Laura Cancedda, head of the Brain Development and Disease Research Unit at the Italian Institute of Technology (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – IIT), has today been elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), the international community of more than 2,100 distinguished scientists in the life sciences field across Europe and around the world. Receiving EMBO Membership is a recognition of the excellence of her research and the outstanding achievements throughout her career.

Researchers from Ningbo University and The University of Hong Kong have proposed a novel 3D nanoprinting technique to fabricate high-resolution piezoceramic structures. This method enables precise control over PZT nanostructures with high elasticity and exceptional piezoelectric performance. Their breakthrough allows the creation of flexible, ultra-sensitive sensors, including a bionic air-flow sensor capable of detecting airflow as low as 0.02 m·s⁻¹—nearly 10 times more sensitive than conventional designs.

This innovation paves the way for next-generation piezoelectric devices in industrial sensing, biomedical implants, and IoT applications, offering a scalable and efficient approach to high-performance nanomanufacturing.

The scientific team of Dr. Miloslav Polášek at IOCB Prague has developed a new method of separating the rare earth elements, or lanthanides, which are widely used in the electronic, medical, automotive, and defense industries. The unique method allows metals such as neodymium or dysprosium to be purified from used neodymium magnets. The environmentally friendly process precipitates the rare earths from water without organic solvents or toxic substances. The results were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) at the end of June.

Neuromorphic computing, which mimics architecture of brain, could support growing energy demands of AI

CRISPR-based gene editing holds great promise, but off-target effects remain a major concern, especially across diverse genetic backgrounds. A new study presents a web-based tool that enhances off-target site prediction by incorporating individual genetic variants. Developed using the human genome and pepper plant cultivars, the tool improves accuracy at the haplotype level. This user-friendly, login-free platform offers researchers a powerful way to personalize and safeguard genome editing applications across fields.