Teenagers who spent six or more hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and three times as likely to report suicidal ideation than those who spent less than an hour on social media each day, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston. 

The low endosomal escape efficiency of endocytosis-based delivery has become a key barrier restricting therapeutic biomacromolecule applications in biomedicine. A review published in Biomedical Analysis highlights emerging non-endocytic transmembrane delivery strategies that bypass conventional cellular uptake pathways and enable direct cytosolic delivery of proteins, nucleic acids, and gene-editing tools. Led by Dr. Yang Liu from Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, the review summarizes recent advances in physical, biomimetic, and bioengineered delivery platforms and discusses their potential for gene therapy, drug delivery, and cellular engineering.

Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, will participate in Cure’s virtual fireside chat, “Racing to Cures: US–China Biomedical Competitiveness,” on July 27 from 10:00 to 11:00 PM Beijing Time. The discussion will explore the competitive landscape and areas of collaboration between the United States and China in biomedical innovation.

Low brain metabolism as measured from ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT is associated with higher mortality in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to new research published in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Incorporating brain ¹⁸F-FDG uptake alongside clinical, tumor, and biological data improved prediction of overall survival, providing physicians with valuable insight to identify patients most likely to benefit from early supportive care.

Researchers at Kyushu University have discovered a compound called lipoic acid trisulfide (LASSS) that strengthens HGF, a protein that drives muscle repair but can lose its function with age. LASSS protects HGF from this age-related damage while also enhancing its ability to trigger repair. The team hopes the findings could lead to treatments for age-related muscle loss in humans and companion animals, supporting longer, healthier lives.

A research team led by Prof. Kenward VONG, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has developed a new gold-catalyzed chemical reaction that can operate under biological conditions. The team discovered a unique chemical structure, known as the ethynylated biarylbutanamide (EBB) group, which has broad potential for biological applications, including the development of anticancer prodrugs.