bionity.com News

This protein slows the aging brain and we know how to counter it

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:32:10 +0200

Aging is particularly harsh on the hippocampus — the brain region responsible for learning and memory. Now, researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a protein that’s at the center of this decline. They looked at how the genes and proteins in the hippocampus changed over time in mice and foun...

Sensing sour: How SNAP25 powers taste signals and keeps sensory cells alive

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:32:09 +0200

The tongue contains numerous taste buds—tiny sensory organs responsible for detecting taste. Taste buds consist of specialized cells that translate chemical stimuli into neural signals. Among them, type II cells, which respond to sweet, umami, and bitter stimuli, utilize channel-based signal transmi...

Stora Enso’s billion-euro investment in renewable packaging

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

The largest and most modern consumer packaging board production line in Europe was inaugurated in Oulu, Finland. The new line was inaugurated by Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, Chair of Stora Enso’s Board of Directors Kari Jordan, President and CEO of Stora Enso Hans Sohlström, and Oulu mill...

The diamonds that could find cancer

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 07:32:00 +0200

University of Warwick researchers have built a new diamond-based magnetic field sensor that could be used to better find tumours through tracing magnetic fluid injected in the body. A cancer diagnosis is most problematic when cells from the tumour have metastasised (spread) to other organs. This mo...

Using bacteria to sneak viruses into tumors

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:32:03 +0200

Researchers at Columbia Engineering have built a cancer therapy that makes bacteria and viruses work as a team. In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the Synthetic Biological Systems Lab shows how their system hides a virus inside a tumor-seeking bacterium, smuggles it past the immu...

Ultrasound could deliver drugs with fewer side effects

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

The trouble with many drugs is that they go where they shouldn’t, producing unwanted side effects. Psychiatric drugs might cause dissociation, painkillers can induce nausea and chemotherapy often damages healthy cells. Now a team of Stanford Medicine researchers are closing in on a novel solution: a...

Insights into olfactory disorders in Alzheimer's disease

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:31:59 +0200

A diminishing sense of smell can be one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease, even before cognitive impairment occurs. Studies by researchers at the DZNE and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) provide new insights into this phenomenon. According to the study, the brain's immune res...

Reduced genome – flexible performance: How symbiotic bacteria with minimal genetic information support their host

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:32:03 +0200

Many insects live in symbiosis with certain species of bacteria. These bacteria make important contributions to their hosts' nutrition, digestion, detoxification, reproduction and defense. Due to their close coexistence with insects, symbionts often lose genes for metabolic products that are also pr...

New method loads mRNA into exosomes in 10 minutes—just mix and go

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

Exosomes, naturally derived vesicles responsible for intercellular communication, are emerging as next-generation drug delivery systems capable of transporting therapeutics to specific cells. However, their tightly packed, cholesterol-rich membranes make it extremely difficult to encapsulate large m...

Innovative treatment for liver tumors: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) at the University Hospital Regensburg

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:31:59 +0200

The University Hospital Regensburg (UKR) is setting new standards in the treatment of liver tumors: With electrochemotherapy (ECT), the Institute of Diagnostic Radiology at the UKR offers a promising, gentle and minimally invasive treatment option for patients with primary or secondary liver tumors....

Head-to-head against AI, pharmacy students won

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:32:05 +0200

Students pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree routinely take – and pass – rigorous exams to prove competency in several areas. Can ChatGPT accurately answer the same questions? A new study by University of Arizona R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy researchers said no, it can’t. Researchers found that ...

Researchers discover previously unknown "mini-factories" for protein folding

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:32:04 +0200

In order for proteins to perform their many functions, they must be folded correctly. A research team at the University of Basel has now discovered a type of "folding factory" in which proteins are folded efficiently and without errors. If these factories are missing, this can lead to diseases such ...

Norgine completes acquisition of Theravia

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

Norgine announced the successful completion of the acquisition of Theravia, an international pharmaceutical company specializing in therapies for patients with rare and serious diseases. The completion of this acquisition is an important step for Norgine towards its goal of bringing life-changing me...

Dr. Wolf-Henning Walther becomes new CEO at Metrohm Germany

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 07:32:00 +0200

Dr. Wolf-Henning Walther will take over as Managing Director of Metrohm Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG on September 1, 2025 and will form the Executive Board together with Michael Feige and Dr. Volker Frost. Frank Rückle, the current Managing Director, will take his well-deserved retirement on September ...

How immune cells switch into attack mode

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:32:06 +0200

Fighting off pathogens is a tour de force that must happen with speed and precision. A team of researchers at CeMM and MedUni Vienna led by Christoph Bock and Matthias Farlik has investigated how macrophages—immune cells that are the body’s first responders—master this challenge. Their study offers ...

When the reflection kills

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:32:04 +0200

In nature, there are often substances that behave like mirror images, such as the well-known left- and right-turning lactic acid. Research teams from the University of Marburg and the University of Geneva have now discovered how the growth of certain cancer cells can be specifically weakened with a ...

AI Meets CRISPR for Precise Gene Editing

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

A research team headed by the University of Zurich has developed a powerful new method to precisely edit DNA by combining cutting-edge genetic engineering with artificial intelligence. This technique opens the door to more accurate modeling of human diseases and lays the groundwork for next-generati...

Structural basis of the function of therapeutic antibodies in cancer immunotherapy elucidated

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:50:59 +0200

Therapeutic antibodies have revolutionized cancer treatment, but the exact molecular mechanisms that determine their therapeutic effect have so far been insufficiently investigated. A team led by Professor Ralf Jungmann (Chair of Molecular Physics of Life at LMU and head of the Molecular Imaging and...

Lost in translation: New vulnerability of the aging brain discovered

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:32:11 +0200

Proteostasis describes the balance of proteins in cells, which includes the continuous production of new proteins, their correct folding, and the degradation of damaged or redundant proteins. This balance is essential for cell health; if it is out of balance, misfolded or redundant proteins can accu...

Biomarkers for Brain Insulin Resistance Discovered in the Blood

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:32:09 +0200

If the brain no longer responds properly to insulin (insulin resistance), this can lead to overweight, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) in Potsdam and Tübingen have discovered small chemical modifications to genetic material (epigenetic ...

Milestone for medical research: New method enables comprehensive identification of omega fatty acids

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:32:03 +0200

Omega-3 fatty acids are known to be an essential part of a healthy diet. As humans cannot produce them, they have to be consumed in sufficient amounts. However, omega-6, -7, -9, and -10 fatty acids also play important roles in the metabolism of fats. These numbers indicate the position of the first ...

Mobile science for a planet in transition

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:32:11 +0200

With funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is ushering in a new era of field-based molecular life sciences. On scientific expeditions throughout Europe, mobile laboratories will investigate freshwater ecosystems and the pressures placed on them b...

Excessive ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) and poor nutrition tied to poor health

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:32:06 +0200

Ultraprocessed foods or UPFs are a growing concern due to their widespread consumption and impact on potential health risks. Most UPFs, particularly those commonly seen in U.S. dietary patterns, are high in saturated fat, added sugars and sodium (salt), the combination of which is often abbreviated ...

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute unveils groundbreaking blood test for multiple myeloma

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:32:04 +0200

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a blood test that could transform the diagnosis and monitoring of multiple myeloma (MM) and its precursor conditions. The new method, known as SWIFT-seq, utilizes single-cell sequencing to profile circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood,...

Researchers identify a potential biomarker for long COVID

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:32:02 +0200

Researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), part of City of Hope, and the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center have identified a potential biomarker for long COVID. If the findings of their study are confirmed by other research center...

Cannovum Health welcomes new strategic majority investor

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Cannovum Health GmbH celebrates a key milestone in its corporate development: Triple Crown Ventures becomes the new majority investor. With this step, the company gains a financially strong and strategic partner who firmly believes in Cannovum Health’s vision. In addition to increasing Cannovum Heal...

CureVac Announces Resolution of Patent Litigation with Pfizer/BioNTech

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:32:14 +0200

CureVac N.V. announced that CureVac N.V. and an affiliate (together, “CureVac”), and an affiliate of GSK plc have entered into agreements with BioNTech SE and an affiliate (together, “BioNTech”) and Pfizer, Inc. to resolve and dismiss all pending patent litigation in the United States between the co...

Could lithium explain — and treat — Alzheimer’s disease?

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:32:11 +0200

What is the earliest spark that ignites the memory-robbing march of Alzheimer’s disease? Why do some people with Alzheimer’s-like changes in the brain never go on to develop dementia? These questions have bedeviled neuroscientists for decades. Now, a team of researchers at Harvard Medical School may...

WACKER and start-up Gearbox Biosciences announce strategic collaboration

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Wacker Chemie AG and OÜ Gearbox Biosciences announced a strategic collaboration. Gearbox Biosciences, based in Estonia, are pioneers in the antibiotic-free microbial production of biologics. This partnership aims to co-develop technologies that will revolutionize the manufacturing of pDNA, the criti...

A Patch for the Heart

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:32:04 +0200

A new type of tissue-engineered cardiac patch could not only seal defective areas of the heart, as has been the case up to now, but also heal them. An interdisciplinary team led by ETH Zurich has successfully implanted the patch in animals. Following a heart attack, blood flow to the heart is interr...

Potatoes may increase risk of type 2 diabetes

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

French fries were associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), while other forms of potatoes—including baked, boiled, and mashed—were not, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study also found that swapping any form of potato for wh...

Merck Delivers Profitable Organic Growth Amid Strong Currency Headwinds

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Merck, a leading science and technology company, continues its organic growth. Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties, Group net sales in the second quarter of 2025 increased by 2.0% organically compared with the year-earlier quarter, while EBITDA pre rose by 4.6% organically. Process Solutions ...

Playing Dominos: How an Artificial Protein Emerges from Fitting Together Individual Components

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:32:10 +0200

The targeted engineering of artificial proteins with unique properties – that is possible with the assistance of a novel method developed by a research team led by Prof. Dr Dominik Niopek at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) of Heidelberg University. It centers around a ne...

Beyond classic stress signalling: how mitochondrial stress softens the cell nucleus and alters cellular identity

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:32:02 +0200

A University of Cologne research team has discovered that cells in high-energy-demanding tissues respond to mitochondrial dysfunction in a surprising way. Instead of shutting down, cells adjust their metabolism to produce a particular molecule, which alters the mechanics of the cell nucleus to cope ...

Bayer posts positive second quarter and progress on strategic priorities

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

The Bayer Group is on track following an encouraging first half of the year. “We’re beginning an important second half of 2025, which will be marked by further progress on all strategic priorities, continued launches, and geopolitical and currency crosswinds to navigate,” CEO Bill Anderson said when...

An advanced imaging technique detects cancer with unprecedented precision

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Researchers from Helmholtz Munich, the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and the Medical University of Vienna have developed an advanced imaging technique called "O2E" that allows clinics to detect cancerous lesions in the esophagus with unprecedented precision. Published in Nature Biomedical En...

Left-handed or right-handed? Nanostructures identified by light

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:32:08 +0200

How do left-handed and right-handed molecules differ? Researchers at ETH Zurich are using a new imaging method to visualise what was previously only measurable as an average, opening up new possibilities for biology and materials science. Why do spearmint and caraway seeds smell so differently, alth...

Engineered enzyme to precisely build complex molecules

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:32:05 +0200

Researchers at the University of Basel have repurposed a natural enzyme so that it catalyzes a highly challenging chemical reaction. Their approach opens new possibilities for synthesizing complex molecules—such as pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals—in a more environmentally friendly and efficient w...

When eating is a burden

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 07:32:02 +0200

People with the eating disorder ARFID severely restrict their food intake in terms of quantity or variety - this leads to physical and psychological impairments. The disorder usually begins in childhood and has so far mainly been studied in children or people who are underweight. A new study by Leip...

New Discovery in Enzyme Research: Water is the Key for Activity

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Researchers from the University of Greifswald have discovered a special feature of enzymes that play a role in the conversion of sugar molecules. They identified a precisely coordinated water molecule. In the long run, this discovery could help to enhance the use of biocatalysts in industrial applic...

Shaping the future of mRNA based drug delivery

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:32:09 +0200

A team from the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Hokkaido University, and Osaka University has discovered that subtle differences in molecular structure can have a major impact on the performance of mRNA-based drugs. Their findings, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, ...

A Less Debilitating Approach to Cancer Diagnosis

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:32:07 +0200

Imaging methods are an essential part of medicine, used in everything from diagnosis and treatment to follow-up examinations. X-ray mammography dominates the field of early detection of breast cancer, providing rapid and accurate two-dimensional images. Three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) is ...

From Pollutant to Valuable Chemical Product

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

In two studies that have just been published in the renowned journal Nature Catalysis, the research teams show how the two nickel-containing enzymes carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH) and acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS) transform CO2 into activated acetic acid. These detailed insights into the mechanism...

Humify – superfood for the soil

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Hot and humid temperatures, no light, no air and then that intense odour: when the high-pressure cooker is fired up in the start-up Humify's laboratory, it is hard to imagine that under such conditions the resulting product – a kind of black liquid sludge – could help to influence climate change and...

€12M for LIfT BioSciences: Breakthrough in Cancer Therapy?

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

LIfT BioSciences a rapidly emerging biotech and the global leader in neutrophil immunotherapies, announces a grant of €12 million has been awarded from Ireland’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) to advance its Immuno-Modulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs), designed to overcome treatment ...

Heavy drinking raises the risk of undesired pregnancy

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:32:05 +0200

A new study has found that, among women with a high desire to avoid becoming pregnant, those who drank heavily had a 50% higher risk of becoming pregnant than those who drank moderately or not at all. In contrast, participants who used cannabis were no more likely to have an undesired pregnancy than...

Labguru and Titian Software Rebrand as Cenevo

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:32:01 +0200

Titian Software and Labguru have rebranded as Cenevo, bringing together the two companies’ solutions, Labguru and Mosaic, under a new, unified brand, to enable further innovation and increased collaboration to accelerate scientific discovery. The combined organization specializes in lab management s...

PL BioScience Announces Major Site Expansion

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

PL BioScience GmbH, a German life science company specializing in the production and development of Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) for cell expansion, announced a significant expansion of company headquarters and future manufacturing capabilities to meet the rapidly growing global demand for safe, anim...

Where science powers start-ups

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

TUM Venture Labs, BioLabs and Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) launched BioLabs|TUM, a new biotechnology innovation hub in central Munich. The initiative aims to empower early-stage biotech start-ups by providing access to state-of-the-art lab infrastructure, expert mentoring, and global industry netwo...

Sanofi to acquire biotech start-up Vicebio

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 02:00:00 +0200

Sanofi announces it has entered into an agreement to acquire Vicebio Ltd, a privately held biotechnology company headquartered in London, UK. The acquisition brings an early-stage combination vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), both respiratory v...