We developed THER, a web tool integrating 63 hypoxia-related tumor transcriptomic datasets, enabling differential expression, expression profiling, correlation, enrichment, and drug sensitivity analyses. It helps identify valuable biomarkers, further reveal the molecular mechanisms of tumor hypoxia, and identify effective drugs, thus providing a scientific basis for tumor diagnosis and treatment. Experimental verification showed hypoxia reduces tumor cell sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs. Accessible at https://smuonco.shinyapps.io/THER/.

Western University researchers have developed an innovative way to reconstruct how crickets sing, based on the physical formation of the chirping insects’ wings, using measurements from preserved samples and computational modelling.

Evolutionary plant biologists at the University of Toronto have identified a protein that evolved approximately 500 million years ago, enabling plants to convert light into energy through photosynthesis as they moved from aquatic environments to land. The discovery provides a target for sustainable herbicides against parasitic plants and other weeds and may help boost food security by increasing the efficiency of photosynthesis in crops.

Researchers have developed a compact, noninvasive imaging system that combines high-resolution structural imaging with chemical analysis to improve skin cancer diagnosis. The system integrates line-field confocal optical coherence tomography and confocal Raman microspectroscopy, allowing clinicians to examine both the cellular structure and molecular composition of skin tissues. In a year-long clinical study involving over 330 nonmelanoma skin cancer samples, the system enabled targeted chemical analysis of suspicious structures. An AI model trained on the spectral data achieved high accuracy in identifying cancerous tissues, with classification scores of 0.95 for basal cell carcinoma and 0.92 when including squamous cell carcinoma. This dual-modality approach promises to enhance diagnostic precision and deepen understanding of skin cancer biology.

Which genetic factors can break the symmetry of an animal's body? To answer this question, a Konstanz research team led by evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer studied a cichlid fish whose head is bent either to the left or right. The results show how closely behavioural preferences and genes are linked.