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Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-Dec-2025 02:11 ET (30-Dec-2025 07:11 GMT/UTC)

Growing transgenic plants in weeks instead of months by hijacking a plant’s natural regeneration abilities

Cell Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Plant biologists have developed a method for growing transgenic and gene-edited plants that cuts the slow and expensive process down from months to weeks. Publishing November 6 in the Cell Press journal Molecular Plant, the method takes advantage of plants’ natural ability to regenerate after being wounded or pruned. By injecting bacteria carrying genetic instructions for wound healing and regeneration into a pruned plant’s wound site, the researchers triggered the plant to grow new shoots, some of which were transgenic and gene edited. The method shows potential even in species that are usually difficult or impossible to regenerate, such as soybeans.

Journal: Molecular Plant
Funder: State of Texas' Governor's University Research, USDA-NIFA

USF Health researcher and international team win multi-million research grant

University of South Florida
Grant and Award Announcement

Yong Xu of the University of South Florida, Sadaf Farooqi of University of Cambridge and Tiago Branco of University College London found that pathways in a key part of the brain called the hypothalamus control a range of instinctive behaviors. In children, genetic mutations which disrupt these pathways can cause overeating, obesity and in some cases, autistic traits, aggression and even severe anxiety.

Funder: European Research Council

Meta-analysis offers reassurance that pregnant women can safely use acetaminophen

Elsevier
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A rigorous systematic review of the present state of knowledge on the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy and the risk of specific neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as autism and ADHD, offers reassurance that acetaminophen does not increase the risk of NDDs. The study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, points to methodological inadequacies in previous reviews and studies. It offers reassurance for pregnant women, public health agencies, and healthcare providers in alignment with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC).

Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Funder: Center for Truth in Science

New high-efficiency gene editing method enhances speed and reduces costs in biomedical research

Impact Journals LLC
Peer-Reviewed Publication

BUFFALO, NY — November 6, 2025 — A new research paper was published in Volume 16 of Genes & Cancer on October 31, 2025, titled “P3a site-specific and cassette mutagenesis for seamless protein, RNA and plasmid engineering.”

Journal: Genes & Cancer

Biohub launches first large-scale scientific initiative combining Frontier AI with Frontier Biology to cure or prevent disease

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Business Announcement

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan announce the launch of a first-of-its-kind initiative combining frontier artificial intelligence and frontier biology to dramatically accelerate scientific progress toward understanding and addressing human disease.

Three new toad species skip the tadpole phase and give birth to live toadlets

University of Copenhagen
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An international team of researchers have identified three new species of enchanting, pustular, tree-dwelling toads from Africa. Their solution for having offspring away from water? Skipping the tadpole phase altogether, and giving birth to live toadlets. The study is published today in the open access scientific journal Vertebrate Zoology.

Journal: Vertebrate Zoology

Newly discovered ‘hook’ in motor protein reveals how neurons deliver cargo with precision

Juntendo University Research Promotion Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the University of Tokyo and Juntendo University have identified a previously unknown structural domain in the motor protein kinesin-2 that enables precise cargo recognition in neurons. This study reveals the “HAC” domain (Hook-like Adaptor and Cargo-binding region) using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy. This breakthrough sheds light on how motor proteins sort and deliver cargo, with implications for understanding neurodegenerative diseases and cellular transport disorders.

Journal: Science Advances

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