EurekAlert! News by Subject: Biology

Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 7-May-2026 16:16 ET (7-May-2026 20:16 GMT/UTC)

4-May-2026

Why are mountain forests in Mexico and Central America hotspots for oak trees? New study led by The Morton Arboretum shows most definitive answer yet

The Morton Arboretum
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The mountains of Mexico and Central America harbor some of the greatest biodiversity of oak trees worldwide, and a landmark study conducted by The Morton Arboretum with U.S. and Mexican collaborators provides the most definitive answer to date as to why.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

4-May-2026

Cognitive decline and household firearm storage among older adults

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This study found that unsecure firearm storage was more common among those with subjective cognitive decline than among those without, although this observation may be driven by differences in storage status by sex, age, veteran status, and presence of children in the home. Existing clinical guidance recommends assessing firearm access and promoting secure storage for patients with cognitive symptoms; the results of this study suggest these recommendations are not yet reflected in household practices.

Journal: JAMA Internal Medicine

4-May-2026

How plants make copies of themselves – key gene identified in model plant

Hiroshima University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A Hiroshima-University-led research team has discovered a key gene responsible for the initiation of gemma development, acting as a "master switch" to start asexual reproduction (cloning) in the model plant Marchantia polymorpha (common liverwort).

Journal: Current Biology
Funder: Takeda Science Foundation, Foundation of Kinoshita Memorial Enterprise, Naito Foundation, Sumitomo Foundation, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Leverhulme Trust, Isaac Newton Trust, Herschel Smith Fund

4-May-2026

Two NYU Faculty Elected to National Academy of Sciences

New York University
Grant and Award Announcement

Two New York University faculty have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences: Andrea H. Brand, a professor of cell biology and neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Eero P. Simoncelli, a professor of neural science, mathematics, data science, and psychology.

4-May-2026

Researchers find potential one-two punch against triple-negative breast cancer

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have identified a key enzyme – RNase H2 – that helps triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells survive high levels of DNA replication stress. Because many breast cancer therapies work by causing replication stress, these results suggest RNase H2 is a promising treatment target.

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine

4-May-2026

MIT researchers show how chromatin movement helps control gene expression

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

For the first time, MIT researchers measured the dynamics of chromatin movement over an extended period of time, ranging from the scale of microseconds to hours. The findings offer insight into how gene expression is regulated, as well as how chromatin segments come together for other processes such as DNA repair.

Journal: Nature Structural & Molecular Biology
Funder: National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research Award, The Bridge Project, a partnership between the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

4-May-2026

How plants rebalance their energy under stress

Ruhr-University Bochum
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Plants are under constant stress due to pathogens, heat, or other environmental factors. Proteins can become damaged as a result and cell function is thrown off balance. Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum working with Professor Şuayb Üstün have discovered how plant cells respond to this protein stress and selectively adjust their internal processes. The researchers show that cells under stress prioritize the breaking down of damaged proteins over energy production through photosynthesis. Their findings could help make plants more robust. The study is published in the journal Molecular Cell from April 30, 2026.

Journal: Molecular Cell
Funder: German Research Foundation

4-May-2026

Brown fat could help protect against cardiovascular disease in obesity

Medical University of Vienna
Peer-Reviewed Publication

People with obesity face a significantly increased risk of atherosclerosis, and consequently heart attack and stroke. This elevated risk is largely driven by chronic inflammation in the blood vessels, which is more common in severe obesity. A new study led by Florian Kiefer at the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, MedUni Vienna, has now identified brown adipose tissue (brown fat) as a potential protective factor for vascular health. The findings, published in Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, show for the first time in humans that individuals with obesity and active brown fat exhibit significantly lower arterial inflammation.

Journal: Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology

4-May-2026

Marker of biological aging linked to cognitive symptoms of depression

New York University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Blood tests measuring the aging of certain white blood cells can predict cognitive and mood-related symptoms of depression, rather than physical symptoms.

The findings, published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, bring researchers closer to identifying a biomarker for detecting the mood disorder, which affects nearly one in five US adults.

Journal: The Journals of Gerontology Series A