Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare disorder of the bile duct, involving the liver, bile duct, intestine, and immune tissues. This review paper examines new animal models that replicate the mechanical damage caused by PSC-like bile retention. New organoid models create 3D structures that resemble affected liver and bile duct tissue, as well as the molecular aspects of the disorder. Together, these models are guiding the development of new therapies against PSC.

Tumor cells exploit chemokine signaling to construct an immunosuppressive microenvironment that resists anti-tumor immune responses. A new review systematically maps the chemokine-receptor network in the tumor microenvironment and introduces a three-part “3D” targeting strategy: Decrease recruitment of suppressive cells (Tregs, MDSCs, TAMs), Develop effector T cell and NK cell function, and Dismantle physical and signaling barriers that exclude effectors from tumors. This framework ultimately provides a roadmap for precision combination immunotherapy to overcome immune evasion

Animals such as bats rely on sound for navigation and locating prey. However, they must distinguish between important signals and surrounding noise. Researchers from Doshisha University, Japan, now report that greater Japanese horseshoe bats actively create a “silent spectral window” through ultrasonic frequency control, which allows them to clearly detect echoes from their prey against the background clutter. This strategy not only stabilizes echoes but also suppresses environmental noise, inspiring future noise cancellation technologies.

In a recent Frontiers in Marine Science article, an international team of researchers published the results of a 15-year-long observation of the skeleton of a blue or fin whale lying at roughly 1,300 meters deep at Clayoquot slope off Vancouver Island. Remotely, they recorded high-definition video during four cruises between 2012 and 2024. They found that species richness has increased from 26 taxa in 2009 to 31 in 2023. They concluded the sulphophilic stage – which starts after soft tissue has mostly been consumed and anaerobic bacteria begin breaking down the remaining lipids in the whale bones – has lasted more than 20 years, with indications that it will last for at least another decade.

Endangered Guadalupe fur seals (GFS) occupy a colony on the San Benito Archipelago, a group of small islands in the Pacific. During the 2024 breeding season, researchers in Mexico and Canada examined causes of neonatal GFS morbidity and mortality and assessed potential threats to species conservation associated with entanglement, alopecia syndrome, and marine pollution. They published their results in Frontiers in Marine Science. For alopecia syndrome – a condition characterized by the loss of guard hair and damage to the underfur – they found high prevalence (21% to 26%), especially among young seals. The cause of alopecia among GFS is currently unknown.

Researchers have discovered a new spider species in the Indian Himalayas, Theridion himalayana, which displays a striking "happy-face" pattern and polymorphic color variations nearly identical to its famous Hawaiian relative. Despite the physical resemblance, DNA analysis confirms it is a distinct lineage that evolved independently, prompting new questions about the evolutionary purpose of these patterns and the spider's specific association with ginger plants.

KAIST announced on May 19th that the KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Future Technology Research Institute, has secured bio-technology capable of mass-producing eco-friendly raw materials for plastics and textiles using waste resources, offering an alternative to petroleum-derived naphtha.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team demonstrated that when female Tongeia fischeri, a near-threatened butterfly species in Japan, feed on an invasive plant during the larval stage, the reflectance spectrum of their adult wings changes, making them less preferred for mating by wild males.