https://phys.org/chemistry-news/biochemistry/ en-us The latest news on biochemistry A new way of converting stubborn plastic waste into high-value chemicals using only water and oxygen has been developed by an international team of scientists. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tiny-droplets-stubborn-plastic-valuable.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:00:05 EDT news703340193 As interest in clean hydrogen power grows, so does the need for safe storage and transportation materials. One such material, vanadium, is a leading candidate because it readily absorbs hydrogen and allows it to move through its crystal structure. However, hydrogen displays varying behavior in the presence of vanadium, with the underlying cause remaining unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-secret-hydrogen-quantum-behavior-symmetry.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:03 EDT news703173465 Scientists in China have developed a smart coating that could make it easier to remove tritium (a radioactive form of hydrogen) from nuclear power plant wastewater. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-smart-coating-cleanup-nuclear-wastewater.html Biochemistry Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:20:07 EDT news703257909 A research team has presented a roadmap for developing an "artificial olfactory system" that detects odors like the human nose and analyzes them using artificial intelligence (AI) by leveraging metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The team systematically organized and reviewed key research trends in electronic nose technology, from MOF material design to sensor implementation and AI-based odor pattern recognition. The research was led by Hyuk-Jun Kwon's in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science of Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology. The work is published in the journal Progress in Materials Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ai-powered-electronic-nose-distinguish.html Biochemistry Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT news703169645 The molecular machinery that normally builds proteins inside cells has now taken on a new role as a "switch." A research team at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) has developed a new 'RNA-based smart gene circuit' platform that can simultaneously read multiple signals inside a cell, make its own decisions and autonomously generate programmed responses. This represents a step beyond simple genetic manipulation toward an era in which cells themselves function as "living computers." https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ribosome-based-gene-circuit-cells.html Biochemistry Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:00:06 EDT news702647029 A team led by chemist Frank Glorius, a professor at the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the University of Münster, has developed a new light-driven reaction sequence. In this triple catalysis, one reaction step triggers the next like three dominoes in a row, toppling one after the other. The molecular transformations occur sequentially in a single reaction vessel. Such one-pot synthesis is considered an ideal process because it is particularly resource- and energy-efficient. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-visible-triggers-cascade-3d-drug.html Biochemistry Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:40:02 EDT news702907999 Algae oil is increasingly used as a sustainable source of important nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids that support human health and development. One important example is arachidonic acid, or ARA, which is used in nutrition products such as infant formula and functional foods. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-mild-enzymatic-method-gently-refines.html Biochemistry Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:00:07 EDT news702816089 Cells sitting side by side in the same tissues are not identical. Each cell carries its own subtly different chemical signature—a hidden individuality that can reveal how diseases take root and spread. Now, researchers from the University of Osaka have developed a technique sensitive enough to capture this cell-by-cell diversity within tissues with unprecedented precision and stability. Their study is published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-probe-alzheimer-linked-lipids-cell.html Biochemistry Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:20:02 EDT news702724793 Among the many modern technologies that shape life today, functional oxide materials are found in almost everything, from advanced electronics to energy-efficient systems. Functional oxides with high-valent metal ions are a significant topic of interest because of their unusual properties, such as superconductivity, magnetism, ferroelectricity and negative thermal expansion (NTE). However, manufacturing these materials often requires harsh chemical conditions that raise safety concerns and produce environmentally harmful byproducts. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-materials-cleaner-production-route-temperatures.html Biochemistry Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:20:06 EDT news702738145 With careful recipe and process design, non-alcoholic beer can be made more resistant to foodborne pathogens, according to a new study that provides practical guidance on pH, carbonation and hops. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-carbonation-ph-safer-alcoholic-beer.html Biochemistry Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:00:03 EDT news702647035 Testing how quickly a biodegradable plastic actually breaks down in the environment can take months, sometimes years, of lab work. A new study from the Agricultural University of Athens, offers a faster alternative: a machine-learning tool that predicts biodegradation outcomes for a widely used bioplastic almost instantly. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-machine-fast-biodegradable-plastics-nature.html Biochemistry Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:40:04 EDT news702627865 Researchers at Kyushu University have developed a new food preservation solution. Using pumpkin peel as a raw material, they synthesized a nanomaterial for food packaging that slows the deterioration of fruit and other produce while reducing transport damage. The findings were published April 30, 2026, in Food Research International. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-pumpkin-food-fresh.html Biochemistry Mon, 06 Jul 2026 20:40:01 EDT news702563399 Researchers at the University of Bayreuth and Forschungszentrum Jülich have demonstrated that specific light-sensitive enzymes—so-called sensor histidine kinases (SHKs)—transmit their signal through a light-controlled change in asymmetry. With their new study, the researchers contribute to a better understanding of a central mechanism of bacterial signal processing. This may help develop new tools for biomedicine or biotechnology. The findings are reported in the journal Science Advances. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-flips-bacterial-enzyme.html Biochemistry Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:00:01 EDT news702217862 Researchers at The University of Manchester and Hebei University of Technology have identified how a new class of catalyst can break down lignin into useful chemical building blocks, offering a more sustainable route to replace fossil-based materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-atom-catalyst-lignin-valuable-chemicals.html Biochemistry Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:40:07 EDT news702125161 Certain medicines contain per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds, known as PFAS, which are causing increasing environmental harm because of their long-lasting effects. A study published in Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy by the University of Freiburg, commissioned by the German Environment Agency, shows that many PFAS-based active ingredients used in medicines can be replaced by alternative active ingredients. Based on the report's findings, doctors will in the future be able to give preference to prescribing PFAS-free medicines, where this is appropriate from a therapeutic point of view. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-pfas-medicines-alternatives.html Biochemistry Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:40:07 EDT news702036842 Sialic acid is a natural sugar building block found on the surfaces of our cells. It acts as a protective and recognition molecule and plays a central role in the development of the nervous system. Following the modular principle, individual components can be swapped for new building blocks, thereby altering the properties of the sugar. Researchers at Hannover Medical School (MHH) have investigated how these building blocks reach their target. These fundamental findings are also significant because certain influenza and coronavirus strains specifically use modified sialic acids as receptors to enter host cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-sugar-block-viral.html Biochemistry Tue, 30 Jun 2026 14:20:05 EDT news702036482 Pioneering research has developed a new way of creating carbohydrate-based medicines that could ultimately replace costly drugs for common health conditions, using two cheap basic ingredients—table sugar and vinegar. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-table-sugar-cheaper-quicker-key.html Biochemistry Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:00:09 EDT news701956748 Antibiotic resistance is becoming an accelerating crisis because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics over many years. The problem is exacerbated when antibiotics wipe out susceptible bacteria but leave resistant bacteria behind to multiply, further spreading resistance. There is an ongoing search for new treatments to fight resistant bacteria, and now researchers may have found a way to successfully treat at least one type of resistant bacteria. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-compound-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-defense.html Biochemistry Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:20:06 EDT news701953801 Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have developed an injectable hydrogel, a water-based gel material, made from silk proteins and a plant-derived compound. In laboratory tests, the material promoted complete wound closure within 72 hours, suggesting a potential new approach to minimally invasive soft tissue repair. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-silk-kudzu-hydrogel-wound-closure.html Biochemistry Sun, 28 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news701361407 Enzymes are regarded as the key to sustainable chemistry. Despite major advances in protein design, creating artificial enzymes from scratch has so far remained a grand challenge. A research team at the University of Bayreuth, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Ottawa, has now demonstrated how nonfunctional protein scaffolds can be transformed into highly active enzymes. The researchers report their findings in Nature Chemical Biology. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-workflow-nonfunctional-protein-scaffolds-enzymes.html Biochemistry Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:00:01 EDT news701682571 A new collaborative study reports the discovery and application of a novel therapeutic strategy to selectively target EGFR and other kinases with controlled release in tumor microenvironments to improve therapeutic efficacy, with promising results. The research is published in Bioorganic Chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-prodrug-localized-drug-delivery-platform.html Biochemistry Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:40:04 EDT news701595001 Aniline can now be transformed into pyridine without adding any catalysts, oxidants or toxic reagents. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers achieved skeletal editing, involving the reorganization of the carbon-nitrogen bonds within an aromatic ring, by turning an aqueous solution of aniline into a mist of microdroplets. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tiny-droplets-transmutate-aniline-pyridine.html Biochemistry Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:20:09 EDT news701593618 Researchers at the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) in Dresden, including Oliver Bruns and Dr. Bernardo Arús, are participating in an international study that has, for the first time, developed novel proteins for near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared imaging (SWIR). The research was conducted in collaboration with an international team that included chemistry Nobel laureate David Baker, who was honored in 2024 for his work on computational protein design. The study, with shared first authorship, was recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-proteins-infrared-swir-deeper-tissue.html Biochemistry Wed, 24 Jun 2026 22:40:01 EDT news701531781 Sugars are not just a source of energy—they also play a crucial role in how cells communicate, how proteins interact and how materials behave in medicine and industry. But studying these processes is challenging because sugar molecules are structurally complex and difficult to control. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-scientists-tunable-biomolecules-probe-sugars.html Biochemistry Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:40:03 EDT news701524741 When many of us think about how drugs work in the body, we may first think about how a drug gets into the body, such as a pill versus an injection. In the Gellman Group at the UW–Madison Department of Chemistry, researchers are instead thinking about how a drug behaves after it reaches its target, which is critical for effective drug performance. The cells in our bodies must receive and respond to information from their environment for healthy function, and when information flow is disrupted, illness can result. Most of the information is contained in molecules that engage with receptor proteins on cell surfaces. Many medicines work by modifying information transfer at specific receptor proteins. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-drug-peptides-defy-receptors-full.html Biochemistry Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:40:01 EDT news701446743 Developing new medicines can require thousands of chemistry experiments to identify the right recipe for a safe, effective and ideally affordable drug. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-drug-discovery.html Biochemistry Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:40:03 EDT news701358901 The main reason for sealing wine bottles with a cork is to protect the liquid from oxygen. However, it is not an impermeable barrier, and a small amount of air leaks in, which is not always entirely bad news. The gas helps the wine mature and develop a more complex flavor. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-oxygen-corked-wine-bottle.html Biochemistry Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:40:06 EDT news701342311 Aptamers are short DNA or RNA strands that can recognize and bind to a specific target molecule with high precision. Similar to antibodies, they can be used to detect these molecules or modulate their activity. Unlike antibodies, they are much more stable, can be produced synthetically and can be chemically modified to achieve the desired properties. As a result, they can offer capabilities that cannot be achieved with antibodies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-faster-aptamer-screening-synthetic-alternatives.html Biochemistry Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:00:01 EDT news701014712 A chance discovery at Nagoya University in Japan has shown that a well-known brain enzyme has a hidden ability: It builds a sugar chain on itself, becomes secreted from the cell and deactivates, then switches on outside the cell once the chain is removed. The finding, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, overturns a decades-old assumption about how polysialic acid, a sugar chain critical for brain development and function, is produced and shows a new way an enzyme can regulate its own activity. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-brain-enzyme-caught-unexpected-polysialic.html Biochemistry Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:40:01 EDT news701017871 Compostable plastics could be part of a solution to the world's plastic waste problem. But currently these materials need industrial composting facilities to break down. In a step toward making a home-compostable plastic, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have augmented polylactide (PLA)—a widely used biobased and compostable polymer—with a small amount of an additive. Tests show it helps the material degrade substantially faster without sacrificing critical qualities like strength or transparency. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-additive-faster-bioplastic-biodegradation-transparency.html Biochemistry Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:10:01 EDT news701016961