Bioelectrical signals (including EEG, EMG, and ECG signals) have been widely applied in health monitoring, disease treatment, wearable devices, myoelectric exoskeletons, brain-machine interfaces, and other fields. Microneedle electrodes penetrate the stratum corneum, effectively reducing the impedance at the electrode-skin interface without the need for conductive gel, thus meeting the requirements for long-term and high-precision measurements. This review comprehensively summarizes the electrode materials, fabrication methods, performance evaluation, and applications of microneedle electrodes for bioelectrical signal acquisition. It particularly emphasizes the development of materials used to fabricate microneedle electrodes. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges related to material selection and performance testing, and provide insights into the future trends in this field.

Aging leads to mitochondrial dysfunction in periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), significantly impairing their osteogenic capacity—a critical barrier to bone regeneration in elderly populations. Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Peking University demonstrated that replenishing aged PDLSCs with functional mitochondria from young counterparts restores mitochondrial integrity, reduces oxidative stress, and reactivates osteogenic capacity. This breakthrough, mediated by the AKAP1/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway, highlights mitochondrial replenishment as a promising therapeutic strategy for age-related bone defects and broader regenerative medicine applications.

Developmental biologists Davor Solter and Azim Surani will receive the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize 2026, the Scientific Council of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation announced today. The prizewinners discovered the phenomenon of genomic imprinting. In mammals, this means that the genetic materials of eggs and sperms are functionally different. In addition to their genetic information, some genes carry a molecular mark that prevents their genetic information to be active in the embryo. This why we need the full genetic input from both mother and father. This discovery shook the foundation of classical genetics and opened the door to the vast field of modern epigenetics.

Researchers emphasize that cognitive decline is not inevitable with age and urge a shift toward lifestyle-based prevention. Up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors like poor diet, inactivity and isolation. Landmark trials like POINTER and FINGER show that structured interventions – featuring exercise, healthy diets, cognitive stimulation, and social engagement – can significantly boost cognitive function and potentially reduce Alzheimer’s risk.

Targeted drug delivery remains a major challenge in cancer therapy, often limiting both efficacy and safety. Although microRNA sponges and short-hairpin RNAs show potential for gene-based cancer treatment, their clinical use is restricted by delivery inefficiency, off-target effects, cytotoxicity, and instability. Viral vectors offer high efficiency but are associated with issues such as immune responses, insertional mutagenesis, and limited cargo capacity. Non-viral carriers are safer and more affordable but suffer from poor transfection efficiency, instability, and inadequate endosomal escape. These limitations hinder the clinical application of RNA therapeutics. The Vir-inspired Biotechnical Vector (VIBV) is a novel hybrid platform that combines viral and non-viral elements with nanotechnology to enable personalized, tumor-specific gene therapy. Engineered with a spindle-shaped nanocore and a polyethylene glycolylated liposomal shell, VIBV ensures immune evasion, prolonged circulation, and controlled therapeutic release triggered by tumor microenvironmental cues such as acidity, hypoxia, and elevated glutathione levels. It delivers oncogenic microRNA sponges, short-hairpin RNAs, tumor-specific antigens, and cyclin-targeting RNAs to enhance gene silencing, immune activation, and tumor suppression. This review examines the limitations of current delivery systems and presents VIBV as a promising next-generation strategy with improved biocompatibility, targeting precision, and potential for cost-effective, personalized cancer therapy, while also addressing its remaining challenges and prospects.

While the importance of rescue breathing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (RB-CPR) in pediatrics has long been recognized, its implementation declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its impact on the survival of pediatrics with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unknown. Now, researchers from the Okayama University revealed that a decline in RB-CPR is associated with an increased death rate, highlighting the importance of rescue breathing in pediatrics and the need for better training and public awareness.

A new white paper: “From Knowledge to Solutions: Science, Technology and Innovation in Support of the UN SDGs”, published in the open-science scholarly journal Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO), brings together leading voices from Europe’s biodiversity and data science communities to deliver a clear message: protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental issue. It is essential for food security, public health, climate stability, and the global economy. The authors make a call for a decisive shift: from fragmented initiatives to a holistic, global approach to biodiversity research and policy.