Biology
The latest chemistry news and research on biology, including biochemistry, biotechnology, synthetic biology and origins of life, from the Royal Society of Chemistry's magazine, Chemistry World
-
NewsCould Crispr cure HIV?
The first gene-editing therapies for HIV/Aids are entering trials but the virus is proving once again that it is a master at evading eradication
-
ResearchCryo-EM snapshots reveal insight into how opioids activate their receptor
Insights from structural images could help design new opioids and antidotes to them
-
ResearchTraditional yoghurt recipe reveals ants’ fermentation power
Rebecca Trager meets a cross-disciplinary team investigating an ancient way to make yoghurt, which involved a trip to a tiny Bulgarian village
-
ResearchAI-designed antibodies target antigens with atomic precision
Epitope-binding proteins designed from scratch by generative AI model
-
NewsGeneticist James Watson who co-discovered the structure of DNA dies at 97
Famed for his work on DNA’s structure, but Watson courted controversy throughout his career
-
WebinarFood and us: the incredible story of how food shapes humanity
Learn about the intricate interplay between our genetic and physical makeup and the food we eat – join us on 9 December
-
OpinionThe molecular mechanisms behind cell cognition
Condensate formation is central to how budding yeast cells decide their response to environmental and internal conditions
-
ResearchUltrapotent thrombin inhibitor combines peptide fragments from a trio of blood-sucking organisms
Hybrid molecule featuring leech, tsetse fly and flea peptide fragments binds thrombin at three sites
-
WebinarDeveloping a CITK protein degrader using the QuicTPD™ platform
Learn about the latest technology to accelerate the design of cancer treatments
-
NewsThe 2025 Nobel prize in chemistry as it happens – live
Join us as we provide analysis and commentary in the run up to the announcement of the biggest prize in chemistry
-
NewsMedicine Nobel prize recognises discovery of protective ‘security guard’ regulatory T cells
Research explained how body protects itself from the immune system, offering new ways to treat autoimmune disease
-
ResearchNext generation gene editors engineered to significantly reduce error rate
Introducing mutations into DNA-snipping ‘molecular scissors’ can result in 60-fold reduction in errors
-
ResearchThioesters could explain how proteins first formed on early Earth
Cells use proteins to make other proteins – new research could explain how the first proteins arose without other enzymes directing the process
-
ResearchThis deep-sea worm turns two toxins into a harmless mineral
Unusual biomineralisation strategy used for detoxification rather than reinforcing tissues
-
ResearchScientists capture crystal structures of cannabinoid receptor in action
Study reveals how two aromatic residues flip when agonists bind, providing the trigger for downstream signalling
-
ResearchCould climate change cause sharks to lose their bite?
Increasing acidification of the world’s seas puts shark’s teeth at risk
-
ResearchNew class of antifungals show potent effects against priority pathogens
Coniotins, found in another fungus, is effective against drug-resistant pathogenic fungi
-
ResearchProtein prediction AI could help reactivate dormant immune system in crops
Precision engineering could be used to return natural immunity to crops that have lost it over time
-
ResearchBranched polymers protect cell mimics that can interact with biological cells
Dendritic polymers encase coacervate microdroplets, enabling them to closely mimic natural cells
-
ResearchRecoded E. coli strain shows that life can function with significantly compressed genetic code
Researchers remove seven codons from E. coli’s genetic code