Research Highlights

No patient who has survived cancer wants to hear that they’ve relapsed. But hearing it sooner rather than later can dramatically increase the chances of finding a successful, potentially life-saving treatment. Using next-generation sequencing and Droplet Digital PCR, researchers at the University of Uppsala aim to detect relapse by monitoring patient-specific biomarkers. Read about their ongoing clinical study.

The ability to characterize the target of cell-mediated immune response is crucial during vaccine development. In studying the characterization of SARS-CoV-2 infection pathogenesis in humans, a research team identified neutralizing antibodies that provided context for vaccine antigen design. Discover how the ZE5 Cell Analyzer was used to detect activation-induced markers, measure intracellular cytokines, and identify spike protein–specific antibodies in a rapid, high-throughput manner.

Genetic screens are powerful tools for finding genes associated with a particular phenotype. They play an especially important role in cancer research and are leveraged to identify predictive biomarkers that can be used to improve treatment efficacy or trace the progression of genetic alterations that ultimately lead to disease. The HAP1 cancer cell line model and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) bring efficiency to the development of genetic screens that is making them a force to be reckoned with.

Mice are critical model organisms for the study of neuroinflammation. But tissue quantity is often a limiting factor. In a recent paper, researchers describe a protocol for analysis of 33 cytokines and chemokines using only 50 μl of tissue homogenate. The remaining homogenate can be used for RNA extraction or other analysis.

Fluorescence-activated cell sorting is a valuable tool for research, but could the physical forces of sorting stress the cells, altering their behavior and confounding experimental results? Recent research found that although cell sorting activated p38 MAPK stress signaling, no functional or structural changes were observable. The results indicate that jet-in-air systems such as the Bio-Rad S3e Cell Sorter do not alter cell behavior.

Monocytes play key roles in mediating innate and adaptive immune responses. Here is an overview of the types, functions, process of recruitment, and the role of monocytes in disease.

Macrophages are important players in the phagocytosis process in the immune system. In this detailed review, we provide an overview on the different types of macrophages, the signaling molecules involved in the polarization of M1 and M2 macrophage subsets, and more.

During a PCR reaction, it is imperative for the DNA polymerase to remain attached to the template while extending the new strand. This association is jeopardized under challenging PCR conditions and when amplifying longer DNA fragments. See how Sso7d, a small protein capable of binding with the polymerase, helps in stabilizing this association and increasing PCR efficiency.

What do computers and cells have in common? Can cells function as computers or recording devices? Can a bacterial computer be built? Synthetic biologists have recently developed a platform called SCRIBE (Synthetic Cellular Recorders Integrating Biological Events) to convert genomic DNA into a “tape” for recording and memorizing information. This article explores many interesting aspects of autonomous cellular memory and the potential applications of such living computational systems.

Suzanne Topalian was recognized in 2014 by Nature as one of “Ten People Who Mattered This Year” for her contributions in pioneering nivolumab, a programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitor that was recently approved in Japan for advanced melanoma treatment and that shifts the paradigm for a wide range of cancer therapies.