A team of Chinese researchers led by Prof. GAO Caixia from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a groundbreaking method that could transform the field of protein engineering.

Precursor transfer RNAs (pre-tRNAs) are early forms of tRNAs that need precise trimming at both ends to become active for protein production. Bacteria and archaea use small enzymes called “HARPs” to achieve this cleavage, but how exactly this happens remains unclear. Now, researchers from Kyushu University have uncovered that HARPs form a star-shaped complex of 12 units, enabling it to perform both 5’ and 3’ end cleavages—conferring it “dual-functionality.”

Today, Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”), the clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, announces its upcoming Summer Pharma.ai Updates webinar, scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on July 10. During the webinar, Founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, will provide the latest company developments and introduce new features and applications of Insilico’s AI software suite, with a particular focus on the latest advancements in Biology42 and Chemistry42 through product demos, in-depth explanations, and real-world use cases. Ready for the future of Pharma.ai? Register here.

To simulate blood flow inside brain aneurysms, researchers from Japan developed a computational method that combines 4D flow MRI, computational fluid dynamics, and data assimilation, which provides greater accuracy and efficiency. By focusing only on the aneurysm region, this approach significantly reduces computational cost while improving flow estimation. When validated on patient data, it outperforms conventional models—offering a practical tool for patient-specific risk assessment and treatment strategies.

Inflammation is a natural immune response, but when uncontrolled, it can worsen many diseases. Recent studies show that metabolism plays a surprising role in regulating this response. A new editorial in the Journal of Intensive Medicine highlights findings on the glyoxalase system, a metabolic pathway that helps immune cells tone down inflammation. This insight opens new possibilities for treating inflammatory diseases through metabolic targets, offering a promising direction beyond traditional immunosuppressants.

Collective animal behaviors help groups avoid predators and forage more effectively, but their genetic basis is poorly understood. In a recent study, researchers explored this phenomenon using fruit flies, revealing that genetic diversity within groups enhances survival through coordinated fear responses. By combining large-scale behavioral tests and a new approach to genome-wide analyses, the researchers uncovered key genes and neural mechanisms behind group dynamics, offering insights relevant to ecology, pest control, and human social behavior.