Led by Texas A&M University graduate students Samere Zade of the biomedical engineering department and Ting-Ching Wang of the chemical engineering department, an article released by the Lele Lab has uncovered new details about the mechanism behind cancer progression. Published in Nature Communications, the article explores the influence the mechanical stiffening of the tumor cell’s environment may have on the structure and function of the nucleus.

Professor Jongmin Kim's research team at POSTECH developed a new technology that improves the precision and integration density of synthetic genetic circuits.

Heterogeneity in host populations significantly influences pathogen evolution, yet most theories assume uniformity. This study uses a meta-population model to examine how local environmental heterogeneity—factors like migration, birth, carrying capacity, and immunity loss—affects pathogen virulence. The findings reveal that greater heterogeneity consistently results in higher virulence compared to homogeneous environments. These results suggest that previous models underestimated evolving virulence, raising concerns that urbanization and increasing environmental diversity may accelerate the emergence of more lethal pathogens.Heterogeneity in host populations significantly influences pathogen evolution, yet most theories assume uniformity. This study uses a meta-population model to examine how local environmental heterogeneity—factors like migration, birth, carrying capacity, and immunity loss—affects pathogen virulence. The findings reveal that greater heterogeneity consistently results in higher virulence compared to homogeneous environments. These results suggest that previous models underestimated evolving virulence, raising concerns that urbanization and increasing environmental diversity may accelerate the emergence of more lethal pathogens.