A Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center study reveals new details about how pancreatic cells carrying oncogenic mutations transition from benign to malignant — shining new light on the ecosystem that supports emerging tumors.

Egg cells need to store large amounts of proteins and other molecules to support the earliest stages of development. But how do they organize this supply? Egg cells have a dedicated storage system, but its precise structure has remained unclear for decades. In a recent study published in Nature, researchers from the Leung group Leung group at the Hubrecht Institute describe this structure in mouse oocytes in unprecedented detail. They show that key developmental proteins assemble into a stable complex that fills large portions of the cell. These findings offer new insight into the biology underlying infertility and developmental disorders.

Researchers at the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) have developed MitoCatch, a system that enables targeted delivery of healthy mitochondria to specific cell types. By overcoming a long-standing challenge in mitochondrial transplantation, the approach allows efficient and selective transfer of functional mitochondria to specific cell types in multiple tissues. The technology opens new avenues for research and potential therapies for diseases linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, including neurodegenerative disorders, optic nerve diseases, and heart failure.

University of South Florida scientists have solved a decades-old mystery behind reinforced rubber – a material used in everything from tires to industrial systems. By explaining how tiny particles strengthen rubber, the research replaces trial and error with clear science, opening the door to safer, longer lasting and more efficient products.

Coral reefs hide "scientific treasures" that have survived for centuries, yet many of these giant, ancient organisms remain largely unknown to science. A new study published in the journal Nature Conservation introduces "Map the Giants," a pioneering citizen-science initiative launched by researchers from the University of Milano-Bicocca to find these giant coral colonies before they are lost to escalating global pressures.

High in the forests of Hawai‘i, songbirds are stealing twigs and moss from one another’s nests. UC Riverside researchers found this quiet canopy crime is surprisingly common and could threaten species already struggling to survive.

Engineers attempting to build microscopic robots face a strict physical trade-off: as mechanical devices shrink, their capacity to carry onboard power and navigate complex terrain rapidly diminishes. A new review in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing outlines the most promising approach isn't better hardware but "hiring" biology.

A new study co-led by an Oregon Health & Science University researcher describes a breakthrough in microscopy tools that could dramatically expand how cancer biology labs study the inner workings of living cells.