Protein aggregates, damaged organelles, and invading bacteria are identified and removed in healthy cells. An international research team led by Professor Konstanze F. Winklhofer from the Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has deciphered a critical mechanism underlying these processes, focusing on the protein optineurin. Malfunctions in this protein can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or frontotemporal dementia. The researchers hope that their insights will lead to new approaches to treatment in the future. The study was published in the scientific magazine Advanced Science from December 17, 2025.

A selective protein degradation system known as Golgi membrane-associated degradation (GOMED), which identifies and removes unwanted proteins, has been delineated by researchers at Science Tokyo. This system works by tagging problematic proteins with a “molecular label” called K33-linked ubiquitin and using an adaptor protein, optineurin (OPTN), to guide them to GOMED structures for breakdown. These findings improve our understanding of cellular self-cleanup processes and may help in developing new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

The interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family of transcription factors, pivotal for initiating antiviral type I interferon responses, also plays a critical role in the development of autoimmune diseases when dysregulated. A comprehensive review by Professor Tadatsugu Taniguchi's team at the University of Tokyo systematically summarizes the discovery, functions, and regulatory networks of IRFs, offering crucial theoretical insights for understanding immune homeostasis and developing related therapeutics.

A Perspective by QST outlines a practical roadmap for “quantum life science,” spanning ultra‑sensitive diamond sensors in living cells, high-sensitivity hyperpolarized MRI for real‑time metabolism, and quantum effects that inspire new biotechnologies. The authors describe near‑term medical and industrial impacts—from precision diagnostics and drug discovery to efficient energy technologies—along with steps to scale these tools beyond specialized fields.

A team of researchers from the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) at the University of Granada, in collaboration with the University of Castilla-La Mancha, has conducted a study that sheds light on the close relationship between parental stress and the daily performance of children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The study provides scientific evidence on a daily reality for many families, demonstrating that the health of caregivers is intrinsically linked to the level of autonomy and functional development of the children in their care.

Guan’s group reports a nanorobot with ultrasensitive chemotaxis for precision cancer therapy. After intravenous injection, the nanorobots achieved a 209-fold increase in tumor targeting efficiency compared with conventional passive nanocarriers. When loaded with only 1% of the dose of anticancer drugs, the nanorobots achieved a tumor growth inhibition rate of up to 92.7%. The nanorobots boost the tumor suppression efficacy by approximately 49-fold compared with the passive counterparts.