News by Subject Biology

Some of America's favorite Independence Day fireworks emit lead, copper, and other toxins, a new study suggests. These metals, which are used to give fireworks their vibrant color, also damage human cells and animal lungs.

All per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) should be treated as one class and avoided for nonessential uses, according to a peer-reviewed article published today in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

Researchers led by Natàlia Carulla find that specific amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein ensembles have the capacity to disrupt the membrane of neurons, causing their death. The results have been published in the journal Nature communications.

Bacterial toxins causing different illnesses share similar molecular mechanisms in a finding that could help treatment development as well as explain the emergence of new diseases.

Fresh insights into why some harmful substances are so efficient at causing cancer could aid the quest for better treatments. New research reveals how chemicals can cause changes in cells to help them dodge the body's immune system and build resistance to cancer drugs. Scientists tracked the impact of a toxic substance - similar to compounds found in tobacco, exhaust and some plants - to better understand how chemicals cause mutations in our cells' DNA.

These exist complex challenges when developing Live Biotherapeutic Products (LBPs). The safety assessment poses challenges because of the potential sensitivity of the target population, the 'live' nature and the complicated mode of action of LBPs. This article proposes a risk assessment roadmap for LBPs and appropriate solutions for non-clinical programmes and First-in-Human clinical safety trials. The approach is largely supported by academic and industry representatives and will support future LBP safety assessment studies in Europe/US.

Scientists develop AI-based tool to predict adverse drug events. Such events are responsible for some 2 million U.S. hospitalizations per year. The free, open-source system could enable safer drug design, optimize drug safety