Lab mimics molecule found in poppies
An undergraduate leads the discovery of a way to synthesize a rare molecule drawn from poppies. The molecule could become a building block for painkillers and other drugs......»»
Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule
A team of international scientists has used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to detect a new carbon compound in space for the first time. Known as methyl cation (pronounced cat-eye-on) (CH3+), the molecule is important because it aids the formation.....»»
How a Human Smell Receptor Works Is Finally Revealed
After decades of frustration, researchers have determined how an airborne scent molecule links to shapeshifting olfactory receptors in the nose......»»
Revealing magnetic mysteries: Breakthrough builds better single molecule magnets
Scientists from the University of Ottawa have invented a unique method to create better molecule-based magnets, known as single-molecule magnets (SMMs). This synthetic tour de force has resulted in a two-coordinate lanthanide complex which has magnet.....»»
Damping waves with 50,000 rubber grass blades
Dimitris Dermentzoglou, PhD student in Coastal Engineering, is investigating whether salt marshes can serve as a natural solution for coastal protection. It is why he mimics salt marsh vegetation at the TU Delft Waterlab. He hopes his research will y.....»»
Extreme DNA resolution: Spatially multiplexed single-molecule translocations through a nanopore at controlled speeds
Aleksandra Radenovic, head of the Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology in the School of Engineering, has worked for years to improve nanopore technology, which involves passing a molecule like DNA through a tiny pore in a membrane to measure an ionic curr.....»»
Molding two-dimensional organic molecule crystals
Recently, a group of illegal counterfeiters was apprehended for producing around 400 fake luxury jewelry items using molds. They were able to create hundreds of faked luxury items simply after pouring molten metal into molds produced from the origina.....»»
Researchers discover a new way to develop drugs without side effects
Have you ever wondered how drugs reach their targets and achieve their function within our bodies? If a drug molecule or a ligand is a message, an inbox is typically a receptor in the cell membrane. One such receptor involved in relaying molecular si.....»»
Targeted small molecule alleviates arthritis symptoms in mice
Researchers at the University of Helsinki, together with researchers from the United States, have discovered a small molecule that inhibits the formation in cells of cytokine proteins that promote inflammation. The mechanism is based on the fact that.....»»
Team develops magnetic microrobots with folate to promote targeted drug delivery to cancer cells
The limited ability of microrobots to assist drugs in entering cells hinders their therapeutic efficacy. To address this, a research team, reporting in Cyborg and Bionic Systems, has introduced the cancer-targeting molecule folic acid (FA) to microro.....»»
Scientists develop probe that could unlock the mysteries of a vital cellular messenger and lead to new drug discoveries
A study by Loughborough University and the University of Oxford has led to the development of a small molecule probe that could deepen our understanding of a crucial cellular messenger and lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs......»»
Soft "Electronic Skin" Mimics Our Sense of Touch
A flexible, conductive membrane that can pass sensory information to the brain and muscles is a step towards artificial skin.....»»
These tiny jumping spiders walk like ants to evade predators
"Its gait and trajectory show high similarity with multiple ant species.” Enlarge / The colorful jumping spider Siler collingwoodi mimics the walk of an ant to evade predators. (credit: Hua Zeng) We typically think of.....»»
How cells select DNA damage repair pathways
DNA is well known as the blueprint of life, necessary for an organism to facilitate living processes. DNA can be damaged by various factors such as radical metabolites, radiation, and some toxic chemicals. As DNA is a molecule consisting of two stran.....»»
Simulation tools drive the new generation of therapies based on gene silencing
Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body and are produced following the instructions encoded in DNA. By reading their DNA letters, cells produce an intermediate RNA molecule that will give rise to the correspond.....»»
Chemists synthesize natural pharmaceutical product waixenicin A from coral
Chemists led by Thomas Magauer at the University of Innsbruck succeeded in synthesizing the natural product waixenicin A for the first time. This molecule is found in soft corals and is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry due to its pote.....»»
Modeling electron dynamics in real time
Making the dynamics of an excited molecule visible is only possible using computationally intensive simulations. Recently, a research team led by Sandra Luber from the University of Zurich has developed a method that speeds up these complex simulatio.....»»
Scientists develop gene silencing DNA enzyme that can tarsingle molecule
Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have developed a DNA enzyme—or DNAzyme—that can distinguish between two RNA strands inside a cell and cut the disease-associated strand while leaving the healthy strand intact. This breakthrou.....»»
Using nanopore single-molecule sensing to identify glycans
Glycans perform varied and crucial functions in numerous cellular activities. The diverse roles of glycans are matched by their highly complex structures, which derive from differences in composition, branching, regio- and stereochemistry, and modifi.....»»
Scientists capture elusive chemical reaction using enhanced X-ray method
Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory captured one of the fastest movements of a molecule called ferricyanide for the first time by combining two ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy techniques. They think their approach could help map more com.....»»
Scientists find molecule responsible for the bright white coloring of Pacific cleaner shrimp
An international team of molecular chemists, physicists and nanomolecular scientists has found the molecule responsible for the bright, white-colored stripes sported by the Pacific cleaner shrimp. The study is published in Nature Photonics. Diederik.....»»