Biophysics News - SciTechDaily

Why Is Your Heart on the Left? Unraveling the Mysteries of Biological Chirality

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 22:13:06 +0000

Exploring geometry and chirality in life by probing the sphinx tile. Why is the heart slightly to the left side of the body for most people? Why is DNA almost always a right-handed helix? The same goes for alpha helices, the building blocks of proteins. Chirality, or handedness, is pervasive in biology, yet the reasons [...]

“Laser View” Into the Avocado: New Method Exposes Cellular Secrets

University of Göttingen — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 16:52:27 +0000

A research team at the University of Göttingen has developed a method for recognizing cell properties. Checking whether an avocado is hard or soft by looking at it? This would require recognizing how the plant cells behave behind the skin. The same applies to all other cells on our planet: Despite more than 100 years [...]

New Research Shatters Old Beliefs About Gold Nanoparticles and Cancer

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:21:07 +0000

Research overturns old views on gold nanoparticles, showing larger, star-shaped ones are most effective against cancer, leading to a model that improves therapy design. Scientists have previously assumed that the smaller the nanoparticles used to fight the cancer cells, the faster they die. The logic behind this theory is that small nanoparticles would simply find [...]

New Quantum-Enhanced Microscopy Unveils Cellular Force Secrets

The University of Hong Kong — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:51:58 +0000

Researchers at HKU Engineering develop a breakthrough cellular force imaging technique using a diamond-based quantum sensing microscope. The project, led by Professor Zhiqin Chu from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and Professor Qiang Wei from Sichuan University, utilized label-free quantum sensing technology to measure cellular force [...]

The Secret to Fast Muscles: It’s All in the Fluid Dynamics

University of Michigan — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 17:15:45 +0000

University of Michigan researchers have discovered that water flow within muscle fibers greatly influences their contraction rates, challenging traditional understandings of muscle mechanics and potentially improving artificial muscle design. According to a study from the University of Michigan, the speed at which muscle fibers contract may be determined by the flow of water within them. [...]

Trailblazers in Genetics: Researchers Chase the Cure for Rare Hereditary Diseases

Max Planck Society — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:54:19 +0000

The dynamic structure of FLVCR proteins and their role in nutrient transport within our cells have been revealed. It is known that malfunctions of the proteins FLVCR1 and FLVCR2 lead to rare hereditary diseases in humans that cause motor, sensory and neurological disorders. However, the biochemical mechanisms behind this and the physiological functions of the [...]

A Breakthrough in Protein Genetics: Scientists Unveil How Pseudogenes Evolve

Rice University — Fri, 17 May 2024 10:15:19 +0000

Rice University’s Peter Wolynes and his research team have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the evolution of specific genetic sequences known as pseudogenes. Their findings were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Led by Wolynes, the D.R. Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Science, professor of chemistry, biosciences and [...]

Challenging Biologists’ Understanding: New Research Suggests Cells Possess Secret Communication System

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:45:34 +0000

New study reveals that ion gradients across cell membranes create a network for swift cellular decision-making, separate from DNA. Cells constantly navigate a dynamic environment, facing ever-changing conditions and challenges. But how do cells swiftly adapt to these environmental fluctuations? A new Moffitt Cancer Center study, published in iScience, is answering that question by challenging [...]

Mystery Solved: Scientists Uncover Origins of Enigmatic Swirling Movements in Some of Nature’s Largest Cells

Simons Foundation — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 20:01:27 +0000

New research conducted by scientists at the Flatiron Institute has uncovered the origins of enigmatic swirling movements in some of nature’s largest cells. Egg cells are the largest single cells on the planet. Their size — often several to hundreds of times the size of a typical cell — allows them to grow into entire [...]

Unlocking the Mysteries of Protein Folding With Advanced Microscopy

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, JILA — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:43:04 +0000

Researchers have advanced the understanding of membrane protein dynamics by studying bacteriorhodopsin (bR) with innovative methods combining atomic force microscopy and light triggers. When it comes to drug development, membrane proteins play a crucial role, with about 50% of drugs targeting these molecules. Understanding the function of these membrane proteins, which connect to the membranes [...]

Scientists Discover Surprising Link Between Physical and Social Worlds

Rutgers University — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 07:37:18 +0000

A biophysical chemist from Rutgers and their older sibling, a political scientist at Berkeley, explore shared concepts. A biophysical chemist at Rutgers and his brother, a political scientist based on the West Coast, have joined intellectual forces, realizing a long-standing dream of co-authoring an article that bridges their disciplines involving cells and society. In their [...]

Breaking the Brain-Muscle Barrier: Scientists Discover Hidden Neural Network-Like Abilities of Self-Assembling Molecules

Maynooth University — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 12:19:22 +0000

We tend to separate the brain and muscle – the brain does the thinking; the muscle does the doing. The brain takes in complex information about the world, makes decisions, while muscle merely executes. This distinction extends to our understanding of cellular processes, where certain molecules within cells are perceived as the ‘thinkers’, processing information [...]

DNA Repair at Light Speed: Unraveling the Mystery With TARDIS

University of Bonn — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 09:19:18 +0000

University of Bonn researchers devise method to speed up observations of high-throughput microbiological process. Being able to observe micro-organisms and their cellular components is key to understanding fundamental processes that go on inside cells—and thus potentially developing new medical treatments. Microbiologists and biophysicists from the University of Bonn and Wageningen University and Research have now [...]

The Isotope Effect: Bigger Than Science Ever Imagined

Karolinska Institutet — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 13:09:40 +0000

In a recently published study, researchers at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics (MBB) at Karolinska Institutet have questioned the old paradigm surrounding isotopes of light elements—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. These isotopes have now emerged as more powerful than once thought. Traditionally, scientists believed that isotopic effects in biochemical reactions were more or [...]

Stranger Than Friction: An Invisible Force Initiating Life

Institute of Science and Technology Austria — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 21:29:56 +0000

Scientists examine how friction forces propel development in a marine organism. As the potter works the spinning wheel, the friction between their hands and the soft clay helps them shape it into all kinds of forms and creations. In a fascinating parallel, sea squirt oocytes (immature egg cells) harness friction within various compartments in their [...]

The Future of Biology: Decoding Cell and Tissue Mechanics in 3D With Active Matter Theory

Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:49:34 +0000

Open-source supercomputer algorithm predicts patterning and dynamics of living materials and enables studying their behavior in space and time. Biological materials are made of individual components, including tiny motors that convert fuel into motion. This creates patterns of movement, and the material shapes itself with coherent flows by constant consumption of energy. Such continuously driven [...]

Brain’s Recycling System: Researchers Unlock the Secret to Neuron Renewal

Auburn University Department of Physics — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 06:26:47 +0000

Groundbreaking Discovery in Brain Cell Research Researchers at Auburn University have achieved a groundbreaking discovery, illuminating the process by which brain cells efficiently replace older proteins. This process is essential for maintaining effective neural communication and optimal cognitive function. Innovative Study on Protein Recycling in Brain Cells The findings were published on November 6 in [...]

Neurons Decoded: The Universal Workflow Powering Brain Insights

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 00:22:07 +0000

The Blue Brain Project introduces a universal workflow for creating and validating neuronal models using open-source tools. Biophysically detailed neuronal models provide a unique window into the workings of individual neurons. They enable researchers to manipulate neuronal properties systematically and reversibly, something that is often impossible in real-world experiments. These in silico models have played [...]

Microscopic Masterminds: The Structural Genius of Bacteria

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 21:29:19 +0000

A new model demonstrates that chasing interactions can induce dynamical patterns in the organization of bacterial species. Structural patterns can be created due to the chasing interactions between two bacterial species. In a new model, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) describe how interactions on the individual level can result [...]

From Atoms to Organisms: “Assembly Theory” Unifies Physics and Biology To Explain Evolution and Complexity

Arizona State University — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:00:50 +0000

“Assembly Theory,” a pioneering theoretical framework bridging physics and biology, offers transformative insights into biological evolution and its place within universal physical laws. With applications from the search for alien life to understanding life’s origins, it promises to reshape numerous scientific fields. An international team of researchers has developed a new theoretical framework that bridges [...]

DNA Danger: Physicists Expose Fat Droplets’ Hidden Threat

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 02:53:59 +0000

Fat serves as an essential component of the human body, functioning not only as an energy storage and release mechanism but also playing pivotal roles in hormone regulation and immune function. The increasing prevalence of metabolic disorders, including heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes, in recent years has prompted intensive scientific research into the nature and [...]

A New Era in Biophysics Discovery Unleashed by Exascale Supercomputers

Auburn University Department of Physics — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 17:05:49 +0000

The dynamic interplay where high-performance computing converges with biophysical exploration is pushing the frontiers of knowledge and catalyzing a new era of unprecedented discoveries in biology. New light has been shed on the transformative capabilities of the next generation of supercomputers in reshaping the landscape of biophysics in a recently published article featured on the [...]

Talking in Waves: The Unique Communication Language of Cells

Institute of Science and Technology Austria — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 23:26:07 +0000

The physics of cell communication: ISTA scientists successfully model cell dynamics. Like us, cells communicate. Well, in their own special way. Using waves as their common language, cells tell one another where and when to move. They talk, they share information, and they work together – much like the interdisciplinary team of researchers from the [...]

Exploring the Origins of Life – Scientists Propose Alternative Model

Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 02:27:23 +0000

A new model helps to understand the self-organization of molecules into living structures. One potential hypothesis for the emergence of life involves the self-assembling of interrelating molecules into structures similar to cellular droplets. These specific groups of molecules could establish the earliest self-replicating metabolic cycles, a feature universally present in biological systems and consistent across [...]