Researchers at The University of Osaka and collaborating institutions have developed a cryo-optical microscopy technique that rapidly freezes live cells with millisecond precision during optical imaging. This enables detailed quantitative imaging of fast cellular events via optical microscopy techniques, including super-resolution fluorescence and Raman microscopy. With near-instant immobilization, a single time point in the cells can then be visualized with multiple imaging techniques, providing new insights across cell biology, biophysics, and medical research.

The identification of Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) as a crucial biomarker in liver disease is revolutionizing how clinicians approach the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of various liver conditions. As a member of the glycoside hydrolase family 18, CHI3L1 is recognized for its unique ability to bind to ligands and influence multiple pathophysiological processes, despite lacking enzymatic activity. This distinctive protein plays a key role in mediating cell proliferation, inflammation, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis.

The non-coding genome, once dismissed as "junk DNA", is now recognized as a fundamental regulator of gene expression and a key player in understanding complex diseases. Following the landmark achievements of the Human Genome Project (HGP), scientists have increasingly focused on deciphering the non-coding regions of the human genome, which comprise approximately 98% of the genetic material. These regions, long overlooked due to their non-protein-coding nature, are now known to harbor regulatory elements crucial for cell function and disease progression.

Prostate cancer remains a global health challenge, ranking as the second most common malignancy among men. While early-stage disease can be effectively managed, advanced forms—particularly metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)—pose significant therapeutic hurdles. A growing body of evidence highlights the pivotal role of SOX transcription factors, with SOX2 emerging as a central driver in tumor growth, spread, and resistance to therapy.

A University of Massachusetts Amherst kinesiologist has received a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance his research on how myosin molecules—molecular motors crucial for muscle contraction— work together to drive different processes within cells.

A new study suggests that a DNA-damaging gut bacterium may drive cancer development in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a rare inherited condition that causes hundreds of colon polyps and almost always leads to colorectal cancer if untreated.