23rd Edition of World Cell Biologist Awards | 29–30 July 2026


 

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New structure found inside human cells could radically change health and medicine

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  Breakthrough discovery Announced on June 25, 2025, by University of Virginia and NIH researchers, the hemifusome is an organelle formed by two vesicles partially fused through a “hemifusion diaphragm.” It's been visualized via cryo-electron tomography and acts as a “loading dock” for cellular cargo—sorting, recycling, and processing materials. The structure is surprisingly common and shows up in various cell types, though it had been hidden until now. “Snowman in a scarf” image Dubbed the “snowman wearing a scarf” by media due to its distinctive shape (two circular vesicles connected by a thin membrane), this organsheet could unlock new biomedical insights. Broad impact on health Hemifusomes are implicated in diseases involving vesicle trafficking—such as Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and possibly other genetic or immune disorders. Researchers describe them as a potentially revolutionary diagnostic and therapeutic ta...
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New “evolution engine” creates super-proteins 100,000x faster

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  "This is like giving evolution a fast-forward button," says co-senior author Pete Schultz, the President and CEO of Scripps Research, where he also holds the L.S. "Sam" Skaggs Presidential Chair. "You can now evolve proteins continuously and precisely inside cells without damaging the cell's genome or requiring labor-intensive steps." Directed evolution is a laboratory process that involves introducing mutations and selecting variants with improved function over multiple cycles. It's used to tailor proteins with desired properties, such as highly selective, high-affinity antibodies, enzymes with new specificities or catalytic properties, or to investigate the emergence of resistance mutations in drug targets. However, traditional methods often require repeated rounds of DNA manipulation and testing with each round taking a week or more. Systems for continuous evolution -- where proteins evolve inside living cells without manual intervention -- a...
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Microplastics in Caddisflies Casings

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  Recent research from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands has uncovered a concerning trend regarding caddisfly larvae. Evidence shows that these insects have been using microplastics in their casings since the 1970s. This finding marks the long-standing issue of environmental contamination by plastics. The study, published in the journal *Science of The Total Environment*, analysed preserved caddisfly casings, revealing the integration of synthetic materials into their natural habitats. Caddisfly Overview Caddisflies belong to the order Trichoptera. They are found globally, primarily in freshwater ecosystems like lakes and rivers. These moth-like insects lay their eggs in jelly masses. After hatching, the larvae create protective cases from nearby materials. Traditionally, these materials include sand, stones, and organic debris. Discovery of Microplastics The researchers examined 549 preserved caddisfly casings from natural history collections. They discovere...
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