News from China
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 26-Oct-2026 00:16 ET (26-Oct-2026 04:16 GMT/UTC)
Designing T-cell engagers: Trade-offs between activity and safety
Higher Education PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
T-cell engagers (TCEs) are an emerging class of immunotherapeutics that have demonstrated considerable clinical efficacy across a range of tumor types. However, their clinical application remains constrained by the challenge of balancing antitumor activity with acceptable safety, which is particularly prominent in solid malignancies. Multiple strategies have been explored to address this trade-off, including molecular engineering, dosing regimens, and patient selection. Nonetheless, within molecular design efforts, activity and toxicity are still largely optimized in isolation.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Human embryo editing: 10 years of breakthroughs and challenges
Higher Education Press
Over the past decade, the field of human embryo editing has witnessed remarkable advancements and triggered significant ethical debates. Since the first reported editing in 2015, the field has shown promise for treating genetic disorders and studying early development, the field has shown promise for treating genetic disorders and studying early development, but it still grapples with safety concerns, including off-target effects, mosaicism and the long-term impacts of genetic alterations, as well as ongoing ethical controversies.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Patient‑specific profiling of TCR‑T cell efficacy enabled by a rapid and standardized reporter system
Higher Education Press
T cell receptor-engineered T (TCR-T) cell therapy has shown promising clinical potential, yet accurate assessment of patient suitability remains challenging because current genomic and transcriptomic approaches do not directly capture physiological antigen presentation or authentic T-cell responsiveness. Here, we developed a rapid and standardized Jurkat-based reporter platform, termed the TCR-SignalFunc system, for functional evaluation of TCR-T cell therapeutic potential.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
A study in non-human primates revealed a species-specific function of MANF, a non-canonical neurotrophic factor
Higher Education PressPeer-Reviewed Publication
Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a non-canonical neurotrophic factor broadly expressed throughout the brain. Previous work has shown that MANF modulates neuronal functions in various disease contexts; however, its cell-type-specific roles within the brain remain incompletely understood. Notably, clinical data link MANF deficiency to microcephaly in humans, yet traditional rodent models fail to replicate this pathology.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Structural basis of Arpin homodimerization reveals cooperative inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex through dual-site engagement
Higher Education PressThe Arp2/3 complex, a core component of the actin filament network, mediates the formation of branching points upon activation by nucleation-promoting factors (NPFs), which is essential for diverse cellular processes such as lamellipodial protrusion and directional migration.
- Journal
- Protein & Cell
Beyond the operating room: How 3D printing and medical–engineering collaboration are driving the next era of precision orthopedics
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Journal CenterA team from Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital reviewed 216 foot and ankle cases managed through a medical–engineering collaboration workflow powered by 3D printing and digital planning. Rather than treating 3D printing as a standalone tool, the researchers built an integrated system that connects imaging, virtual surgical planning, personalized guides, rehabilitation devices, and even patient-specific implants.
The results highlight a shift from “one-size-fits-all” surgery toward truly individualized treatment.
- Journal
- Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Science)
Recent advances of atomic/molecular layer deposition engineering silicon interface for lithium‑ion batteries
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Journal CenterPeer-Reviewed Publication
Despite the ultra-high theoretical capacity of silicon (Si) anodes, their practical application is severely hindered by drastic volume effect and an unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). Atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) technology exhibits unique advantages in mitigating these challenges by constructing a stable and functionalized interface on Si anodes. This review summarizes recent advances and presents perspectives on ALD/MLD for Si anode interface engineering. Firstly, the existing interfacial challenges are analyzed: mechanical failure and structural degradation, complex/unstable SEI, and insufficient interfacial charge transfer. Subsequently, the key role and mechanism of ALD/MLD in enhancing the performance of Si anodes are elucidated from an atomic/molecular-scale interface engineering perspective. Crucially, three key aspects are emphasized: enhancing structural stability through mechanical confinement and stress dissipation, inducing the formation of stable SEI via ingenious interface chemical design, and constructing efficient ion/electron transport channels to optimize interfacial charge transfer kinetics. Finally, future research directions on ALD/MLD for Si anode interface engineering are proposed.
- Journal
- Nano-Micro Letters
Book announcement: New book explores how AI4S is transforming educational research
East China Normal University Faculty of EducationBook Announcement
AI4S in Educational Research, edited by Professor Chen Xiangdong from the Department of Education Information Technology at the Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, presents a core research finding of the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAAI). The book systematically constructs a theoretical and practical framework for AI4S-empowered educational research, providing essential academic guidance and actionable references for educational researchers and administrators.
Chinese graduate students help transform Japanese universities as active contributors, not passive learners
ECNU Review of EducationPeer-Reviewed Publication
A new study in ECNU Review of Education explores how Chinese graduate students contribute to Japanese universities through academic, cultural, and social engagement. Using collaborative autoethnography, the authors show that international students act as knowledge brokers, cultural mediators, and network builders. The study calls for Japanese universities to better recognize international students as active agents in higher education internationalization, knowledge diplomacy, and global academic exchange.
- Journal
- ECNU Review of Education