Category Biology/Biotechnology

1. Flatworm amputation, and space-exposed and Earth-bound worm sample schematics.
2. Amputation of double-headed worm from space results in double-headed morphology
3. Bacterial community composition of Earth-only and space-exposed D. japonica.

Flatworms (D. japonica) that spent 5 weeks aboard ISS are helping researchers led by Tufts University scientists to study how an absence of normal gravity and geomagnetic fields can have anatomical, behavioral, and bacteriological consequences, according to a paper to be published June 13 in Regeneration. The research has implications for human and animal space travelers and for regenerative and bioengineering science.

Planaria are frequently used for studies because of their remarkable ability to regenerate when parts of their bodies are amputated...

Clearance of SnCs by GCV reduces the development of post-traumatic OA.
Credit: UNIST

A recent study, led by an international team confirms that targeted removal of senescent cells (SnCs), accumulated in many vertebrate tissues as we age, contribute significantly in delaying the onset of age-related pathologies. This breakthrough research has been led by Dr. Chaekyu Kim of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, now at UNIST, and Dr. Ok Hee Jeon of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in collaborations with the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, the University Medical Center Groningen, Unity Biotechnology, Inc., and the University of California, Berkeley.

In the study, the team presented a novel pharmacologic candidate that alleviat...

Polymeric pigments produced by guided oxidation of peptide assemblies. Photography by Matej Vakula, NYC.

Scientists have long known that melanin has numerous useful qualities, including providing protection from cancer-causing UV radiation and free radicals, but also electronic conductance, adhesiveness and the capacity to store energy. To take advantage of these qualities, scientists across the City University of New York (CUNY) have developed a new approach for producing materials that not only mimic the properties of melanin, but also provide unprecedented control over expressing specific properties of the biopolymer, according to a paper published in the journal Science. The discovery could enable the development of cosmetic and biomedical products.

Unlike other biopolymers, eg DNA and...