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New quantum algorithm solves “impossible” materials problem in seconds
A new quantum-inspired algorithm has cracked a problem so massive that conventional supercomputers struggle to even approach it. Researchers used the method to simulate extraordinarily complex quantum materials known as quasicrystals, opening the door to powerful new quantum devices and ultra-efficient electronics. The work could help scientists design advanced topological qubits and materials for future quantum computers.
Closing the gap between animal movement and robotic control
Animals move with a level of precision and adaptability that robots struggle to match. In Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, researchers are developing a new AI-driven approach to uncover how brains and bodies work together. By turning complex biological systems into models that can be tested and refined, the team seeks to understand and replicate animal performance in robotic systems.
One focus of The Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Lab are neuromechanical models that simulate how neural signals and physical movement continuously inform one another. These models are powerful, but difficult to build because, with countless parameters, even the smallest miscalculation can lead to large gaps between simulated behavior and what researchers observe in real animals.
“Biological systems are incredibly complex,” said Camila Fernandez, Ph.D. Candidate in the department of mechanical engineering. “We’re trying to model something where everything affects everything, and it’s not always clear which piece we need to adjust when outcomes don’t match predictions.”
Mitochondrial fission helps immune cells kill bacteria and could counter resistance
Alternative therapies that aid the body’s immune system to fight bacteria have shown promise in addressing the global threat of antibiotic resistance. University of Queensland researchers have found when under attack, the body’s immune cells activate a cellular process called mitochondrial fission to kill invading bacteria. Their study is published in the journal Science Immunology.
Dr. James Curson, from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, said mitochondrial fission was a critical process in which mitochondria within cells split into smaller units to support the body’s response to stresses, including infections.
“Some bacteria have evolved strategies to stop activation of the mitochondrial fission process—allowing the invading pathogens to survive, and the infection to persist,” Dr. Curson said.
Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease Associated with GBA1 Mutations
Abeliovich et al. make a compelling case for the promise of using gene therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients who possess mutations in the GBA1 gene. People interested in the clinical-translational side of biomedicine should definitely check this out!
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