Lifeboat Foundation

Some of our most important everyday items, such as computers, medical equipment, stereos, generators, and more, work because of magnets. We know what happens when computers become more powerful, but what might be possible if magnets became more versatile? What if one could change a physical property that defined their usability? What innovation might that catalyze?

It’s a question that MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) research scientists Hang Chi, Yunbo Ou, Jagadeesh Moodera, and their co-authors explore in a new, open-access Nature Communications paper, “Strain-tunable Berry curvature in quasi-two-dimensional chromium telluride.”

Understanding the magnitude of the authors’ discovery requires a brief trip back in time: In 1,879, a 23-year-old graduate student named Edwin Hall discovered that when he put a magnet at right angles to a strip of metal that had a current running through it, one side of the strip would have a greater charge than the other. The magnetic field was deflecting the current’s electrons toward the edge of the metal, a phenomenon that would be named the Hall effect in his honor.

Materials that are both strong and lightweight could improve everything from cars to body armor. But usually, the two qualities are mutually exclusive. Now, University of Connecticut researchers and colleagues have developed an extraordinarily strong, lightweight material using two unlikely building blocks: DNA and glass.

“For the given density, our material is the strongest known,” says Seok-Woo Lee, a materials scientist at UConn. Lee and colleagues from UConn, Columbia University, and Brookhaven National Lab report the details on July 19 in Cell Reports Physical Science.

Strength is relative. Iron, for example, can take 7 tons of pressure per square centimeter. But it’s also very dense and heavy, weighing 7.8 grams/cubic centimeter. Other metals, such as titanium, are stronger and lighter than iron. And certain alloys combining multiple elements are even stronger. Strong, lightweight materials have allowed for lightweight body armor, better medical devices and made safer, faster cars and airplanes. The easiest way to extend the range of an electric vehicle, for example, is not to enlarge the battery but rather make the vehicle itself lighter without sacrificing safety and lifetime. But traditional metallurgical techniques have reached a limit in recent years, and materials scientists have had to get even more creative to develop new lightweight high strength materials.

He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who faced international condemnation in 2018 for creating the first gene-edited children, has presented a new research proposal involving modifying human embryos to address the challenges of the ageing population. He, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2019 for “illegal medical practices,” resurfaced last year and announced the opening of a research lab in Beijing.

It’s surprisingly reassuring. Aside from “breathing”, “sleeping”, and “putting on Troy McClure’s accent every time you say his name”, I reckon panicking about death is one of the most universal human experiences. Obviously, part of the problem of wondering what happens when you die is that nobody with any real qualifications can answer you.

When Demi Washington, a basketball player at Vanderbilt University came down with COVID-19 in late 2020, her symptoms were mild, just a runny nose. But to ensure her safe return to the court, the school required her to undergo an MRI. The results brought Washington to tears.

One of the oldest known molecules, the ribosome, creates proteins based on a copy of the genetic code found in the genome, known as mRNA. Scientists have believed that the ribosome performed the same type of work with all mRNA, like a standardized assembly line that it did not regulate on its own. However, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered this is not the case.

Their findings are published in the journal Developmental Cell in an article entitled “Ribosomal RNA 2′-O-methylation dynamics impact cell fate decisions.”

“It has long been known that there are different types of ribosomes. But it has been assumed that no matter what mRNA you give the ribosome, it will produce a protein. But our results suggest that different types of ribosomes produce specific proteins,” says Anders H. Lund, professor at the Biotech Research and Innovation Center at the University of Copenhagen.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are a cornerstone of genetic medicine. These hollow virus particles are used to deliver commercial gene therapies like Glybera and Luxturna, as well as many other candidates still in development.

Despite this, the biopharmaceutical industry has yet to find the most effective way of making rAAV vectors at scale. McKinsey analysts recently described vector production as one of the major challenges faced by gene therapy developers. And the situation is only going to get worse as the gene therapy market evolves and begins developing products for larger patient populations.

“With a shift beyond ultra-rare indications, viral-vector manufacturing requires rapid expansion to be able to address various diseases in the commercial space,” the analysts wrote, adding, “The broader application of viral vector-based gene therapies (for example, to more common diseases) requires higher yields and lower cost of goods (COGs).”

A new artificial intelligence model can predict people’s risk of multiple sclerosis years before diagnosis, potentially enabling quicker treatment, according to research revealed at the 2023 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo. Another breaking study demonstrates how machine learning can help detect lab samples contaminated with intravenous fluids—a finding that could reduce lab errors that delay diagnosis and raise healthcare costs.

Taken together, the results highlight key advances in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve patient care.

AI model harnesses patient data to predict multiple sclerosis risk.

Dr. James East explains what causes Barrett’s esophagus, who is at risk, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and how you can reduce your risk of developing the condition.