Students in the UZurich IBD NanoBiotics iGEM Team sit and stand around a table at the 2022 iGEM Grand Jamboree.

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Cauã Westmann smiles in a headshot outside.

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Nanobodies that bacteria secrete only in the presence of a biomarker treat inflammatory bowel disease at the site of inflammation.

How engineered bacteria sense and treat gut inflammation

News

Macrophages, cells designed to fight infections, gain additional functions as drug carriers. 

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By fusing proteins from intracellular bacteria onto a bead, researchers created a synthetic microbe (red) that can infect macrophages (green), creating a macrophage-based drug delivery system. 

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Carine Smith explores ways to optimize macrophage-based drug delivery to deliver more potent drugs in a targeted fashion.

Proteins from intracellular pathogens can help expel drugs delivered by macrophages.

Co-opting bacterial proteins for macrophage-based drug delivery

Four panels of different fluorescent markers depicting sphingomyelin in a human cell infected with chlamydia.

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A schematic of the chemistry of the Seibel’s trifunctional sphingomyelin probe.

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Scientists developed an unprecedented chemical tool to visualize sphingomyelin and sphingomyelinase activity during a chlamydia infection.

Watching an infection unfold with a sphingolipid probe

Tools & Techniques

Colorful 3D schematic of DNA strands against a black background.

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A schematic showing the steps of the ACE mass cytometry workflow: staining, cyclic extension, hybridization, UV crosslinking, and mass cytometric analysis.

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A new technique boosts the sensitivity of mass cytometry to allow detection and characterization of low-abundance markers, yielding new disease insights.

A dash of DNA improves protein identification in single cells

A close-up shot of a Musashi Engineering dispenser printing a hydrogel ear.

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Headshot of a man with brunette hair smiling at a camera and wearing a navy blazer over a white shirt and multicolor tie

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Researchers used 3D printing to create multi-layered skin grafts for deep wounds.

Bioprinting a thick skin

Karim Mekhail in a blue shirt standing in front of a light brown brick wall

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Double-stranded DNA in blue on a dark background 

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Nuclear structures that facilitate DNA repair could lead to new cancer therapies.

A new addition to the DNA repair toolkit

A HeLa cell is shown against a black background with TIS granules shown in purple and the ER in teal.

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Researchers discovered that where mRNA translation occurs in the cytoplasm changes protein expression level and sometimes even function.

All about location for mRNA translation

A serial block-face scanning electron microscope image of two zebrafish hair cells are shown against a black background. Cilia are shown in blue, the small mitochondria are shown in white, the large mitochondria is shown in gold, and synaptic ribbons are shown in purple.

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High resolution microscopy revealed distinct mitochondrial populations in inner ear hair cells, setting the stage for probing their role in mitochondrial deafness.

Mini and monstrous mitochondria may contribute to deafness

An immunofluorescence microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 entering ciliated human nasal epithelial cells in an organoid.

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Researchers discovered how SARS-CoV-2 invades and spreads through nasal epithelial cells, identifying potential new drug targets to prevent transmission.

Shadowing SARS-CoV-2 infections through mucus and cilia

Articles

A photograph of three glass blown structures. Each structure depicts a blue tumor being attacked by purple cytotoxic T cells in 3D.

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A photograph of Alex Ritter standing outside smiling.

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With videos of dramatic cancer cell deaths and unflagging T cell attacks, Alex Ritter studies how immune cells and tumors battle with microscopic precision.

Glass T cells kill cancer in living color

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November 2024

An illustration of the tumor microenvironment, showing cancer cells, T cells, and nanoparticles interacting within a complex biological system

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Agilent Technologies

New technologies are allowing researchers to delve deeper into the complex tumor landscape.

A closer look at the tumor microenvironment&nbsp;

Compendium

An image of a western blot transfer showing the white, square transfer membrane with orange and blue bands representing the protein molecules undergoing transfer on a black and white machine. 

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Bio-Rad Laboratories

Researchers can achieve seamless western blot experiments by implementing advancements in stain-free technology, normalization methods, and compliance integration.&nbsp;

Exploring stain-free western blotting

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A digital representation of a DNA double helix surrounded by molecular structures and chemical formulas. 

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Thermo Fisher Scientific

Discover how digitization improves data integrity and accelerates decision-making in biotherapeutics development.&nbsp;

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