Highlighting a diverse array of snake species — over 3,500 globally — and the critical roles they play in controlling pest populations and maintaining biodiversity, the first-ever World Snake Week takes place this week. Emily Taylor, a Cal Poly biological sciences professor and renowned international snake expert, is part of the team organizing the inaugural World Snake Week, taking place through July 19 after launching on July 13. More than 50 in-person and online events will be coordinated internationally by conservation groups, scientists, zoos, museums and herpetological societies. These special events will celebrate the world of snakes.

A new strategy for treating a specific form of lung cancer: That is the goal of a research project led by José Pedro Friedmann Angeli. Financial support for the project is provided by the European Research Council.

High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy makes it possible to study complex enzymatic processes in detail. With this method, a research team of the University of Potsdam and Humboldt-Universität Berlin succeeded in characterizing the CODH/ACS enzyme complex in detail. They discovered that the complex moves in the course of chemical reactions and thus determines the reaction sequence. Their results have been published in the journal Nature Catalysis.

Researchers have developed an open-source molecular diagnostic assay for pathogen detection, successfully tested for COVID-19. The innovative RT-LAMP method is heat-stable, uses only non-proprietary reagents, and eliminates the need for expensive commercial kits and cold chain storage. Demonstrating performance in both Vienna and Ghana, the low-cost solution has potential for enhancing quick and equitable testing capabilities in resource-limited areas worldwide.

Using a high-throughput fluorescence microscopy system and machine learning algorithms, oxidative stress-related changes in protein localization have been mapped by researchers from Japan. Furthermore, a comprehensive database called Localizatome has been developed by compiling the subcellular protein localization data of 10,287 human proteins. This database provides information on both the steady-state subcellular localization of proteins and dynamic localization changes that occur in response to oxidative stress.