Microplastics and nanoplastics are increasingly found throughout aquatic environments, raising concern about whether these tiny particles can move from exposed parents into their offspring. But a new critical review warns that harm observed in the next generation should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that plastic particles were directly transferred from mother to offspring.

- Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho's team in the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering develops NUDGE, a general-purpose foundational technology that harnesses cells' own regulatory dynamics

- A single temporary intervention, without permanently altering genes, can switch cells between diverse states in computational models while preserving their native adaptability

- Expected to enable new control strategies spanning stem cell differentiation, aging, autoimmune disease, regenerative medicine, and cancer reversion therapy

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests that evolution alone is unlikely to prevent population declines for the black-browed albatross under projected climate change.

Oak silkworm eggs may appear defenceless as they sit exposed on plant surfaces, but new research has uncovered a hidden form of protection, a natural chemical scent that helps keep parasitic wasps away.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute researcher Solomon Mensah has been awarded a three-year grant of $532,935 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide research experiences to undergraduates who will work on projects determining how sepsis, a life-threatening infection, can trigger severe blood clotting.

During the production of fermented products such as kefir, Parmesan, or mountain cheese, as well as in the production of protein powders, bitter-tasting peptides can form, which impair the taste and thus the acceptability of the products. A research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has now developed and successfully tested an AI-based method that can predict the bitterness of peptides. It also makes it possible to design new, bitter-tasting peptides from scratch. This is another important step forward in taste and food research.

Candidemia is a major cause of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections, with high mortality and substantial healthcare costs. However, delayed diagnosis, limited susceptibility testing, antifungal resistance, and the complexity of treatment continue to challenge effective patient management. This review examines recent advances in candidemia epidemiology, diagnosis, and therapy. It also discusses emerging approaches, including artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis, vaccine-based prevention, and synergistic therapies, that could reshape candidemia management and improve outcomes.