‘Pac-Man with a ponytail’ proteins regulate everything from night vision to heartbeats – studying what GRKs look like could improve an array of drugs

Master switches of cell communication, G protein-coupled receptor kinases are the target of many drugs across a range of diseases.

Priyanka Naik, Ph.D. Candidate in Structural Biology, Purdue University • conversation
March 7, 2025 • ~7 min

p53 is both your genome’s guardian and weakness against cancer – scientists are trying to repair or replace it when it goes awry

The gene that codes for p53 is the most frequently mutated in cancer. Researchers are targeting different parts of its complex pathway to restore its ability to stop cancer.

Prosper Obed Chukwuemeka, Ph.D. Candidate in Integrative Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Feb. 20, 2025 • ~7 min

Enzymes are the engines of life − machine learning tools could help scientists design new ones to tackle disease and climate change

Enzymes significantly speed up the chemical reactions that keep you alive. Researchers are using AI to create new ones to tackle modern challenges.

Sam Pellock, Postdoctoral Scholar in Biochemistry, University of Washington • conversation
Feb. 13, 2025 • ~9 min

Loneliness and social isolation are linked to specific proteins – new research

People who feel lonely tend to have higher levels of five key proteins.

Jianfeng Feng, Professor of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence/ Computer Science, Fudan University • conversation
Jan. 6, 2025 • ~6 min

Cells have more mini ‘organs’ than researchers thought − unbound by membranes, these rogue organelles challenge biology’s fundamentals

Membraneless organelles, also called biomolecular condensates, are changing how scientists think about protein chemistry, various diseases and even the origin of life.

Allan Albig, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Boise State University • conversation
Nov. 5, 2024 • ~8 min

AI was central to two of 2024’s Nobel prize categories. It’s a sign of things to come

AI will feature in future Nobel prizes as scientists exploit the power of this technology for research.

Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Bath • conversation
Oct. 10, 2024 • ~5 min

Machine learning cracked the protein-folding problem and won the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry

The prize honors innovation at Google DeepMind and in academia. Three researchers share the award for using machine learning to predict proteins’ 3D shapes and design the molecules from scratch.

Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College • conversation
Oct. 9, 2024 • ~10 min

AI plus gene editing promises to shift biotech into high gear

AI has learned the ins and outs of proteins. Gene editing gives scientists control of life’s molecular machinery. Together they could lead to a revolution in biotechnology.

Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College • conversation
June 6, 2024 • ~8 min

An AI tool for predicting protein shapes could be transformative for medicine, but it challenges science’s need for proof

Science has a need to verify results, but DeepMind’s protein prediction tool doesn’t work this way.

Sam McKee, Tutor and researcher in Philosophy of Science, Manchester Metropolitan University • conversation
May 31, 2024 • ~7 min

Engineering cells to broadcast their behavior can help scientists study their inner workings

Researchers can create ‘single-cell radios’ using bacterial proteins to transmit the invisible activities within cells.

Scott Coyle, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison • conversation
May 31, 2024 • ~5 min

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