environmentally friendly. This invention is the subject of an international patent application.