Biochemistry

RSS

New glycopeptide antibiotic discovered to combat resistant bacteria

An international team of researchers, led by the University of Vienna and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland, has discovered saarvienin A, a new type of glycopeptide antibiotic.

14 May 2025

Unlocking the mechanism behind marine bacterium’s ability to clean up oil spills

The marine bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis feeds on oil, multiplying rapidly in the wake of oil spills, and thereby accelerating the elimination of the pollution, in many cases.

10 May 2025

Uncovering the architecture of the human sugar sensor

Our attraction to sugar has grown to an unhealthy level. The average person in the United States now consumes more than 100 pounds of the sweet stuff every year, up from 18 pounds in 1800.

7 May 2025

New insights into bacterial division through engineered protein control

The Min protein system prevents abnormal cell division in bacteria by forming oscillating patterns between the ends of a cell ("poles"). Despite decades of theoretical work, predicting the protein concentrations at which oscillations start and whether cells can maintain them under different conditions has been a challenge.

7 May 2025

Discovery solves 67-year-old biochemical mystery about vitamin B1

Chemists have confirmed a 67-year-old theory about vitamin B1 by stabilizing a reactive molecule in water - a feat long thought impossible.

21 Apr 2025

Fermented cabbage could help protect the gut, study suggests

Is sauerkraut more than just a tangy topping? A new University of California, Davis, study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggests that the fermented cabbage could help protect your gut, which is an essential part of overall health, supporting digestion and protecting against illness.

15 Apr 2025

New method detects and quantifies nanoplastics in transparent body fluids

Microplastics and the much smaller nanoplastics enter the human body in various ways, for example through food or the air we breathe.

14 Apr 2025

Decoding the enzymatic breakdown of alginates for green biotechnology

Every year, thousands of tonnes of brown algae are extracted from the seabed to obtain compounds such as alginates, a polymer composed of sugars that has high density and strength, offering potential biotechnological applications.

11 Apr 2025

AI-powered digital twin of mouse visual cortex

Much as a pilot might practice maneuvers in a flight simulator, scientists might soon be able to perform experiments on a realistic simulation of the mouse brain. In a new study, Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators used an artificial intelligence model to build a "digital twin" of the part of the mouse brain that processes visual information.

10 Apr 2025

Study uncovers conserved development and evolutionary innovations in the human hypothalamus

In a new study published in Developmental Cell on April 8, a research team led by Prof. WU Qingfeng at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated the conserved cellular development and evolutionary innovations in the developing human hypothalamus.

9 Apr 2025

Can natural supplements backfire? Review explains how and why

A new review uncovers how common natural supplements can both protect and endanger health, depending on dose, duration, and delivery—and points to next-gen technologies as the key to unlocking their full therapeutic power.

31 Mar 2025

Breakthrough discovery could lead to new class of antibiotics

The last time a new class of antibiotics reached the market was nearly three decades ago - but that could soon change, thanks to a discovery by researchers at McMaster University.

26 Mar 2025

INTEGRA Biosciences details the evolution and future of serological pipetting

INTEGRA Biosciences has played a pivotal role in advancing the field of serological pipetting over the last 40 years, and has just created a fascinating article covering the fast-paced history of serological pipet controller development.

25 Mar 2025

Study offers new insights into the harmful effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on human health

Researchers at the Advanced Research Unit on Metabolism, Development & Aging (ARUMDA), in the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR, Mumbai and TIFR Hyderabad), have unveiled a comprehensive understanding of the harmful effects of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on human health, using a preclinical mouse model that closely mimics human consumption patterns.

21 Mar 2025

Anti-HIV active diterpenoids identified in Daphne pseudomezereum

A research group led by Professor Wei Li from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, in collaboration with the Duke University Medical Center in the United States, has discovered for the first time that Daphne pseudomezereum (commonly known as Onishibari) contains a substance inhibiting replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

21 Mar 2025

Biomanufacturing platform offers a sustainable alternative to synthesizing peptide-based pharmaceuticals

To tackle the inequity in medication access, a societal issue especially in developing nations, a team of undergraduate student-researchers at the University of Ottawa has developed a new biomanufacturing platform called Phytogene.

18 Mar 2025

Frequently asked questions about BioAFM

Do you have a question about BioAFM? This article will tell you everything you need to know.

From Bruker BioAFM 17 Mar 2025

Optimized fermentation process unlocks anti-aging potential of tapuy lees

Filipino researchers have found a way to optimize the traditional procedure for making Philippine rice wine or "tapuy" to produce a potential superfood rich in anti-aging compounds and antioxidants.

14 Mar 2025

Researchers develop new compound to treat alopecia areata

A research group, led by Dr. Pavel Majer from IOCB Prague, in collaboration with the laboratories of Barbara Slusher and Louis Garza at Johns Hopkins University, have developed a compound that could potentially treat the autoimmune disorder alopecia areata, which causes hair loss leading to the formation of bald patches.

13 Mar 2025

Shift Biosciences announces key appointments to advance rejuvenation therapeutics pipeline

Shift Biosciences, a biotech company using an AI powered virtual cell to fight age-related diseases, today announced the appointments of Jill Reckless, Ph.D, as Translation Advisor and Laurence Reid, Ph.D., as Non-Executive Director. In these roles, Jill and Laurence will guide Shift in building a robust product translation and business development strategy respectively, enabling the Company to capitalize on early momentum and progress its pipeline of novel rejuvenation therapeutics towards clinical development.

12 Mar 2025