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An interdisciplinary team of ULB researchers has developed molecules capable of transporting copper ions across the lipid membranes of cells. In collaboration with colleagues from the Université Grenoble Alpes, they have demonstrated that copper transport is an effective strategy for destroying cancer cells.

A remarkable success has been achieved at TU Wien: by combining two fundamentally different microscopy techniques, researchers can now measure the optical properties of a sample with pinpoint accuracy. The original goal was to investigate biological samples on a molecular scale - but this soon led to stubborn technical problems.

A test that rapidly detects signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in stool samples could improve future diagnosis and monitoring of the condition. An international team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Glasgow, has developed a tool to measure the activity of a molecule linked to gut inflammation within faecal samples.

The bioconcentration factor shows the concentration of chemical substances in fish as compared to the surrounding water. It is the standard measure for determining the bioaccumulation of chemicals in the environment. Until now it was assumed that this factor, BCF for short, was a constant for each specific substance.

Modeling the formation and distribution of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the atmosphere In collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FoeN) and the University of Bern, researchers have investigated how trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), the smallest of the PFAS molecules, is formed in the atmosphere and enters water bodies via precipitation.

Researchers have developed formulations for the kind of paper used in cash receipts or shipping tags using wood-based chemicals that reduces reliance on toxic bisphenols while keeping print performance. Every day, millions of people use thermal paper without thinking about it. Receipts, shipping labels, tickets, and medical records all rely on heat-sensitive coatings to make text appear.

For years, researchers have been investigating a molecular complex that plays a key role in protein synthesis. They have now discovered that this complex also contributes a crucial function in ensuring that our DNA is properly processed and "packaged". The protein factories in our cells - so-called ribosomes - have a central task: during a process known as translation, amino acids are linked together according to messenger RNA, forming a growing peptide chain that later folds into a functional protein.

Mouse geneticist Antoine Peters and his team investigate how information beyond the DNA sequence - shaped by chemical marks on the DNA molecule - controls the earliest steps of life. By revealing how errors in these mechanisms can silence essential genes and prevent embryos from implanting, this work may shed light on the molecular causes of infertility.

FIG. 1. (a) Cut-away rendering of the 229ThO2 target mount. Arrows denote front aperture, window, target, and pyroelectric detector. (b) Rendering of the spectroscopy chamber. (Magenta arrow) Direction of VUV laser propagation. (Yellow arrows) IC electron trajectories from target to detection MCP.

Researchers from ETH Zurich have succeeded in introducing large quantities of unnatural amino acids into bacteria, enabling the creation of innovative and highly efficient designer proteins. These can be used as more efficient catalysts or more effective drugs. Life uses 20 amino acid building blocks, from which proteins are assembled.

New research shows how inexpensive, safe materials can directly convert sunlight into sustainable fuels. Researchers at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), in collaboration with Stanford University, Antwerp University and Hasselt University, have achieved a major breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials for the production of solar fuels.

The latest research has achieved a breakthrough in the controlled polymerization of thiol-ene systems.

When the forever chemicals known as PFAS enter the environment, they remain there for generations and can harm humans and nature. Despite increasing bans, many PFAS are still in circulation - including on Swiss ski slopes and cross-country trails, where the toxins enter the environment through abrasion from ski wax.

Cu-64 is a copper isotope needed for medical applications - but it is very difficult to produce. At TU Wien, researchers have now developed an alternative production method. The copper isotope Cu-64 plays an important role in medicine: it is used in imaging processes and also shows potential for cancer therapy.

Researchers have achieved a new level of control over the atomic structure of a family of materials known as halide perovskites, creating a finely tuned 'energy sandwich' that could transform how solar cells, LEDs and lasers are made. Due to their remarkable ability to absorb and emit light, and because they are cheaper and can be configured to convert more of the solar spectrum into energy than silicon, perovskites have long been touted as a potential replacement for silicon in solar cells, LEDs and quantum technologies.

Scientists discover how to destroy Teflon and other persistent pollutants at room temperature An international team including a researcher from the University of Valencia has developed a system capable of degrading both Teflon (PTFE) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals", without the need for high temperatures or complex chemical reagents.

While microplastic pollution continues to advance, research into its possible effects on health remains hampered by technical hurdles: to date, there are no suitable methods for precisely identifying the particles in the body without destroying tissue.

Scientists reveal how separase, a key enzyme in cell division, ensures the accurate separation of chromosomes. Cell division is a process of remarkable precision: during each cycle, the genetic material must be evenly distributed between the two daughter cells. To achieve this, duplicated chromosomes, known as sister chromatids, are temporarily linked by cohesin - a ring-shaped protein complex that holds them together until separation.

Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol) of the University of Valencia have developed a pioneering method to produce glasses from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in a simple and environmentally friendly way. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for the use of MOFs in fields such as electronics, clean energy and advanced technologies.

Scientists have developed a simple, low-cost method to drive key chemical reactions, which could make large-scale drug manufacturing, faster, more accessible and affordable. The new study, published in the journal Nature Synthesis today by The University of Manchester, describes how complex light or electricity-mediated methods currently used across modern chemistry could be replaced by those driven by a simpler technology - heat.