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Scientists can now target the cells at the center of ALS

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The major scientific discovery opens the door to new treatments for the devastating disease.  Originally published by Liz Dueweke / Allen Institute/ on   June 16, 2025 ALS is a cruel disease . It robs the body of its ability to control itself —the ability to move , the ability to communicate . While there are currently no effective treatments to reverse its debilitating symptoms, Allen Institute researchers have opened a window of hope .  For the first time ever, scientists have developed a precise genetic toolkit that can target the exact nerve cells destroyed by the disease and potentially deliver therapies where they are needed mos t—a discovery that could dramatically speed up the quest for a cure. The findings were recently published in the journal Cell Reports .  Image of a spinal cord section taken from the lumbar region. An enhancer AAV expressing a bright fluorescent protein in motor neurons was delivered to the animal and spinal cord sections wer...
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People can be identified by their breathing patterns with 97% accuracy

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Originally published by Emma Bryce at livescience.com, on June 13, 2025 Breathing patterns among humans are so unique that they can work as an identification tool, scientists report. They propose someday using breath as a way to diagnose disease .   A new study suggests that human breathing patterns differ from person to person and can even be used to identify individuals. (Image credit: Ippei Naoi via Getty Images) Humans have unique breathing patterns that c an be used to identify and distinguish individuals , a new study has found. In the work, published Thursday (June 12) in the journal Current Biology , researchers could use an algorithm to identify individuals based on these distinct "respiratory fingerprints" nearly 97% of the time . The study authors also think the breathing profiles could reveal potential clues about each individual's mental and physical health . Although it seems straightforward, b reathing is a complex process governed by several bra...
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Robot uses ‘claw machine’ design to sort stem cells for embryo model studies

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A new stem cell-sorting robot is giving scientists their best shot yet at decoding the third week of human development. Originally published by Srishti Gupta , at Interesting Engineer, on Jun 10, 2025 Gastruloids are stem cell-derived models that replicate a key phase of early embryonic development: the third week of gestation (representative image).  iStock/Rasi Bhadramani Researchers have just unveiled a new sorting machine that could kick-start our grasp of how human life comes into being in the first few weeks . The system , created at the University of Washington in tandem with the Brotman Baty Institute , allows scientists to isolate these cellular models more efficiently than ever before . Gastruloids are stem cell-derived models that replicate a key phase of early embryonic development : the third week of gestation , when the body’s three primary germ layers begin to form. Because the new model sidesteps the red-flagged ethical territory of working with real em...
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CRISPR-Cas13 allows selective modification of desired RNA in living cells

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Originally published by The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) , on June 10, 2025 edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan   Development of hyperactive variant eNAT10 through NAT10 protein engineering. By engineering the NAT10 protein, which performs RNA acetylation in human cells, based on its domain and structure, eNAT10 was developed, showing approximately a 3-fold increase in RNA acetylation activity compared to the wild-type enzyme. Credit: Nature Chemical Biology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-01922-3 RNA gene scissors (CRISPR-Cas13) are gaining significant attention as a next-generation gene therapy with fewer side effects. They can suppress infection by eliminating viral RNA, such as in coronaviruses, or regulate the expression of disease-causing genes. KAIST researchers have developed the world's first technology that can precisely locate and acetylate (chemically modify) only the desired RNA among countless RNA molecules (mol...
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