molecular biology

In a breakthrough study, researchers have found that the world's most common type of arthritis – osteoarthritis (OA) – actually has a single core driver with clean-cut molecular pathways. It paves the way for much better treatment.

Scientists have identified a new way to supercharge obesity drug semaglutide by targeting key neurons. It could dramatically boost GLP-1 weight-loss power and prevent the dreaded plateaus that not even this "wonder drug" has been able to circumvent.

The aroma of freshly cut grass is one of nature’s most recognizable scents, but it's not produced for our enjoyment. It's actually part of an ancient chemical war that plants have been fighting against predators for millions of years.

If you've wondered why you procrastinate with doing your taxes early or starting mundane jobs, it's not because you dislike them. New research has uncovered a specific pathway in the brain that slams the brakes on investing energy in these tasks.

What naked mole-rats lack in the looks department they make up for it in longevity, living healthily for nearly four decades. Now, scientists have found just how they repair their DNA – and it has the potential to be harnessed by humans to do the same.

Scientists have taken the most detailed look yet at the biology of a record-breaking woman who lived 117 years and 168 days free of cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia. And many things they discovered could help us achieve our own longevity.

Got asthma? Then you might also go on to get Parkinson's. Celiac? You'll want to watch out for lung cancer. That's the kind of information you can get on a new website that uncovers the links between common conditions based on genetic analysis.

Even without noses, octopuses are able to determine which food sources are good to eat and which have gone past their prime simply by touching them. The secret, says a new study, lies with surface microbiomes and some very sensitive suckers.

The first-ever "biological computer" powered by human cells, which form an ever-learning neural network, has been launched. It's an entirely new kind of AI – Synthethic Biological Intelligence – and not even its creators can predict its full potential.

Built to be carnivorous, giant pandas spend up to 16 hours a day on their backsides eating bamboo. But contrary to all the panda jokes, it's not because they're lazy or too dumb to know better. It's far more fascinating – and it may help humans, too.

Common ivy is better known as a garden invader or a rather attractive indoor plant that's prone to triggering allergies. Now, for the first time, it's been found to be very effective in blocking pain signals – by instead invading a key pain receptor.

A peptide hormone produced in the brain that triggers physiological changes in reproduction has been 'hacked' to create an effective, safe and non-invasive way to treat chronic gut pain. Scientists are calling it an entirely new class of painkiller.