News

• 3D-printing with silk to treat knee injuries

  

  Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) and West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, have 3D printed knee meniscus with a new silk-based bio-ink that can be customised to the kneecap dimensions of the patient. This innovative approach paves the way to treating knee injuries in a patient-specific manner and minimising repetitions of invasive surgical procedures.

  Posted on Apr 19, 2024 in Health & Medicine, Biotechnology, Cell Biology & Research

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• Fungal adaptation in extreme temperatures

  

  Researchers from SASTRA University have uncovered how some fungi can withstand high temperatures. The study published in Proteins discovered that certain proteins on the outside of fungi play a crucial role in making them heat-resistant. Understanding heat-resistant proteins can help us build proteins and enzymes for industrial use where temperatures are usually high.

  Posted on Mar 25, 2024 in Cell Biology, Bioinformatics & Research

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• How does malaria-causing parasite infect human red blood cells?

  

  Researchers based at the National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, and Yenepoya University, Mangalore, have uncovered the crucial role of Protein kinase 2 (PfPK2) in malarial parasite development and invasion of host red blood cells, offering insights for potential therapeutic strategies. Depleting PfPK2 resulted in reduced invasion of host erythrocytes by the parasite and impaired its maturation in the host maturation, highlighting it as a promising target for new malaria drugs.
  

  Posted on Mar 01, 2024 in Health & Medicine, Cell Biology, Immunology & Research

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• Calcium ions and immune protein ring disaster bells in plants

  

  Researchers from National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) have uncovered how plant cells attacked by insects communicate distress to other cells of the plant. In the first 5-10 minutes after the attack, a spike in calcium levels and the plant immune protein Plant Elicitor Peptide Receptor (PEPR) amplifies the damage signal, as plants brace for insect attack. The findings of this study can pave the way for protecting crops from pests.

  Posted on Feb 28, 2024 in Plant Biology, Cell Biology & Research

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• A key protein for human neuron generation

  

  Researchers from the Institute For Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bangalore, have identified a key protein- Lysine specific histone demethylase (LSD1) that enables the development of higher order cognition centres in the human brain. These findings shed light on the evolution of intelligence in humans and may also help us understand neurodevelopment disorders such as autism.
  

  Posted on Feb 02, 2024 in Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Genetics & Research

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• Structures provide the answer for the complement system

  

  In a recent collaborative study published in Cell, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, and other institutes have uncovered the molecular basis of complement receptor activation, crucial in immune response. The research team identified a synthetic peptide, EP141, derived from the C3a anaphylatoxin, which selectively binds to the C3aR receptor, offering therapeutic potential by directing biased immune signalling.

  Posted on Jan 29, 2024 in Health & Medicine, Cell Biology, Immunology & Research

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• A defence protein brings hope in fighting Parkinson’s

  

  In a recent study, researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, identified the unique anti-amyloid and chaperone-like activity of a host defence protein, β₂-microglobulin, which prevents ⍺-synuclein aggregation. Their research has the potential for developing diagnostic and therapeutic measures for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.

  Posted on Jan 22, 2024 in Health & Medicine, Cell Biology, Genetics & Research

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