Cell Biologist

  Why DNA Packing Matters Beyond Storage Inside human cells, DNA is not loose or floating freely. Instead, it is wrapped around bead-like proteins called histones, forming repeating units known as nucleosomes. These nucleosomes are connected by short stretches of exposed DNA, together forming a complex structure called chromatin. This arrangement does more than save space. Chromatin’s physical organisation determines whether genes are accessible to the cellular machinery that reads them, or tightly packed and effectively switched off. Loosely organised regions tend to be active; densely packed regions are usually silent. How cells control this balance has been a central puzzle in molecular biology. A Small Structural Detail with Big Consequences The new study, led by Michael Rosen of the UT Southwestern Medical Center, shows that chromatin behaviour can change dramatically depending on the length of the DNA “linker” connecting one nucleosome to the next. DNA is not a straight ladd...

  In a major boost to India’s medical technology ecosystem, Bengaluru-based start-up VoxelGrids has developed the country’s first fully indigenous MRI scanner. The milestone marks a significant step towards reducing India’s heavy dependence on imported diagnostic equipment and strengthening the “Made in India” push in high-end healthcare technology. Breakthrough in Domestic Medical Imaging The 1.5-tesla MRI scanner developed by “VoxelGrids” has been deployed at the Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation near “Nagpur”. The system is the outcome of a 12-year effort led by founder “Arjun Arunachalam”, aimed at designing and manufacturing MRI technology entirely within India—an area traditionally dominated by global players. Cost and Technology Advantages Unlike conventional MRI machines produced by multinational firms such as “Siemens” and “GE HealthCare”, VoxelGrids’ scanner does not use liquid helium. This innovation reduces manufacturing costs by nearly 40 per cent. The company has also...

  In a significant advance for paediatric care, the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the first prescription oral medicine to treat iron deficiency in children aged 10 years and older. The decision expands treatment options beyond dietary supplements and invasive therapies, addressing a widespread yet often under-diagnosed condition among school-age children and adolescents. What the Approval Covers The FDA has approved Accrufer, an oral capsule formulation of ferric maltol, for paediatric patients aged 10 and above with diagnosed iron deficiency. Until now, the drug had been authorised only for adults since 2019. With this extension, clinicians can prescribe a regulated, prescription-grade oral iron therapy to older children and teenagers requiring medical intervention rather than lifestyle advice alone. Why Iron Deficiency in Children Matters Iron deficiency remains the most common cause of anaemia worldwide. Low iron levels impair the body’s ability to prod...

  "There is a popular demand for better and more sustainable protein for food," says corresponding author Xiao Liu of Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China. "We successfully made a fungus not only more nutritious but also more environmentally friendly by tweaking its genes." Sustainable Protein and the Need for Alternatives Animal agriculture accounts for about 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It also requires large amounts of land and fresh water, both of which are increasingly strained by climate change and human activity. Because of these challenges, microbial proteins found in yeast and fungi have gained attention as promising alternatives to meat. Among the many mycoprotein sources studied so far, the fungus Fusarium venenatum has become a prominent choice because its natural flavor and texture closely mimic meat. It has already been approved for consumption in several regions, including the United Kingdom, China, and the United States. Why Fusarium venenat...

  India has once again emerged as the world’s worst offender in doping violations, topping the global list for the third consecutive year, according to the latest World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report. The findings have raised serious concerns as the country intensifies efforts to host major international sporting events, including future Commonwealth Games and a potential Olympic bid. WADA Report and Key Numbers The WADA report revealed that Indian athletes were involved in 260 doping cases in 2024, the highest number recorded by any country worldwide. These cases were identified as adverse analytical findings (AAFs), giving India a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent. This rate was the highest among nations that conducted more than 5,000 doping tests during the year. The report, published on WADA’s official website, confirms India’s continued position at the top of the global doping charts. Testing Data and NADA’s Role India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) conducted 7,113 test...

  Researchers at the University of Missouri have identified a simple (and tasty) way to help the body absorb more of kale's valuable nutrients: using oil-based dressings or sauces. With the right fat source, you can enjoy kale while actually getting more from it. Oil Helps Release Kale's Hard-to-Access Nutrients A study from Mizzou's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) found that it makes little difference whether kale is eaten raw or cooked. The key factor that improves nutrient absorption is pairing it with olive oil, mayonnaise or another oil-based dressing. The team is now looking into how nanotechnology-inspired dressings could be designed to boost this effect even further. "Kale is a nutrient-rich vegetable that contains carotenoids, including lutein, α-carotene and β-carotene, which have beneficial effects on overall health," Ruojie (Vanessa) Zhang, assistant professor in the Division of Food, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at CAFNR,...

  India has launched its first Artificial Intelligence driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy, marking a major advance in early detection of diabetic eye disease and public health surveillance. The initiative was formally launched in New Delhi on December 16, 2025. Institutions and Inauguration The programme is a collaborative effort of the Armed Forces Medical Services, the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS, and the eHealth AI Unit of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was inaugurated at Army Hospital (Research and Referral), New Delhi, by Director General Armed Forces Medical Services Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, along with Prof Radhika Tandon, Chief of RPC, AIIMS. MadhuNetrAI Platform and Technology Use The initiative is anchored by MadhuNetrAI, a web-based Artificial Intelligence platform developed by RPC, AIIMS. The system enables automated screening, grading and triaging of retinal images captured through handhe...

  Senescent “zombie” cells are linked to aging and multiple diseases, but spotting them in living tissue has been notoriously difficult. Researchers at Mayo Clinic have now taken an inventive leap by using aptamers—tiny, shape-shifting DNA molecules—to selectively tag these elusive cells. The project began as an offbeat conversation between two graduate students and quickly evolved into a collaborative, cross-lab effort that uncovered aptamers capable of binding to unique surface proteins on senescent cells. A serendipitous student idea led to a new aptamer-based method for pinpointing senescent “zombie” cells and advancing future aging therapies. Credit: AI/ScienceDaily.com One potential strategy for treating a wide range of illnesses involves targeting senescent cells. These cells -- also known as "zombie cells" -- stop multiplying but fail to clear themselves from the body as healthy cells normally do. They appear in many conditions, including cancer, Alzheimer's disea...

  A companion study showed that centromeres, small structures on chromosomes once believed to work on their own, play a guiding role in directing CENP-E so it can help the division process unfold correctly. Together, these results overturn two decades of accepted teaching and carry major implications, since mistakes in chromosome attachment are linked to many cancers and genetic disorders. Why Early Chromosome Positioning Matters Every moment, in countless cells across the body, division takes place with extraordinary precision. A single cell duplicates three billion DNA letters and manages to distribute perfect copies to both daughter cells. When that delicate process fails, the consequences can be serious. Even one chromosome in the wrong place can disrupt development, contribute to infertility, or trigger cancer. Cell division offers little room for error. For many years, researchers believed they understood one of the central players: CENP-E, often described as a motor protein ...

  A team of scientists at the Bose Institute, Kolkata, has engineered a glowing CRISPR protein that allows real-time observation of genome editing inside living cells. The innovation, named GlowCas9, marks a major advance in the field of gene therapy , where visualising gene-editing machinery has long been a scientific challenge. Limitations Of Traditional CRISPR Monitoring CRISPR-Cas9 technology revolutionised gene correction by enabling precise DNA cutting and repair. However, researchers could not observe Cas9 activity as it occurred because existing detection methods required cell fixation or destruction. This prevented real-time tracking of editing events, limiting understanding of how the molecular machinery behaves within living systems. Design And Function Of GlowCas9 The new system fuses Cas9 with a split nano-luciferase enzyme derived from deep-sea shrimp proteins. When Cas9 folds correctly, the luciferase fragments reunite and emit light, creating a built-in indicator o...

  Many diseases disrupt these delicate networks. In the brain, damage to fiber connections appears across nearly all neurological disorders, where it contributes to changes in neural communication. Although these microscopic structures play essential roles, they have long been challenging to study. Researchers have struggled to determine how fibers are oriented inside tissues, which has made it difficult to fully understand how they change in health and disease. A Simple Method for Revealing Hidden Microstructure A research team led by Marios Georgiadis, PhD, instructor of neuroimaging, has now introduced an approach that makes these hard-to-see fiber patterns visible with exceptional clarity and at a relatively low cost. Their technique, described in Nature Communications, is known as computational scattered light imaging (ComSLI). It can reveal the orientation and organization of tissue fibers at micrometer resolution on virtually any histology slide, regardless of how it was st...

  H3N2, a major subtype of influenza A, is once again driving significant flu waves across multiple countries. Known for its rapid mutation rate and ability to evade immunity, H3N2 disproportionately affects young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses. Here is a clear, in-depth explainer on what makes this flu strain particularly challenging. What Exactly Is H3N2 and Where Did It Come From? H3N2 is one of the most common influenza A strains responsible for seasonal flu epidemics worldwide. It first jumped to humans in 1968 through an antigenic shift involving avian viruses. Since then, it has become a dominant seasonal flu subtype, accounting for 10–20% of global infections each year and up to 50% of hospitalizations in severe seasons. Its tendency to mutate quickly leads to frequent “antigenic drift,” weakening population immunity and reducing vaccine effectiveness. How the Virus Enters and Hijacks Human Cells H3N2 is wrapped in a fatty envelope studded with hem...

  A research team in Kerala has identified a new species of semi-aquatic spider, Dolomedes indicus, marking the first confirmed record of a fishing spider from this genus in India. The discovery from the rainforests of Wayanad underscores the ecological richness of the Western Ghats and highlights the need for continued biodiversity research. Discovery in the Pristine Streams of Wayanad Researchers from the Kerala Forest Research Institute located the species in the forested areas of Lakkidi and Periya. Unlike web-building spiders, Dolomedes indicus is an active predator that hunts on water. The spider uses the surface tension of streams to detect vibrations caused by insects or small fish and darts across the water to seize its prey. Researchers also observed exceptional diving abilities, with one female remaining submerged for nearly ninety minutes by trapping a layer of air with specialised hydrophobic hairs. Scientific Confirmation and Distinguishing Features The team verifie...

  This discovery offers an early look at how natural microbes might eventually be guided or engineered to help reduce PFAS pollution, potentially supporting efforts to protect water quality and public health. Early Experiments Reveal Promise and Limitations During controlled lab tests, the researchers noted that R. palustris removed about 44% of PFOA from its surroundings within 20 days. Much of that absorbed chemical later returned to the environment, most likely because the cells broke apart -- a result that underscores both the usefulness and the challenges of relying on living microorganisms to capture or alter PFAS . "While R. palustris didn't completely degrade the chemical, our findings suggest a stepwise mechanism where the bacterium may initially trap PFOA in its membranes," said Saha, Richard L. and Carol S. McNeel Associate Professor. "This gives us a foundation to explore future genetic or systems biology interventions that could improve retention or even...

  Researchers have unveiled a promising technique that revives ageing human cells by enhancing mitochondrial activity, offering a potential pathway to treat degenerative and age-related diseases. The breakthrough centres on improving the energy-producing ability of cells that naturally weaken over time. Focus on Mitochondria and Ageing The study by Texas A&M University highlights how mitochondria, the cell’s energy generators, decline in efficiency with age, contributing to heart, brain and metabolic disorders. Restoring mitochondrial function has long been considered key to slowing biological ageing at the cellular level. Nanoflower Technology Boosts Cellular Energy Scientists developed microscopic “nanoflowers” from molybdenum disulfide. These particles, shaped like tiny blossoms, contain pores that absorb harmful reactive oxygen species. By reducing oxidative stress, the nanoflowers activate genes that trigger the formation of new mitochondria in human stem cells, significan...

  A vibrant new damselfly species has been identified in the Western Ghats , underscoring the region’s remarkable yet understudied biodiversity. Named the Kodagu Shadowdamsel (Protosticta sooryaprakashi), the insect was discovered along shaded streamside habitats in Karnataka, where researchers combined field observations with DNA sequencing to confirm its distinct evolutionary lineage. Discovery in Kodagu and Agumbe Surveys along the Sampaje River in Kodagu district and in the high-altitude forests of Agumbe revealed specimens that resembled a known species but differed subtly in size and form. Collaborative work between multiple research institutions helped establish that these insects represented a previously undocumented species inhabiting riparian vegetation in low-light environments. Distinctive Physical Features The Kodagu Shadowdamsel displays unique characteristics that separate it from its closest relatives. Males possess striking sky-blue markings on the prothorax and a ...