biology

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72653-9 Hypoxia-driven dysregulated lactate metabolism is a feature of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), but biological metabzymes and most biomimetic counterparts are ineffective under hypoxic conditions and often yield harmful metabolites. Here, the authors report a biogenic Fe-N-C artificial metabzyme for IDD me…

A review finds increasing evidence that obesity and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are biologically linked. The researchers highlight shared early metabolic disruptions involving mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation and abnormal signaling from fat tissue, which can affect brain health long before symptoms appear. The research also points to the gut-brain axis as a contributor to neurodegener…

Chemistry graduate students from the Dunkle, Thompson, Pierce and Frantom labs presented posters at the 2026 Southeast Enzymes Conference in Atlanta. Out of 89 poster presentations, UA students earned two of the top three awards in the poster competition. Fred Motari, a researcher in the Frantom group, received second place for his work on iron-sulfur cluster assembly in Gram-positive bacter…

This paper argues that evolution is not a biological mechanism but a universal operator: a substrate‑independent process that transforms undifferentiated possibility into coherent, self‑maintaining form. The operator has a stable, domain‑invariant structure—variation, selection, and retention—and this structure appears across physical, chemical, biological, cognitive, cultural, and technological …

Background and AimsAnxiety and depression symptoms are common among autistic youth, yet little is known about the pattern and relationship of their trajectories from childhood into adolescence, a period of increasing social and academic demands.MethodsThis study used parallel process latent growth curve models to examine joint trajectories, including initial levels and rate of change in caregiver…

A dinosaur so massive, it left a mark on the road itself. But this colossal creature has a lot more to reveal than just its size.

Nature Water, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s44221-026-00646-5 Endocrine-disrupting progestogens pose risks to ecosystems through their biological activity. A chemoproteomics study shows that many phytoplankton species can transform these chemicals into forms that may be even more biologically active, potentially increasing ecological risk.

Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathophysiological phenomenon that is widely present in various primary intestinal diseases and systemic critical illnesses, potentially leading to multiple organ dysfunction and failure, with high morbidity and mortality.

Scientific Data, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41597-026-07366-1 Chromosomal-level genome assembly of Trypanosoma carassii , the etiologic agent of a recent outbreak of trypanosomiasis in cage-cultured large yellow croaker ( Larimichthys crocea ) in China

A massive genetic analysis has revealed how the physical size of brain folds and the organization of deep nerve fibers directly influence the risk of developing neurodevelopmental conditions like autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72058-8 Paleo-depositional history and hydrogeological evolution fundamentally dictate microbial. landscapes and groundwater quality in the Pearl River Delta. This study links ancient sedimentary processes to modern-day ammonium dynamics in global deltas.

Nature Communications, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-72642-y Molecular characteristics of amniote lineages can inform evolutionary inference. Here, the authors present a single-cell RNA-sequencing atlas of the chicken, which is applied to compare immune cells of chicken, turtle, duck and human, determining similarities and distinctions across amniote immune system evolutio…

Scientists have discovered a new species of small mammal that lived at the same time as dinosaurs, offering fresh clues about how early mammals survived one of the most devastating events in Earth’s history. The fossil belongs to a newly identified species called Cimolodon desosai, a rodent-like animal that lived about 75 million years ago […] The post Scientists discover 75-million-year-old mamm…

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 30 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01677-9 STRAIGHT-IN Dual enables allele-specific integration of two DNA constructs into hiPSCs within 1 week. The system was used to programme hiPSCs into distinct cell types and for tunable expression of different transcription factors within the same cell.

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 30 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01671-1 PRIME-In couples a prime edited donor template with either single or paired genomic nicks to enable precise integration of even large constructs into human cells, as exemplified by high-efficiency integration of a 3-kb CAR construct in T cells.

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 27 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01664-0 Embedding cortical geometric eigenmodes into the EEG/MEG inverse problem enables precise, biologically grounded reconstructions of whole-brain activity, enhancing mapping of dynamics, connectivity and clinical targets.

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01662-2 The OCTCube models integrate optical coherence tomography and other imaging modalities to achieve state-of-the-art performance in predicting retinal diseases with strong generalizability across cohorts, devices and modalities.

Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01672-0 A transferrin receptor-associating polyplex formed by complexing mRNA with modified polyethylenimine enables monocyte trafficking and lymph node targeting for potent and selective cancer vaccination.

Scientific Reports, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41598-026-50633-9 Advanced methodology for damping characterization of the human tympanic membrane using high-speed digital holography and STFT analysis