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November 2024

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February 2022 | Volume 18 | Issue 2 | Front Cover

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February 2022

Leishmania mexicana parasites in the promastigote stage

A GLP-grade non-replicative <em>Leishmania</em> <em>major&nbsp;</em>parasite protects hamsters from lethal leishmaniasis infection, setting the stage for human clinical trials and the first potential vaccine for leishmaniasis.

A live parasite vaccine for deadly leishmaniasis

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An upcoming clinical trial will test the effectiveness of a highly concentrated aloe vera pill to relieve the painful bladder symptoms associated with interstitial cystitis.

Aloe vera may soothe bladder pain

Editor's Focus

A depiction of a cytokine binding to a receptor on the surface of a cell membrane.

interleukin

Immunotherapy was a game-changer for the cancer field, but immunotherapies using cytokines like IL-2 often cause severe side effects. Researchers are developing a newly engineered blueprint to improve the therapeutic efficacy and safety of IL-2 and other cytokines.

The race to develop more effective IL-2 cancer therapies

Immunotherapy

seeing-red

A person with long brown hair is wearing a lab coat and smiling at the camera.

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A person with a shaved head is wearing a sweater and sitting by a computer while looking at the camera.

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A person with medium-length brown hair is wearing a teal sweater and is smiling at the camera.

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Red blood cells may play a role in COVID-19 and other infections.

Red blood cells sometimes behave like immune cells

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Readers are using biometric data from smartwatches to track people’s health, including when they may have an infection.

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A person with long brown hair is wearing glasses and a blazer and is smiling at the camera.

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A bioengineer mines the biometric data from smartwatches and smartphones to find digital biomarkers for respiratory infections like COVID-19.

Biometric data from smartwatches might predict COVID-19

Infectious Disease

The blood brain barrier (BBB) is a selective sheet of endothelial cells lined with a thin basement membrane composed of proteins such as laminin and collagen. The BBB separates the brain from the blood, stopping unwanted blood components from entering the brain. As people age, the BBB becomes more permeable and allows molecules into the brain that damage it. Aran determined that stress-induced damage to red blood cells contributes to BBB degradation.

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A person with dark hair is wearing a white dress shirt and sitting at a desk with a computer and a pen and pad of paper in a laboratory.

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A person with dark hair is wearing a white dress shirt and working in a lab.

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When a research question can&rsquo;t be answered using the tools available, bioengineer Kiana Aran makes new tools. Recently, she developed a new type of brain-on-a-chip to answer questions about the blood brain barrier.

Engineers developed a blood brain barrier on a chip

Scientist is replacing part of a DNA molecule

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Corralling CRISPR into cells

Desphande’s group makes actin-coated (green) condensates, precursors to actinosomes.

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Actin (green) forms long, tube-like structures in the cell.

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Cell membranes act as containers for cell contents. Synthetic cells need them too. Researchers developed a new vessel that uses an unusual border: actin.

Researchers use actin to develop synthetic condensates

Bioengineering

A person with short grey hair is smiling at the camera.

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A person with long brown hair is wearing a blue shirt and standing in front of a blurred background that shows colorful post-it notes attached to a wall. They are smiling at the camera.

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A person is wearing a tie and lab coat and is smiling at the camera.

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A group of people are standing and kneeling on the grass in front of a building and are smiling at the camera.

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Emely Larios, a reproductive biology researcher from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, captured this image of a normal adult ovary section from a female bat. The large, light pink circles are follicles containing an oocyte. Women with PCOS have an excessive number of these follicles, which make it appear that ovaries are decorated with cysts. 

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A hormone only discussed among specialized scientists is making a big splash in the ovarian health field. It may soon become a household name.

Anti-M&uuml;llerian hormone may be the next big thing in women&rsquo;s health

A person with short hair is wearing a blue dress shirt and dark navy blazer. They are holding an hourglass and smiling at the camera.

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Aging is the ultimate Achilles heel. But researchers used cows to understand how mammals age and to look for a way to slow the effects of time.

What cows can tell us about aging eggs

Women's Health

A scientist wearing gloves handles a pipette over a petri dish and a color-coded microplate in a laboratory setting.

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Sartorius

Learn how fundamental laboratory tools like pipettes and balances support analytical precision.

The unsung tools behind analytical testing success

Application Note

A 3D rendering of motor neurons lit up with blue, purple, orange, and green coloring showing synapses against a black background.

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Discover new advancements in modeling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Improving ALS research with pluripotent stem cell-derived models&nbsp;

Whitepaper

A 3D rendering of round clear cells with multiple red round nodules in each cellular center representing nuclei, suspended in a liquid, clear backdrop. 

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Discover precise automated tools for organoid and spheroid handling.&nbsp;

February 2022 Volume 18, Issue 2