Cell Biologist

  Researchers from Nagaland University have recorded a new plant species in the high-altitude forests of Nagaland, reinforcing the northeastern region’s status as a biodiversity hotspot. The discovery also highlights the critical role played by community-protected forests in conserving rare and undocumented flora. Discovery in community-managed forests The newly identified species, named “Hoya nagaensis”, was found during botanical surveys in remote forest areas that have remained largely unexplored by scientists. Nagaland’s forests are distinct because many are owned, protected and managed by local communities rather than the State. While this traditional stewardship has preserved large forest tracts, limited scientific surveys have meant that much of the region’s biodiversity remains undocumented. Scientific study and identification process The research was led by Gyati Yam from the Department of Forestry at Nagaland University, along with researchers Vieneite-o Koza and Joynath ...

  Kerala has created a national first by officially declaring a microorganism as its State Microbe, underlining the growing importance of microbiome research in health, agriculture , and sustainability. The announcement reflects the State’s focus on science-led development and innovation-driven economic growth. Bacillus subtilis Gets Official Recognition Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared “Bacillus subtilis” as the State Microbe at a function held in Thiruvananthapuram. With this move, Kerala became the first State in India to formally recognise a microbe as part of its official identity. “Bacillus subtilis” is a probiotic bacterium commonly found in soil, fermented foods, and the human gut, known for its beneficial role in health and agriculture. Centre of Excellence In Microbiome Launched The declaration coincided with the dedication of the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) to the public. The centre has been established by the State government to scientifically stud...

  India is facing a rapidly intensifying diabetes epidemic, with Tamil Nadu emerging as a major hotspot. Recent evidence highlights a sharp rise in both diabetes and prediabetes, signalling deep-rooted lifestyle and dietary challenges. Experts warn that without urgent policy and behavioural interventions, the burden of non-communicable diseases could overwhelm health systems. Alarming Rise in Diabetes and Prediabetes India currently has around 101 million people living with diabetes and nearly 136 million with prediabetes. Tamil Nadu shows one of the steepest increases. According to the ICMR–INDIAB study, diabetes prevalence among adults above 20 years in the state rose from 11.1% in 2008–2010 to 22.7% in 2022–2023, a 104% increase. Prediabetes nearly doubled from 12.2% to 24.8% during the same period. This places nearly 12 million people in Tamil Nadu with diabetes, with another 10 million at high risk of developing it within a few years. Rural Areas Catching Up Fast The diabetes ...

  The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023–24 reveals a trend that sits uneasily with India’s expanding welfare and healthcare ambitions: tobacco consumption is rising rapidly, spreading across regions and income groups, and is increasingly concentrated among poorer households. This shift has profound implications — not only for public health outcomes, but also for the long-term fiscal sustainability of publicly funded healthcare and for India’s broader social policy priorities. What the HCES data shows — rising spend and widening reach Adjusted for inflation, per capita spending on tobacco has risen sharply over the past decade. Between 2011–12 and 2023–24, tobacco expenditure increased by 58% in rural India and by an even steeper 77% in urban areas. Tobacco now accounts for about 1.5% of monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) in rural areas and around 1% in urban India. These percentages may look modest in isolation. But the real concern lies in the exp...

  One of the strongest materials on Earth is produced not in laboratories but by a spider barely a few centimetres long. The Darwin’s bark spider, Caerostris darwini, native to Madagascar ’s forests, spins silk that surpasses steel and most synthetic fibres in both strength and toughness. With a tensile strength of about 1.6 gigapascals, its silk is the toughest biological material ever tested, yet scientists now show that such extreme performance is not universal across all individuals. Silk Strength and Evolutionary Drivers Across spider species, body size is closely linked to silk quality. Larger spiders tend to produce tougher silk to capture faster or larger prey. In orb-weaving spiders, evolutionary increases in body size have gone hand in hand with larger webs and stronger threads. The Darwin’s bark spider exemplifies this pattern by building the largest orb webs ever recorded, sometimes spanning entire rivers. Comparative Study Under Controlled Conditions An international t...

  Authorities in western Madhya Pradesh ’s Neemuch district are on high alert following a sudden outbreak of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare immune-mediated neurological disorder. The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of two children and raised serious public health concerns in border areas adjoining Rajasthan. Emergence of Cases in Manasa and Surrounding Areas The outbreak was first detected in Manasa town during the second week of January after two boys aged seven and 15 died within three days. Since then, 13 additional cases have been identified. Eleven of these patients are under 18, while two are adults aged 31 and 60. Twelve cases are from Manasa, with one reported from Neemuch city. A suspected case has also emerged in neighbouring Mandsaur district, indicating possible regional spread. Medical Response and Patient Status Out of the 13 recently reported patients, five have recovered and been discharged. Five are under treatment at MY Hospital and Bombay Hospital in I...

  Researchers at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research , Bengaluru, have developed a deep-learning tool that can predict how intrinsically disordered proteins bind to their partners. The breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge in molecular biology and opens new possibilities in disease research and drug discovery. Why Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Matter Unlike most proteins that fold into stable three-dimensional structures, intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) lack a fixed shape. These shapeshifting molecules are central to cellular life. They regulate signalling networks, control gene expression, assist protein folding and quality control, and help form dynamic cellular structures known as condensates. Their flexibility, while biologically advantageous, has made them difficult to analyse using conventional structural biology techniques. The Disobind Deep-Learning Tool The newly developed tool, named Disobin...

  As India weighs a nationwide, school-based HPV vaccination programme, fresh evidence from Sweden adds urgency — and optimism — to the debate. A large population-based study has shown that high HPV vaccine coverage not only protects vaccinated girls, but also significantly lowers the risk of precancerous cervical lesions among unvaccinated women through a clear herd-protective effect. For a country where cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women, this finding carries major public health implications. What the Swedish study shows — herd protection in real life The Swedish study tracked unvaccinated women across four birth cohorts between 1989 and 2000, examining the incidence of high-grade precancerous cervical lesions — a well-recognised precursor to cervical cancer. The results revealed a striking pattern. Women born in 1999–2000, who grew up alongside peers vaccinated through a school-based programme with nearly 80% coverage, had about half the risk of d...

  Indian herpetology has recorded a significant addition with the discovery of two new frog species from the eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. The findings highlight the ecological richness of Arunachal Pradesh and underscore the importance of sustained scientific exploration in remote mountain ecosystems. Scientific Discovery and Leadership The discovery was made by a research team from Delhi University led by Professor S D Biju, widely known as the ‘Frogman of India’. The work was carried out as part of the doctoral research of his student, Akalabya. The team undertook extensive field surveys across isolated regions of Arunachal Pradesh over more than three years, focusing on poorly explored forested landscapes. Soman’s Slender Arm Frog One of the newly described species has been named “Soman’s Slender Arm Frog” (“Leptobrachium soman”). It was discovered in Tiwarigaon, located in Arunachal Pradesh. The species is named in memory of Kerala-based journalist E Somanath, who pa...

  A distraught young mother from Jharkhand recently sought help for her seven-month-old baby born with a large lump on his back and paralysis of both legs. Despite repeated medical visits, she was never told the name of the condition, its causes, or that treatment and prevention were possible. Her child was born with Spina Bifida — the most common birth defect in India — yet neither diagnosis nor guidance reached the family in time. Understanding Spina Bifida and Its Impact Spina Bifida is a congenital defect of the spinal cord that leads to varying degrees of paralysis in children. In India, more than 25,000 children are born with this condition every year, placing the country among those with the highest global prevalence. Paralysis may range from mild weakness in the feet to complete loss of movement from the hips downward, often making children wheelchair-dependent from early life. Many also suffer from hydrocephalus, urinary and bowel incontinence, and orthopaedic deformities...

  Abu Dhabi on January 5, 2026 recorded a milestone for healthcare in the UAE with the first administration of a gene-therapy injection for inherited blood disorders. The therapy, CASGEVY, uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to address the genetic cause of conditions such as sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, marking a shift from long-term symptom management to targeted correction at the DNA level. The procedure was delivered through a collaboration involving Yas Clinic – Khalifa City, the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, under oversight of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH). CASGEVY Marks Shift From Supportive Care to Genetic Correction For decades, inherited blood disorders have largely been managed through supportive interventions such as regular transfusions, iron chelation, and pain control. CASGEVY represents a different approach by aiming to correct the underlying genetic fault rather than repeatedly treating downstream effects. For ...

  Karnataka has set a new benchmark in organ donation, registering its highest-ever annual tally in 2025. The state recorded 198 organ donors during the year, reflecting growing public awareness and institutional coordination in the area of organ and tissue transplantation. Record Performance and National Ranking The milestone was achieved by Jeevasarthakathe, Karnataka’s State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO). With 198 donors in 2025, Karnataka ranked third nationally in state-wise organ donations, behind Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The figure surpasses the state’s previous record of 178 donors in 2023 and marks a steady rise from 162 donors in 2024. Donor Profile and Organs Retrieved Of the 198 donors, 150 were male and 48 female. A total of 306 kidneys were retrieved, making them the most donated organs, followed by 288 corneas and 167 livers. Other significant donations included 76 heart valves, 50 hearts, 29 lungs, 33 skin grafts, two bone donations, and one smal...

  In a landmark development for global blood disorder care, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever oral pill for treating anaemia in adults with thalassemia. Health experts have described the decision as a potential game changer that could significantly reduce dependence on lifelong blood transfusions for patients suffering from this inherited condition. FDA Approval Marks Historic First The FDA has approved mitapivat, to be marketed under the brand name Aqvesme, for adults with alpha- or beta-thalassemia. It is the first medicine authorised for both transfusion-dependent and non-transfusion-dependent forms of the disease. Until now, thalassemia management has largely relied on regular blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy, often starting from early childhood. How Mitapivat Works Mitapivat is a first-in-class pyruvate kinase activator that targets the metabolic dysfunction inside red blood cells . In thalassemia patients, red blood cells are fragile...

  Assam is set to become the first state in India to introduce proton therapy for cancer treatment within the public health system. The state government has decided to procure a high-end proton therapy machine at an estimated cost of ₹500 crore, marking a major advancement in specialised oncology care and positioning Assam as an emerging destination for medical tourism in eastern India. First Government-Led Proton Therapy Initiative Announcing the decision, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a tender has already been floated for the procurement. At present, proton therapy facilities in India are available only in the private sector, notably with Tata Memorial Centre and Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. No government-run healthcare institution in the country currently offers this advanced radiotherapy technology, making Assam’s move a national first. Precision-Based Cancer Treatment Technology Proton therapy is a highly precise form of radiation treatment that targets tumour...

  Amazonian stingless bees have become the first insects globally to be granted legal rights after ordinances passed by the municipalities of Satipo and Nauta in Peru . The move aims to strengthen conservation of these ancient pollinators, which are facing mounting threats from deforestation, climate change, and forest fires across the Amazon basin. What Are Stingless Bees? Stingless bees belong to the Meliponini group and either lack stingers or possess stingers incapable of causing significant pain. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Of the roughly 500 known species, nearly half are found in the Amazon rainforest. Peru alone is home to more than 170 species, making it a global hotspot for stingless bee diversity. Ecological Importance in Tropical Forests Stingless bees have played a critical ecological role for nearly 80 million years. They are among the most effective pollinators of tropical flora. In the Amazon, they pollinate over 80% of plant speci...