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Category: biotech/medical – Page 319

The group of Jürgen Knoblich at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, has developed a new method that allows scientists to cultivate brain organoids with distinct cortical areas and front-to-back patterning.

Together with collaborators at the Human Technopole and the University of Milan-Bicocca, they report a method that gives scientists a deeper look into human-specific brain development and disorders. The study was published in Nature Methods on September 18.

Brain organoids are extensively used to study development. Derived from , the 3D models allow scientists to study unique properties of the human brain. Researchers use cortical organoids to answer fundamental questions such as how the human brain can grow to its large size or how the human brain’s long-range connections form.

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One major reason why it has been difficult to develop an effective HIV vaccine is that the virus mutates very rapidly, allowing it to evade the antibody response generated by vaccines.

Several years ago, MIT researchers showed that administering a series of escalating doses of an HIV vaccine over two weeks could help overcome a part of that challenge by generating larger quantities of neutralizing antibodies.

However, a fast multidose vaccine regimen is not practical for mass vaccination campaigns.

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While current treatments for ailments related to aging and diseases like type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s focus on managing symptoms, Texas A&M researchers have taken a new approach to fight the battle at the source: recharging mitochondrial power through nanotechnology.

Led by Dr…

When we need to recharge, we might take a vacation or relax at the spa. But what if we could recharge at the cellular level, fighting against aging and disease with the microscopic building blocks that make up the human body?

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When we need to recharge, we might take a vacation or relax at the spa. But what if we could recharge at the cellular level, fighting against aging and disease with the microscopic building blocks that make up the human body?

The ability to recharge cells diminishes as humans age or face diseases. Mitochondria, often called the powerhouse of the cell, are central to energy production. When mitochondrial function declines, it leads to fatigue, tissue degeneration, and accelerated aging. Activities that once required minimal recovery now take far longer, highlighting the role that these organelles play in maintaining vitality and overall health.

While current treatments for ailments related to aging and diseases like type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s focus on managing symptoms, Texas A&M researchers have taken a new approach to fight the battle at the source: recharging mitochondrial power through nanotechnology.

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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a vital biological molecule that plays a significant role in the genetics of organisms and is essential to the origin and evolution of life. Structurally similar to DNA, RNA carries out various biological functions, largely determined by its spatial conformation, i.e. the way the molecule folds in on itself.

Now, a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) describes for the first time how the process of RNA folding at low temperatures may open up a novel perspective on primordial biochemistry and the evolution of life on the planet.

The study is led by Professor Fèlix Ritort, from the Faculty of Physics and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB) of the University of Barcelona, and is also signed by UB experts Paolo Rissone, Aurélien Severino, and Isabel Pastor.

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