Great Bear Rainforest, BC. The Great Bear Lodge on the Central Coast of British Columbia is collaborating with internationally acclaimed science journalist Lesley Evans Ogden to host a nature writing retreat from May 31 - June 4, 2026. Small group size will ensure each participant benefits from individual focus and support, allowing instruction and skill development to be tailored to a range of abilities, from aspiring to experienced writers.

The conservation of genome regulatory elements over long periods of evolution is not limited to vertebrates, as previously thought, but also in echinoderms (invertebrates). This is one of the most notable conclusions of a study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, which expands our knowledge of the mechanisms governing genomic regulation and biological evolution.

A joint study by Tel Aviv University and the University of Haifa set out to solve a scientific mystery: how a soft coral is able to perform the rhythmic, pulsating movements of its tentacles without a central nervous system. The study’s findings are striking, and may even change the way we understand movement in the animal kingdom in general, and in the corals studied in particular.

Researchers used Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold2 and ProteinMPNN to speed development of antibody-based probes that can be used to see key functions and chemical changes inside living cells as they happen. This AI-driven method is significantly faster than previous manual testing and development approaches, allowing the CSU team to rapidly create and test 19 new potential probes. The work enables continuous imaging of living cells, which may help researchers better understand errors in genetic expression that can lead to cancer and other disorders.  

Key Study Highlights: 

Demonstrates how dual-purpose therapeutic targets may address both hepatocellular carcinoma progression and cellular senescence, supporting emerging strategies that link disease treatment with aging biology

Identifies PRPF19 and MAPK9 as targets that suppress tumor cell proliferation while reducing senescence-associated signaling in relevant cellular models

Provides evidence of senomorphic activity, reducing harmful senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) signaling without marked cytotoxicity

Illustrates the effectiveness of integrating AI-driven target discovery, multi-omic human datasets, and experimental validation to prioritize biologically relevant and translationally promising targets

Reinforces Insilico’s broader AI-guided discovery approach for uncovering shared mechanisms across disease and aging