Germline variants in STXBP2, ADAMTSL3, and PTPN22 shape the safety and therapeutic expansion of CAR T cell therapies.
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How brain cells restore healthy growth and connections after a disease-causing genetic deletion
Scientists at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have discovered how an experimental therapy can help brain cells overcome the effects of a disease-causing genetic deletion. Instead of repairing the deletion and its immediate consequences, the therapy redirects brain development by helping at-risk neurons grow and connect more normally.
The findings, published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, suggest that some genetic brain disorders may be treated by targeting the cellular mechanisms disrupted by a genetic change rather than repairing the genetic change itself.
Single patch merges multiple physiological signals for simpler health monitoring
Wearable health monitors have grown increasingly capable, but most are still limited by the fact that tracking different types of body signals requires separate sensors, each with its own circuitry and patch of skin. That leads to bulkier devices, higher power consumption and greater discomfort for anyone who needs round-the-clock monitoring.
A research team led by Assistant Professor Liu Yuxin from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS CDE), has developed a cross-modal skin sensor that overcomes this constraint.
Named X-Sig, the device fuses the body’s electrical impulses, such as heart rhythms and muscle signals, with its mechanical signals, such as pulse pressure waves and the forces generated by muscle contractions, into a single composite waveform transmitted through one channel.
Plant polymer lignin shows promise for future bone regeneration
A new study reveals that lignin — a natural plant polymer — can be transformed into a bioactive material that promotes the formation of bone-like minerals while supporting the growth of bone-forming cells. Inspired by the natural partnership between lignin and silica in plants, the research offers a promising step toward sustainable, plant-based materials for future bone regeneration therapies.
A naturally abundant plant material best known for giving trees and crops their strength may one day help repair broken bones, according to a new study led by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Srinath Palakurthy and Prof. Rivka Elbaum of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The research demonstrates that lignin — a major structural component of plants — can be engineered into a bioactive material that encourages the formation of hydroxyapatite, the mineral that gives human bones and teeth their strength.
Published in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, the study offers a promising step toward more sustainable, plant-based alternatives to current bone graft materials, many of which are derived from animals or synthetic sources. Such materials are increasingly sought after as researchers work to develop safer, more environmentally friendly solutions for repairing damaged bone.
Intel Emerges as America’s Only LeadingEdge Chipmaker as RAMPC Hands the Department of War Domestic 18A Production
Intel has completed its RAMP-C program, which now aims to enable customers to move from test chips to domestic high-volume manufacturing.
Press Release: Intel Foundry has completed the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes — Commercial (RAMP-C) program. Launched in September 2021, the program supported development of domestic, leading-edge CMOS technology and manufacturing in the United States, establishing a foundation for expanded trusted domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
New research shows how ‘hot electrons’ can reshape metals in billionths of a second
Researchers at The University of Manchester have revealed how intense electronic excitation can trigger rapid structural changes in metals—without heating the atomic lattice—offering new insight into ultrafast materials behavior.
When metals are exposed to powerful laser pulses, their electrons can heat up almost instantly, reaching extreme temperatures while the atoms themselves remain relatively cold. This study shows that, under these conditions, the behavior of the material is driven not by heat in the traditional sense, but by changes in the electronic system.
Published in Physical Review Materials, the research, led by Dr. Sam Azadi, demonstrates that this electronic “reheating” alone can cause metals to switch between different crystal structures in a fraction of a picosecond.
Hubble shows star formation in Andromeda galaxy is winding down
A new study using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope finds that star formation in the nearby Andromeda galaxy has undergone a 500-million-year decline, with an even steeper drop in the last 40 million years. Andromeda, a spiral galaxy comparable in size to our Milky Way, is close enough to be seen with the unaided eye from areas with dark skies. Located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth—practically our cosmic backyard—Andromeda offers an opportunity for astronomers to examine its stellar populations in detail, leading to a better understanding of the past of galaxies like our own.
The results were published Monday in The Astrophysical Journal.
Genesis chip may help AI with its memory problem
One of artificial intelligence’s most stubborn problems is enabling AI systems to accumulate new knowledge without losing what they previously learned. A team of researchers at the MATRIX AI Consortium at The University of Texas at San Antonio may have solved this issue with Genesis, a spiking neuromorphic accelerator chip that would enable on-device continual learning throughout its operational lifetime.
Imagine a security drone trained to patrol a dense forest to spot signs of wildfire. After months of honing its ability to identify smoke among pine trees, the drone is reassigned to a coastal region to watch for floods. The moment the drone learns to interpret these new types of images, it might completely lose its ability to detect a forest fire. In the world of artificial intelligence, this phenomenon is known as “catastrophic forgetting,” and it remains one of the biggest hurdles to creating truly intelligent, autonomous agents.