Topic suggestions by LifeSci Lens

Antimicrobial ant venom

lifescilens — 2024-11-07 21:55:56 UTC

As antimicrobial resistance and densely packed urban populations continue to rise across the globe, the potential spread of lethal infections poses a significant threat to the future of public health. In search of solutions, scientists are studying the infection control strategies of another species which has evolved to survive in highly-populated colonies: ants. Antimicrobial peptides isolated from the venom of ants in India have shown potential for the development of novel antibiotics. Another study on antimicrobial peptides derived from the venom of ants in Brazil has suggested they might also have an application in the treatment of epilepsy, due to their modulation of ion channels and neurone receptors.

Sources:

Aravinda, H. et al. Isolation of antimicrobial peptides from seed harvester ant, Trichomyrmex scabriceps (Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and their antimicrobial assay. Arabian Journal of Chemistry 16, 105162 (2023).

Paes, L. C. F. et al. Exploring the neuroprotective potential of antimicrobial peptides from Dinoponera quadriceps venom against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in vivo. Toxicon 237, 107538 (2023).

What causes allergies?

lifescilens — 2024-11-14 13:57:16 UTC

Is it mostly genetics or environmental factors, or a mix of both? Some allergies seem to be able to be cured (like this intriguing therapy for peanut allergies https://www.newscientist.com/article/2402095-peanut-toothpaste-shows-promise-at-preventing-allergic-reactions/), while others develop or get worse later in life - what are the mechanisms behind this?

Deep learning for antibiotic discovery

lifescilens — 2025-03-24 15:10:21 UTC

"Deep learning approaches have aided in exploring chemical spaces; these typically use black box models and do not provide chemical insights. Here we reasoned that the chemical substructures associated with antibiotic activity learned by neural network models can be identified and used to predict structural classes of antibiotics."

(Taken from the abstract of: Wong, F. et al. Discovery of a structural class of antibiotics with explainable deep learning. Nature 626, 177–185 (2023).)

https://news.mit.edu/2023/using-ai-mit-researchers-identify-antibiotic-candidates-1220

Data Driven Sport: HRV and enhancing athlete recovery

lifescilens — 2025-03-24 15:28:08 UTC

Heart Rate Variability is a physiological statistic which is increasingly being used in performance sport to enhance recovery and maximise training outcomes. There’s an increasing amount of research and technologies relating to HRV and it’s an interesting, relevant topic which shows how physiology is applied to performance sport.

Sources:

Dong, J.-G. The role of heart rate variability in sports physiology. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 11, 1531–1536 (2016).

Acupuncture: How exactly does it work?

lifescilens — 2025-03-24 15:31:43 UTC

Acupuncture is one of the most common traditional Chinese medicine treatments and is widely used in the treatment of pain. Despite its emergence in the UK between mid to late 20th century and its widespread use in China since BCE, there still isn't a concrete explanation as to how it exerts its analgesic effects. However, clinical trials and research have proposed potential mechanisms of action.

Sources:

Kawakita, K. & Okada, K. Acupuncture therapy: mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety: a potential intervention for psychogenic disorders? BioPsychoSocial Medicine 8, 4 (2014).

Zukerman, W. Why acupuncture aids spinal recovery. New Scientist (2010). https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18817-why-acupuncture-aids-spinal-recovery/ Accessed online: 24/03/25

Something to chew on: the journey to lab-grown teeth

lifescilens — 2025-04-14 08:11:42 UTC

Following a long line of developments in the field of regenerative dentistry over the past 20 years, researchers have now succeeded in growing human teeth in the lab (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9ejj3jzrwo). This exciting breakthrough promises to revolutionise the lives of patients suffering from poor oral health, which is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

Sources:

Young, C. S. et al. Tissue engineering of complex tooth structures on biodegradable polymer scaffolds. Journal of Dental Research 81, 695–700 (2002).

Young, E. & Khamsi, R. Lab-grown replacement teeth fill the gap. New Scientist (2007).

Beresford, P. & Gidley, S. New breakthrough in lab grown teeth. BDJ 206, 246 (2009).

Krivanek, J. et al. Dental cell type atlas reveals stem and differentiated cell types in mouse and human teeth. Nature Communications 11, (2020).

Food for thought: nutrition and women's health

lifescilens — 2025-10-09 12:33:01 UTC

Patients of under-researched health issues such as PCOS and endometriosis are turning to inflammatory diets to help manage their symptoms, but with the prevalence of inaccurate health advice on social media (like this recent example https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgz2p0999yo, or the story that inspired the Netflix mini-series "Apple Cider Vinegar") there may be a need for more caution and nuance surrounding the topic.

The Dust bowl 2: history repeats itself

lifescilens — 2025-10-09 12:49:35 UTC

In the 1930s, intensive mono-cropping in the US lead to an event known as the "Dust Bowl" with disastrous economic and social consequences. Without the tools and resources needed to facilitate sustainable agriculture, similar events are likely to occur again in vulnerable countries across the Global South.

Shaping complex life

lifescilens — 2025-10-16 15:45:59 UTC

Endosymbiotic theory suggests that eukaryotic cells derived from the process of symbiosis. Larger prokaryotic cells engulfed smaller ones forming a symbiotic relationship, which over time give rise to organelles like the mitochondrion, and chloroplasts. Mitochondria allowed eukaryotes to produce energy more efficiently, and chloroplasts allowed photosynthesis. This symbiotic event not only provided a major energy advantage but also laid the foundation for the diversity and complexity of modern life, including the evolution of multicellular organisms. Understanding the origin of eukaryotes will bring us one step closer to answering one of the central questions in biology: How life was created on Earth.

Donoghue PCJ, Kay C, Spang A, et al. Defining eukaryotes to dissect eukaryogenesis. Current Biology. 2023;33(17):R919-R929. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.048