A decade ago, scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health used ferrets to engineer a highly lethal flu virus. The purpose of the research — known as “gain of function” — was to better ...

Researchers describe how they have improved the ability of a protein to repair oxidative DNA damage and created a new protein function. Their innovative technique can lead to improved drugs for ...

在生命科学的宏伟叙事中，DNA修复常常被描绘成一个英雄般的篇章。细胞内精密的分子机器夜以继日地巡逻，一旦发现DNA序列上出现断裂，尤其是最凶险的双链断裂 (Double-Strand Breaks, DSBs)，它们便会蜂拥而至，像一群技艺高超的外科医生，力求将断裂的遗传密码 ...

Glia constitute roughly half of the cells of the central nervous system (CNS) butwere long-considered to be static bystanders to its formation and function. Here we provide an overview of how the ...

While it's well known that sleep enhances cognitive performance, the underlying neural mechanisms, particularly those related to nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, remain largely unexplored. A new ...

The bean-shaped organelles are now being recognized for their part in immune signaling, stress responses, and neural ...

Gain-of-function experiments can help researchers get ahead of viruses naturally gaining the ability to infect people in the wild. But they're also used for many other areas of study within biology.

The microbiology toolbox includes techniques to induce mutations in viruses that give the microbes new powers. Scientists perform these manipulations for many reasons, including wanting to understand ...

Talk of “gain-of-function” research, a muddy category at best, brings up deep questions about how scientists should study viruses and other pathogens. By Carl Zimmer and James Gorman At a Senate ...

In that case, you could get the last laugh. An October 2025 scientific review published in the journal Neuroscience described this gas as a “silent neuroprotector,” citing evidence that it may help ...