Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections can lead to deadly brain inflammation, yet treatment options remain limited. Japanese researchers have now uncovered how HSV-1 evades the host’s intrinsic immunity by using an enzyme, uracil-DNA glycosylase, to block APOBEC1, a host protein that edits viral DNA to suppress infection. They also developed a promising therapeutic strategy to restore immune defense in the brain, offering new hope for managing HSV-1-induced encephalitis.

When fractions of a second make all the difference: Empa researchers developed a process for manufacturing advanced thin films in which sophisticated timing enables high-quality functional layers at low process temperatures. The new method has applications in the semiconductor industry as well as in future quantum and photonics technologies.

Dr. Deanna M. Kaplan at Emory University has developed Fabla, a groundbreaking smartphone app that captures voice narratives in participants' daily environments. This innovation addresses critical gaps in understanding how clinical interventions, from psychedelic therapies to meditation practices, affect people's real-world experiences beyond laboratory settings.

With a strong tailwind, the University of Oulu’s 6G Flagship sets a new course as Vice-Director Ari Pouttu steps up to the wheel. He succeeds Professor Matti Latva-aho, who has led the programme since its inception in 2018. Latva-aho has been elected Vice Rector for Research at the University of Oulu and begins his five-year term this July.

At the EuCNC & 6G Summit in Poznań—Europe’s foremost event in the field this year—the University of Oulu unveiled both its new 6G leadership and the tenth issue of 6G Waves. This edition of the magazine highlights research infrastructures and their essential role in international collaboration.