New study reveals how RNA travels between cells to control genes across generations
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 14-Jul-2025 07:11 ET (14-Jul-2025 11:11 GMT/UTC)
Dr. Arum Han, the Texas Instruments Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his lab, created a technology named NOVAsort (Next-generation Opto-Volume-based Accurate droplet sorter), a system that allows high throughput screening of molecules and cells at significantly reduced error rates. Whereas previous research has focused on increasing the speed of assays (a type of laboratory test), the team’s findings, which were published in Nature Communications, are among the first to significantly improve accuracy without compromising the speed of assays.
Researchers will explore a promising approach for treating degenerative diseases by replacing damaged cells with new ones and will focus on genetically engineering replacement cells from embryonic stem cells, which have the potential to develop into mature cells and tissues. The project aims to address the challenges of converting immature stem cells into fully functional adult cells, specifically investigating how to transform eye lens precursor cells into transparent, functional cells to treat degenerative eye conditions.