Scientists have long known that capsaicin, the ingredient that makes chili peppers feel hot and is used in some pain-relief creams, works by activating a pain-sensing receptor known as TRPV1. New research from the UC Davis School of Medicine reveals that the receptor does not respond to every trigger in the same way. Instead, different stimuli appear to place TRPV1 into distinct functional states. The finding opens new possibilities for more targeted pain treatments.

Researchers have developed a new tool that pairs machine learning with advanced DNA sequencing to find regions that are crucial for gene regulation. Their new tool, called FIRE, could help researchers pinpoint the DNA changes behind hereditary diseases—a key step toward genetic medicines—and provides an unprecedented look at previously mysterious regions of the genome.

In a study published in Neuron, scientists at Gladstone Institutes discovered that specialized rhythm-keeping cells called parvalbumin (PV) interneurons generate these brain rhythms by taking precise turns firing. But in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, this delicate coordination collapses, causing memory waves to falter.