The lower hinge of immunoglobulin G (IgG), an overlooked part of the antibody, acts as a structural and functional control hub, according to a study by researchers at Science Tokyo. Deleting a single amino acid in this region transforms a full-length antibody into a stable half-IgG1 molecule with altered immune activity. The findings provide a blueprint for engineering next-generation antibody therapies with precisely tailored immune effects for treating diseases such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.

The fight against climate change relies heavily on finding better ways to capture carbon dioxide before it escapes into our atmosphere. While carbon nanotubes have long been seen as a "wonder material" for this task, their internal structures are often locked away like a closed pipe. Now, a research team from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) has pioneered a deceptively simple way to pop those caps open and supercharge their adsorption capacity.

A preclinical study published in Nature has found evidence that the hippocampus, the brain region that stores memory, also reorganizes memories to anticipate future outcomes.

The findings, from researchers at the Brandon Lab at McGill University and their collaborators at Harvard University, reveal a learning process that had not been directly observed before.

Researchers from Drexel University who discovered a versatile type of two-dimensional conductive nanomaterial, called a MXene, nearly a decade and a half ago, have now reported on a process for producing its one-dimensional cousin: the MXene nanoscroll. The group posits that these materials, which are 100 times thinner than human hair yet more conductive than their two-dimensional counterparts, could be used to improve the performance of energy storage devices, biosensors and wearable technology.

With cardiovascular disease remaining the leading cause of death in the United States, this Heart Month (February), FIU is establishing an interdisciplinary center designed to accelerate breakthroughs in heart disease research, education, and innovation.

Backed by an $11.7 million investment from the Florida Heart Research Foundation, the FIU-Florida Heart Research Foundation Center for Innovation in Cardiovascular Health brings together experts in biomedical engineering, medicine, artificial intelligence, computer science, public health, nursing, and the biological sciences. The goal: uncover the fundamental drivers of cardiovascular disease and translate discoveries into improved patient outcomes across Florida and beyond.