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Groundbreaking research uncovers the origins of the ventral nerve cord in early moulting animals Originally published by by Queen Mary, University of London , on:13 January 2025 Tubular incomplete specimens of Eopriapulites sphinx from the early Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation, showing their ventral nerve cord. Credit: Science Advances (2025). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0896 An international team of scientists has uncovered a fascinating piece of the evolutionary puzzle: how the ventral nerve cord , a key component of the central nervous system, evolved in ecdysozoan animals , a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms. Their findings , published in Science Advances , provide valuable insights into the origins of these structures in the basal Cambrian period .  The research team, comprising Dr Deng Wang (Northwest University), Dr Jean Vannier (Université de Lyon), Dr Chema Martin-Durán (Queen Mary University of London), and Dr María Herranz (Rey ...

Originally published at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, on 7 January, 2025 A new study has uncovered a surprising link between Alzheimer’s disease and Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). Researchers found HSV-1 proteins embedded in Alzheimer’s brains, revealing how the virus is inhibited by tau protein—a key player in the disease. These insights could pave the way for innovative treatments targeting viral activity and the brain’s immune response to slow or even stop Alzheimer’s progression. Picture: In green - herpes virus proteins. In red - Alzheimer’s tau. And also a merge image on the right. (Credit - Shemesh Lab) New study led by  Dr. Or Shemesh from the School of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem  has uncovered a surprising connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). The research team used advanced techniques to identify 19 HSV-1-related proteins in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, across all stages of the disease...