https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Neural interfaces are devices that can detect or modulate neuronal activity when placed in contact with the brain. They are already used to treat various conditions related to the nervous system. However, current technologies still have limitations that can reduce their effectiveness. One example is their unidirectional function. While most existing interfaces can stimulate the brain, they cannot accurately detect or decode brain activity simultaneously. Even when they can do so, they often face limitations in the detection of certain signals, particularly those at very low frequencies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-flexible-graphene-based-neural-interface.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 16 Jun 2026 18:10:01 EDT news700844882 In an advance that could one day lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, Meredith Jackrel, an associate professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and her team have developed a method to rapidly produce and screen a class of disaggregase enzymes that can break down the misfolded proteins associated with ALS and Parkinson's disease. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-enzymes-potential-als-parkinson-disease.html Biotechnology Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:00:08 EDT news700134722 Inside every human cell, a tiny structure called a lysosome acts like a recycling center, breaking down toxic waste, clearing damaged proteins and helping keep the cell functioning properly. When that recycling center stops working because the lysosome loses the acidic conditions it needs to function, the consequences ripple outward. Waste builds up, proteins accumulate and eventually the cell's internal systems begin to break down. This type of dysfunction is commonly associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-acidic-nanoparticles-parkinson-cellular-source.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:20:04 EDT news700305361 Every internet search, streamed video and AI-generated response depends on a data center somewhere. Driven by rapid growth in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cryptocurrency, data centers have become the backbone of the modern digital economy. But though their key role is in enabling virtual and remote experiences, data centers are physical buildings in real communities around the nation and the globe. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ways-centers-endanger-local-communities.html Environment Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:20:06 EDT news700144621 Cell function is determined by how DNA is expressed into proteins. That process includes two main steps—transcription, when messenger RNA (mRNA) makes copies of active genes; and translation, when mRNA guides protein assembly. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-brain-gene-revealed-noninvasively-programmable.html Biotechnology Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:50:03 EDT news699551881 The buildup of a protein called 𝛂-synuclein (ASN) into toxic clumps is a hallmark of synucleinopathies, a group of neurodegenerative diseases that includes Parkinson's and multiple system atrophy (MSA). These aggregates are associated with cellular dysfunction and lead to progressive neuronal loss. Because current treatments only manage symptoms rather than stopping the underlying protein clumping, scientists are exploring new strategies, including nanomaterials that can prevent these aggregates from forming or help clear them from the brain. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-graphene-quantum-dots-parkinson-protein.html Bio & Medicine Sun, 24 May 2026 18:30:02 EDT news698487434 Florida State University chemists have synthesized new molecules derived from bacteria found in a Pacific Ocean sea sponge, a breakthrough for the future of drug development, particularly for rare forms of cancer. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-chemists-sea-sponge-bacteria-molecules.html Biochemistry Tue, 19 May 2026 16:20:05 EDT news698420435 In every organism, the regulation of cell populations is a constant process. This balance relies on a continuous interplay between "guardian" proteins that promote cell survival and "killer" proteins that trigger programmed cell death, known as apoptosis. Any disruption of this balance can lead to diseases such as cancer. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-decoding-life-death-proteins.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 19 May 2026 13:00:02 EDT news698408941 RNA technology is regarded as one of the newest frontiers in medicine, but in fact a primordial innovator got there way before we did. The malaria parasite, an ancient single-celled organism, has been using sophisticated RNA maneuvers for millennia. In a study recently published in Cell Reports, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science uncover the parasite's RNA strategies—mechanisms that could inspire unexpected applications for RNA-based tools in multiple areas of medicine. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-malaria-parasite-mrna-immune-cell.html Molecular & Computational biology Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:50:02 EDT news696779701 Nicotine, a potent insecticidal alkaloid unique to the nightshade family, has been employed in agriculture as a pesticide since 1690. It also has therapeutic potential for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and depression. Despite its profound influence on human history, agriculture, and plant evolution, however, the final steps of nicotine biosynthesis have remained unclear until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-nicotine-biosynthesis-wild-tobacco-mystery.html Plants & Animals Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:20:01 EDT news695047138 While the Artemis II astronauts have been protected from the icy vacuum of space on their journey, their bodies have nonetheless been left exposed to possibly high levels of radiation—a danger of space travel that NASA is anxiously waiting to study. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-artemis-astronauts-space-health.html Space Exploration Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:08:15 EDT news695012812 EPFL scientists have discovered that a simple shape change in mitochondria helps cells evenly distribute their mitochondrial DNA, solving a long-standing puzzle. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mitochondria-genome.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:06 EDT news694281721 Many emerging medical technologies rely on seamless integration between biological systems and electronics. This requires materials that are soft, electrically conductive, and biologically active—properties that have been difficult to combine in a single system. Research teams led by Prof. Dr. Ivan Minev (TUD Dresden University of Technology, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden) and by Dr. Christoph Tondera (Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden and Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden at TUD) have now developed such a material. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-hydrogel-enables-electrical-biochemical.html Biochemistry Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:20:05 EDT news694182121 Biomolecular condensates are tiny, droplet-like structures made up of molecules that help organize key processes in living organisms. Because they are so small and constantly changing, it has been difficult for scientists to measure their physical properties or control how they behave. Leiden researchers at the Mashaghi Lab have now discovered a surprising new way to shape and control tiny droplets of molecules found in living organisms. The breakthrough could lead to smarter biomaterials, improve drug delivery and even new insights into the emergence of life on Earth. The work is published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-life-molecular-droplets-uv.html Biotechnology Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:00:07 EDT news694102910 A drug to treat Parkinson's disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method, a study shows. The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder. It is the first time a natural, biological process has been engineered to turn plastic waste into a therapeutic for a neurological disease, researchers say. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-plastic-bottles-parkinson-drug-bacteria.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:00:03 EDT news692627939 Intracellular protein trafficking and secretion of proteins into the extracellular environment are sequential and tightly regulated processes in eukaryotic cells. Conventionally, proteins that are bound for secretion harbor an N-terminal signal peptide that guides their movement from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus to the exterior of the cell. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-autophagy-lysosomal-pathways-orchestrate-unconventional.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 23 May 2025 08:29:05 EDT news667207742 In Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and type 2 diabetes, harmful protein aggregates and deposits, known as amyloid plaques, develop. There is also much evidence that these three diseases are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-protein-aggregation-synthetic-peptides-basis.html Biochemistry Thu, 24 Apr 2025 08:16:03 EDT news664701362 An international research collaboration led by Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists that examined microscopic blobs of protein found in human cells has discovered that some morph from an almost honey-like substance to a hard candy-like solid. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-scientists-reveal-protein-linked-parkinson.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:00:03 EDT news664167770 Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, primarily characterized by motor dysfunction. Its pathological hallmark is the abnormal aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into insoluble fibrils and Lewy bodies, leading to the degeneration and death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-nanoparticles-neurons-parkinson-wireless-brain.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 16 Jan 2025 11:13:04 EST news656248382 First came the slow hand movements, then the tremor, and now the looming fear of what lies ahead. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-herbicide-scrutiny-potential-parkinson-link.html Agriculture Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:17:15 EST news656223427 Is it possible for nanoparticles to go through the digestive system and deliver medicine directly to the brain tissue? Researchers from Michigan State University say yes, and their latest findings are expected to benefit patients with neurodegenerative disorders like multiple sclerosis, or MS; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS; and Parkinson's disease, or PD. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-standards-nanoparticles-patients-ms-als.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:31:23 EDT news632748680 Researchers led by Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have introduced a pioneering approach aimed at combating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). https://phys.org/news/2024-02-undruggable-proteins-approach-neurodegenerative-diseases.html Bio & Medicine Sun, 18 Feb 2024 10:34:39 EST news627474860 The British scientist who led the team that created Dolly the sheep, a breakthrough in cloning, has died at the age of 79, his former university said on Monday. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-scientist-team-dolly-cloned-sheep.html Other Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:01:54 EDT news613652511 University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers have developed a new diagnostic technique that will allow for faster and more accurate detection of neurodegenerative diseases. The method will likely open a door for earlier treatment and mitigation of various diseases that affect humans, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and similar diseases that affect animals, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD). https://phys.org/news/2023-05-technique-rapid-neurodegenerative-diseases-parkinson.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 08 May 2023 14:02:48 EDT news602773364 Organic chemists at UCLA have created the first synthetic version of a molecule recently discovered in a sea sponge that may have therapeutic benefits for Parkinson's disease and similar disorders. The molecule, known as lissodendoric acid A, appears to counteract other molecules that can damage DNA, RNA and proteins and even destroy whole cells. https://phys.org/news/2023-01-chemists-ocean-based-molecule-parkinson.html Biochemistry Fri, 20 Jan 2023 04:26:04 EST news593411155 Propofol is the most commonly used drug to induce general anesthesia. Despite its frequent clinical application, exactly how propofol causes anesthesia is poorly understood. https://phys.org/news/2022-11-neuron-function-widely-anesthetic-propofol.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:16:03 EST news587060161 Flexible implanted electronics are a step closer toward clinical applications thanks to a recent breakthrough technology developed by a research team from Griffith University and UNSW Sydney. https://phys.org/news/2022-08-ultra-thin-tough-implantable-material-spinal.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:33:18 EDT news579339194 In about a fifth of the cases of Parkinson's disease, look to a small, malfunctioning protein in the lysosome as a risk factor, say University of Michigan researchers. https://phys.org/news/2022-06-reveal-molecular-mechanism-parkinson-disease.html Cell & Microbiology Thu, 23 Jun 2022 12:31:50 EDT news575206305 Nanosized molecules of a particular chemical element can inhibit the formation of plaque in the brain tissues. This new discovery by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in Croatia and Lithuania, provides renewed hope for novel treatments of, for instance, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease in the long run. https://phys.org/news/2021-07-discovery-nanosized-molecules-inhibit-alzheimer.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:06:15 EDT news544345573 Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are both examples of amyloid diseases, where malfunctioning proteins accumulate to form fibrils and larger aggregates called amyloid plaques. In the journal Biophysical Chemistry researchers at the University of Leeds, UK, review progress in methods for studying crucial but fleeting intermediates in the formation of these fibrils. https://phys.org/news/2020-12-proteins.html Biochemistry Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:30:01 EST news526827998