How does a cloud stay cool under direct sunlight––or seem to vanish in infrared? In nature, phenomena like white cumulus clouds, gray storm systems, and even the hollow hairs of polar bears offer remarkable lessons in balancing temperature, color and invisibility. Inspired by these atmospheric marvels, researchers have now created a nanoscale “cloud” metasurface capable of dynamically switching between white and gray states—cooling or heating on demand––all while evading thermal detection.
New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and La Jolla Institute for Immunology, published today in Nature Microbiology, reveals an opportunity for developing a therapy against cytomegalovirus (CMV), the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.
Researchers discovered a previously unappreciated mechanism by which CMV, a herpes virus that infects the majority of the world’s adult population, enters cells that line the blood vessels and contributes to vascular disease. In addition to using molecular machinery that is shared by all herpes viruses, CMV employs another molecular “key” that allows the virus to sneak through a side door and evade the body’s natural immune defenses.
The finding might explain why efforts to develop prophylactic treatments against CMV have, so far, been unsuccessful. This research also highlights a new potential avenue for the development of future antiviral drugs and suggests that other viruses of the herpes family, such as Epstein-Barr and chickenpox, could use similar molecular structures to spread from one infected cell to the next while avoiding immune detection.
Mark Hersam is a nanotechnologist who believes that understanding materials at the shortest of length scales can provide solutions to the world’s largest problems. Using an interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of neuroscience and nanoelectronics, Hersam presents a solution to the greatest societal threat posed by AI.
Dr. Mark C. Hersam, the Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Director of the Materials Research Center, and Chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Northwestern University, has made major breakthroughs in the field of nanotechnology. His research interests include nanomaterials, additive manufacturing, nanoelectronics, scanning probe microscopy, renewable energy, and quantum information science. Dr. Hersam has received several honors including the Marshall Scholarship, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, American Vacuum Society Medard Welch Award, U.S. Science Envoy, and MacArthur Fellowship. In addition, he is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Inventors and has founded two companies, NanoIntegris and Volexion, which are suppliers of nanoelectronic and battery materials, respectively.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Ribosomes are tiny molecular machines inside all living cells that build proteins, and ribosome biogenesis is the complex, multi-step process by which they are made. During brain development, neural stem cell proliferation relies on active ribosome biogenesis to meet high protein demand. This process involves the concerted action of numerous ribosomal RNA processing factors and assembly proteins. Studies have shown that precise regulation of ribosome biogenesis is essential for normal brain development and tumor prevention.
A new gene therapy delivery device could let hospital pharmacies make personalized nanomedicines to order. This democratized approach to precision medicine, as published in Frontiers in Science, could revolutionize how hospitals treat rare diseases, even in low-resource settings.
Rare diseases affect millions worldwide, yet the one-size-fits-all model of drug development leaves patients with few treatment options. Now a European research project called NANOSPRESSO aims to tip the balance in patients’ favor by boosting access to low-cost bespoke gene and RNA therapies.
The prototype NANOSPRESSO device combines two proven technologies— nucleic acid therapeutics and lipid nanoparticles—into a portable manufacturing unit. Hospital pharmacists could use the unit to prepare sterile, injectable nanomedicines tailored to the specific genetic abnormality causing the patient’s condition, bypassing the need for centralized drug production.
Offering TPE. I do not see a cost though.
*Apply to join Foresight Biotech & Health Extension program:* https://foresight.org/biotech-health-extension-program/
A group of scientists, entrepreneurs, funders, and institutional allies who cooperate to advance biotechnology to reverse aging and extend human healthspan. This group is sponsored by 100 Plus Capital. http://100pluscap.com/
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*Brad Younggren | Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE): A Tool Against Aging and Disease*
Bio: Brad Younggren, MD, is CEO and co-founder of Circulate Health, a company dedicated to extending human healthspan. A former U.S. Army physician, Dr. Younggren served as a combat physician in Iraq and was awarded a Bronze Star and Combat Medical Badge. An emergency medicine specialist and seasoned healthcare executive, Younggren has led teams at the cutting edge of medicine for decades. Most recently, he was President and Chief Medical Officer at 98point6, where he led the development and launch of AI-powered primary care solutions. He previously served as CMO at Cue Health, Shift Labs, and Mobisante. At Circulate, Younggren leads an expert team of clinicians and scientists working to harness the potential of therapeutic plasma exchange to advance health and longevity.
https://www.circulate.health/
Abstract: Aging is the primary risk factor for most chronic diseases, driving over 90% of U.S. healthcare expenditures. However, emerging science suggests that aging itself can be targeted as a modifiable process. Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) is a promising intervention that removes harmful substances from the bloodstream, reducing inflammation, disease burden, and potentially reversing aspects of biological aging. Circulate Health is pioneering this space, with clinical trial data demonstrating measurable reductions in biological age and improvements in key biomarkers. Beyond its longevity benefits, recent findings suggest TPE may help reduce microplastics and other environmental toxins—offering a practical, scalable approach to mitigating modern health threats. In this talk, we’ll explore the science behind TPE, its clinical applications, and why Circulate Health’s model makes this groundbreaking treatment accessible to more patients and clinics.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have successfully performed a quantum simulation of chemical dynamics with real molecules for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the application of quantum computing to chemistry and medicine.
Understanding in real time how atoms interact to form new compounds or interact with light has long been expected as a potential application of quantum technology. Now, quantum chemist Professor Ivan Kassal and Physics Horizon Fellow Dr Tingrei Tan, have shown it is possible using a quantum machine at the University of Sydney.
The innovative work leverages a novel, highly resource-efficient encoding scheme implemented on a trapped-ion quantum computer in the University of Sydney Nanoscience Hub, with implications that could help transform medicine, energy and materials science.
University of Sydney scientists have made a big step towards future design of treatments for skin cancer or improved sunscreen by modelling photoactive chemical dynamics with a quantum computer.