A new form of DNA was found in vivo. It can be a way to regulate the DNA replication and thus prevent the replication of tumor cells.
Algal Blooms Impact Air Quality in Great Lake Regions
Algal blooms aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing plant in a lake region, but did you know their emissions can impact air quality and human health?
Weak Magnetic Fields Affect DNA Repair: A Migratory Bird’s Inner Compass?
Birds and other migratory animals use the Earth’s weak magnetic field to navigate, but what do they use as a compass? While previous research has uncovered some promising candidates, not until now have experiments identified a compass sensitive to fields as weak as Earth’s – DNA repair by photolyase.
Why Scientists Are Putting Barcodes on Worms
Find out what “photochemical barcodes” are and how they might help us understand complex biological processes.
Fluorogenic RNA Molecules Expand the Imaging Toolbox
Nucleic acids are incredibly versatile molecules that can perform functions way beyond their canonical roles in biology. Here, RNA sequences are “evolved” to bind and enhance the fluorescence of a small-molecule dye, welcoming the idea of RNA for robust fluorescence imaging!
Targeting Cancer Cells with Different Drugs…in the Same Pill!
Tailoring treatment for a specific patient is the future of medicine. Let’s learn about making tiny pills that are “smart” enough to know where to dissolve in the body!
Flavins photoactivation of prodrugs: let’s shine a light
How can flavin and flavoprotein help with cancer therapy? A very nice example of biorthogonal chemistry and its potential.
Hitting the Jackpot – Evolving Artificial Biocatalysts Through Randomization
Random change has been powering life’s evolution for billions of years. Can it also power the evolution of artificial biomolecules?
The Thousand Wonders of Graphene: from 2D to 3D Photodrugs!
The authors of this paper can make a photodrug from a special type of graphene.
Lessons from Nature –New Glue Clues from Slugs
Feeling disgusted by slugs? It’s ugly, wet, and giving us an unpleasant slippery sensation. Yet it is the inspiration of new chemistry innovation!
Read this article and say thanks to slugs, which have inspired scientists to invent a new glue for medical therapies!
How Crabs Feel the Pinch: Chemicals Involved in Crab Risk Perception
Researchers dive into the problem of analyzing marine predator-prey interactions on a molecular level. Through a combination of NMR and MS, these scientists identify two chemicals that alert mud crabs to the threat of a mighty adversary: the blue crab.
A Radical Way to Label Proteins
Read about this new approach to selectively install fluorines into proteins using a mild radical source.
Synthetic Biology and Synthetic Chemistry Join Forces
By tailoring mild synthetic chemistry methods to be compatible with living systems, these researchers have made artificial biochemical reactions a reality.
Flexible Fluorescent Dyes for the Detection of Lipids
The functional repertoire of lipids grows to more impressive heights as scientists continue to unravel the substantial functions of these biomacromolecules in cell biology.
Eavesdropping On Intercellular Communication
For complexity to emerge in multi-cellular organisms, extensive intercelluar communication must occur.
DNA-Templated Nanomaterials for Live Cell Imaging
Researchers have developed a library-based approach to create DNA-templated carbon dot structures for biological imaging applications.
Chemistry looks into the origin of life!
How is chemistry explaining the origin of life?
The authors of this paper, look into the formation of DNA building block (2-deoxy-D-ribose) from molecules that were present on Earth at its early stages.
Assembling Gold Nanoparticles into 3D Structures Using DNA
How can DNA be used to enhance applications in nanotechnology? The authors here create never-before-seen optical systems by combining DNA origami with plasmonic nanoparticles.
3D Mass Spectrometry to Discover Novel ANTibiotics
Researchers have developed a novel technique to perform mass spectrometry “imaging” of 3D objects. This method is used to identify novel natural products on whole ants when exposed to a pathogen.
Testing for HIV using only a smartphone
Fast, cheap, and easy medical testing devices can help diagnose diseases across the world. Let’s learn about one recently developed to detect HIV!
Say No to Drugs: Fast and Efficient Drug Detection in Biofluids
How are Olympic doping agents similar to environmental water contaminants? It all relates back to chemical detection methods!
A pass to the cell: designing peptides for drug delivery.
Antibodies can be used as medicines, but they need some help to enter the cell.
In this paper, the help that they need arrives from another molecule that works as a ticket for the cell taxi.
Smart Bandages for Wound Monitoring
“Smart” bandages – or bandages that provide real-time monitoring of the health and progress of wound healing are here!
Nanoreactors for Enzyme Cascades
What are nanoreactors and how can they enhance multi-enzyme reactions? Let’s find out!
Nature Does It Best! – Engineering New Catalysts Using Evolution
As versatile as enzymes already are, it’s actually possible to engineer enzymes to catalyze reactions that are entirely new to nature!