Tetrandrine, a compound isolated from the root of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Stephania tetrandra, has shown promise in combating Ebola virus infection in previous studies. Its precise mechanism of action, however, had remained unclear. Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have discovered that tetrandrine works by blocking the transport of sphingosine – a lipid molecule essential for cellular signalling – and inhibiting the calcium channels. Their research has revealed the critical mechanism of tetrandrine for the first time, opening new avenues for drug discovery and disease treatment.

BUFFALO, NY — October 10, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Volume 12 of Oncoscience on September 30, 2025, titled “Lifestyle and hormonal factors affecting semen quality and sperm DNA integrity: A cross-sectional study.”

How can clinical guidelines be designed in such a way that they enable (contextually) equitable and inclusive healthcare – and at the same time promote research and innovation in a targeted manner? Professor Dr. Sabine Oertelt-Prigione, head of the Sex- and Gender-sensitive Medicine working group, and her colleagues discuss these questions in the Perspective article Designing clinical practice guidelines for equitable, inclusive, and contextualised care. The article is part of the current special edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on “Innovations in Womens Health”. Nine international authors were invited to publish their innovative approaches to women’s health in a global context in the issue, including the Bielefeld research team from the Medical School OWL.

Researchers are developing a promising approach to detecting patients at risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD), an increasingly common condition that is a leading reason for lung transplants. The approach could accelerate the development of new and better treatments with more tolerable side effects than existing options.

CHIKVdb is a comprehensive genomic database developed to address limitations in existing resources for chikungunya virus (CHIKV) surveillance and outbreak response. It integrates 8,193 nucleotide and 10,637 protein sequences from 99 countries over 40 years, accompanied by standardized metadata. The platform features an interactive web interface with tools for phylogenetic analysis, source tracing, SNP identification, and genotype identification, streamlining workflows for public health and research applications. Global analyses reveal spatiotemporal heterogeneity in CHIKV transmission, highlighting the predominance of ECSA and ECSA-IOL genotypes and the central role of human and mosquito hosts. CHIKVdb enhances genomic surveillance by providing curated data and analytical capabilities, supporting efforts in pandemic preparedness and targeted control strategies. The database is freely accessible at https://nmdc.cn/gcpathogen/chikv.

A review paper by scientists at the University of Oxford highlights recent advancements in SMTE, including innovations in scaffold design, cell sourcing, usage of external physicochemical cues, and bioreactor technologies.

The review paper, published on May. 15, 2025 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, presented the emerging synergies between SMTE and robotics, focusing on the use of robotic systems to enhance bioreactor performance and the development of biohybrid devices integrating engineered muscle tissue.

A research paper by scientists at Duke University proposed a novel sharp-edge acoustofluidic platform designed for rapid and effective sample preparation, coupled with sensitive detection of specific sEV populations based on their surface markers.

The new research paper, published on July. 17 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, presented an acoustofluidic technology which enables highly flexible, specific, and efficient capture and detection of circulating extracellular vesicles (sEVs) from small sample volumes. Its portability, low cost, and ease of use make it an ideal tool for point-of-care detection of sEV surface markers, while its modular design allows for one-step, high-throughput capture and detection of diverse sEV populations