Category Health/Medical

Immune cells (or gd T cells) swarm around fat cells (adipocytes) in fat tissue to regulate their lipid burning vs storage. Credit: Lydia Lynch, Trinity College Dublin

Scientists have just made a surprising discovery involving fat and special immune cells that live within it – it turns out that ‘gd T cells’ are the key cogs in the biological wheel that regulates our body heat and protects us against cold shock. The discovery thus reveals a peculiar and previously unknown aspect of the immune system – as well as driving our response to infection, it also plays a role in regulating our metabolism. In addition, this discovery has put the spotlight on a potential new target for therapies designed to help individuals either lose or gain weight.

There are two quite distinct types of fat – white a...

Artist’s impression of the i-motif DNA structure inside cells (strands with green bars), along with the antibody-based tool used to detect it (Y-shaped yellow structure) Chris Hammang

Scientists have tracked down an elusive ‘tangled knot’ of DNA. In a world first, Australian researchers have identified a new DNA structure – called the i-motif – inside cells. A twisted ‘knot’ of DNA, the i-motif has never before been directly seen inside living cells. The new findings, from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, are published today in the leading journal Nature Chemistry.

Deep inside the cells in our body lies our DNA. The information in the DNA code – all 6 billion A, C, G and T letters – provides precise instructions for how our bodies are built, and how they work...

The processing technology of fluorescent (mKate2) silk can be applied to developing smart medical bandages for wound healing on the human skin. Credit: Purdue University image/Jung Woo Leem

A silk hybrid material attacks bacteria when illuminated by a green light, thanks to a far-red fluorescent protein researchers transferred to its genetic makeup. The all-natural material would be safer than conventional photocatalytic, or light-activated, means to kill harmful pathogens such as bacteria, which use potentially biohazardous semiconductors and require cancer-causing ultraviolet light for activation...

Neurons (stock illustration). Credit: © whitehoune / Fotolia

Using human stem cells, researchers create 3D model of the brain to study a mutation tied to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. Researchers are leveraging gene-editing tools and mini-organs grown in the lab to study the effects of DISC1 mutations in cerebral organoids – ‘mini brains’ – cultured from human stem cells.

Major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, severe depression and bipolar disorder share a common genetic link. Studies of specific families with a history of these types of illnesses have revealed that affected family members share a mutation in the gene DISC1...