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Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2026 19:16 ET (24-Oct-2026 23:16 GMT/UTC)

KAUST researchers develop new method for more precise plant engineering

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a genome engineering method that enables the precise insertion of large genetic sequences into plant genomes. Published in Nature Biotechnology, the approach was successfully demonstrated in tobacco and rice and allows scientists to introduce complex genetic instructions without relying on DNA breaks. The technology could support future advances in crop resilience, sustainable agriculture, synthetic biology, and the use of plants as scalable platforms for producing therapeutics and biologics.

Journal: Nature Biotechnology

Scientists discover genetically distinct avocados in Nicaragua that people transported from South America thousands of years ago

Smithsonian
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A team of scientists led by researchers with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and Texas A&M University recently uncovered genetic traces of ancient migration in DNA from avocados growing in Nicaragua. They found evidence that, around 5,000 years ago, people migrating north from South America carried the oversized seeds of one of their favorite fruits—avocados. As these seeds were dispersed throughout the humid lowlands of Central America, they hybridized with native varieties, producing a diversity of avocado varieties that produce the large, smooth-skinned berries that are now enjoyed around Central America. Despite resembling the avocados found in humid regions like Florida and the Caribbean, these local varieties are genetically distinct from the commercially grown fruits found in guacamole.

Journal: Plants People Planet
Funder: Wenner-Gren Foundation

The individual genetic background shapes the evolution of cancer

German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Why do cancers develop differently in different people—even when they are exposed to the same risk factors? An international research group, including the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), has now demonstrated in mice that an organism’s genetic makeup significantly influences the course of cancer development. The findings, now published in Nature, provide new insights into the earliest stages of tumor development and could, in the long term, represent an important step toward more precise, personalized cancer medicine.

Journal: Nature

Protein excess tips the balance of cellular health

Université de Genève
Peer-Reviewed Publication

For cells to function properly, they must produce the right amount of each protein. It is a delicate balance: both too little and too much can compromise essential cellular functions. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has now shown that even a modest excess of tubulin – the protein that assembles into microtubules, the cell's internal scaffolding – is enough to disrupt tissue architecture and reduce cell viability. Published in Nature Communications, the study demonstrates that the quantity of a protein is just as important as its function.

Journal: Nature Communications

New approach targeting deadliest brain cancer shows promise in early testing

University of Virginia Health System
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have developed a cutting-edge approach to treating glioblastoma, the most common and deadliest brain cancer, that could overcome the limitations of existing drugs.

Funder: Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Schiff Foundation, University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation

Detecting the body's magnetic fields with a low-power Ramsey-based magnetometer

Institute of Science Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A Ramsey-based diamond quantum magnetometer developed by researchers at Science Tokyo enables highly sensitive biomagnetic measurements without compromising thermal safety. Using a low-power laser, a light-trapping diamond waveguide, and a compact microwave antenna, the temperature rise in the sensor is just 13 K with a sensor-to-sample distance of 2 mm, enabling detection of picotesla-level (10^-12 T) magnetic fields. The sensor enables safe, close-proximity biomagnetic measurements for future magnetocardiography and magnetoencephalography applications.

Journal: Applied Physics Letters
Funder: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan Science and Technology Agency, Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI)

Natural compounds against sarcoma. Which shows the greatest potential?

Wroclaw Medical University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Curcumin may offer the most promising balance between anticancer activity and safety among several well-known plant-derived compounds, according to a new laboratory study by researchers from Wroclaw Medical University and the University of Wroclaw. Comparing curcumin, berberine, biochanin A, cucurbitacin E and CAPE in fibrosarcoma and healthy muscle cells, the team found that all five compounds disrupted cancer cell energy metabolism and induced cellular senescence, but curcumin showed the most favorable combination of selectivity and low toxicity. The findings highlight the importance of evaluating both anticancer efficacy and safety when developing future therapies and emphasize that these compounds remain experimental rather than clinical treatments.

Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Why moths have a preferred side: Smart solutions for small brains

University of Konstanz
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Just as humans exhibit right- or left-handedness, moths also have a preferred side on which they place their proboscis when inspecting a flower for nectar. This observation was made by Konstanz-based biologists in their latest study. The researchers see this as an example of nature efficiently coping with the limited computational capacity of the insect brain.

ELTE ethologists’ service robot sparks curiosity rather than fear

Eötvös Loránd University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

When a robot offers you candy, it is hard not to be curious. In an experiment conducted by ethologists at ELTE, visitors at public events noticed an autonomous service robot more often than a human server, and the candy on the robot’s tray disappeared faster. The study also suggests that the presence of robots may influence the way people behave in social situations.

Journal: Computers in Human Behavior Reports