Imagine tiny LEGO pieces that automatically snap together to form a strong, flat sheet. Then, scientists add special chemical "hooks" to these sheets to attach glowing molecules called fluorophores. University of Missouri researchers have created these tiny, clay-based materials — called fluorescent polyionic nanoclays. They can be customized for many uses, including advancing energy and sensor technology, improving medical treatments and protecting the environment.

The University of Missouri’s transformative initiative to build a new, state-of-the-art research reactor — NextGen MURR — is officially underway with the signing of the first agreement, announced today. Mizzou will partner with a consortium that includes Hyundai Engineering America, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), the Hyundai Engineering Company and MPR Associates for the design and licensing of the new reactor.

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a novel strategy for treating acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer for which the median survival time following diagnosis remains just 8.5 months.

The liver is the body’s control tower for metabolism, powering vital functions like converting nutrients to glucose, storing fat and breaking down toxins. Over a third of the world, however, is thought to be affected by conditions including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which jeopardize key liver functions as the condition progresses.

Hepatocyte organoids – the miniature, 3D models of the organ – hold immense promise for accelerating drug development and advancing regenerative therapies. In a study published in Nature, Keio University researchers unveiled a method to proliferate these hard-to-grow organoids by a million-fold in just 3-4 weeks while maintaining key liver functions. “These organoids are potentially the closest laboratory representations of the liver and its multifunctionality,” says senior author Professor Toshiro Sato of the Keio University School of Medicine.

Scientists at The Jackson Laboratory have discovered how aging blood stem cells acquire mutations that give them a growth edge, creating fertile ground for the development of clonol hematopoiesis, a condition that dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, blood cancers, and other illnesses. Importantly, they’ve also identified a method to halt this abnormal growth. This breakthrough provides crucial insight into age-related blood disorders and opens the door to new therapeutic strategies targeting the root cause of these conditions.

Insilico Medicine("Insilico"), a clinical stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology company, will be exhibiting at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 from April 25–30, 2025. The seasoned Insilico Business Development team led by Petrina Kamya, Ph.D, Global Head of AI Platforms & VP, Insilico Medicine Canada, and Michelle Chen, Ph.D, Chief Business Officer of Insilico Medicine, will be welcoming collaboration and industrial insight conversations at Booth #334, McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago.

Researchers from the Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine at the LKS Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) have made significant advancements in understanding the earliest stages of stomach cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, through two recent innovative studies. With a prevalence rates particularly high in East Asia, including China, this cancer often stems from chronic inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, which affects approximately 15% of the Hong Kong population. This inflammation can lead to a pre-cancerous stage known as intestinal metaplasia. The innovative studies have uncovered crucial insights into the earliest changes in the stomach that contribute to the development of stomach cancer, laying the foundation for improved prevention and early detection, ultimately saving lives.