In a new paper (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01412-6) published in Light: Science & Applications, a team led by Dr. Hanqing Xiong from the National Biomedical Imaging Center, College of Future Technology at Peking University (Beijing, China) reported a novel method named transient stimulated Raman scattering (TSRS) (Fig.1). The team manipulated the interference of vibrational wave packets in the time domain by broadband femtosecond laser pulse trains, and finally achieved natural-linewidth-limit Raman spectra at sub-mM sensitivity in a Fourier spectroscopic way. Furthermore, TSRS hyperspectral imaging of living Hela cells has been comprehensively performed in the Raman fingerprint region, the cell-silence region, and the popular C-H stretching region (Fig.2). To show the advantage of the natural-linewidth-limit spectral resolution, The team also preliminarily constructed a set of high-density Raman probes with Raman mode intervals down to 12 cm-1, and further demonstrated its corresponding barcode imaging (Fig.3).… 

To tackle the issue of identifying microRNAs (miRNAs) in plants, a novel microfluidic device system has been developed. The system focuses on detecting miR399, which is a biomarker for phosphorus deficiency stress. The device employed micro-flow channels to immobilize DNA on glass surfaces, facilitating the creation of DNA-probed areas for miRNA detection through sandwich hybridization. The method detected artificially synthesized miR399c, demonstrating the device’s high specificity in identifying miRNA presence, even at low concentrations. Further experiments validated the device’s effectiveness in detecting miR399c within tomato leaf extracts. Enhancements were made through the use of RNase inhibitors, DTT buffers, and size-fraction filtration to improve detection sensitivity. https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/plantphenomics.0162

Die Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) erweitert zum Wintersemester 2024/2025 ihr Studienangebot um den internationalen Masterstudiengang „Evolutionary Biology“. Der englischsprachige Studiengang bietet Studierenden die Möglichkeit, sich vier Semester lang eingehend mit der Evolution von Tieren und Pflanzen in Teilbereichen wie der Evolutionsökologie und der Populationsbiologie auseinanderzusetzen. Ab dem zweiten Semester erfolgt die Spezialisierung, etwa in den Bereichen Anthropologie, molekulare biotische Interaktionen, theoretische Biologie, Genomik oder computergestützte Biowissenschaften. Der internationale Masterstudiengang „Evolutionary Biology“ ist so konzipiert, dass er theoretisches Wissen mit molekularbiologischer Laborarbeit und dem Einsatz modernster computergestützter Anwendungen kombiniert. So stehen Absolventinnen und Absolventen vielfältige Tätigkeitsbereiche in Industrie und Wirtschaft, Naturschutz, Museen, Kriminalämtern oder der Wissenschaft offen. Der neue JGU-Masterstudiengang „Evolutionary Biology“ startet – vorbehaltlich der Zustimmung des Senats der JGU – zum Wintersemester 2024/2025. Die Bewerbungsfrist läuft vom 2. April bis 15. Mai 2024. https://www.bio.uni-mainz.de/master-evolutionary-biology/

Announcing a new publication for Acta Materia Medica journal. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), as a novel therapeutic drug model, has received widespread attention from academia and the pharmaceutical industry. PROTAC technology has led researchers to focus on developing chemical biology tool properties due to the unique operating mechanism and protein dynamic regulatory properties. In recent years the rapid development of PROTAC technology has gradually made PROTACs an essential tool for target identification and validation. To further promote the application of PROTAC tools in drug discovery and basic medical science research, this article distinguishes target identification and validation concepts. Furthermore, research progress in PROTAC technology is summarized. https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.15212/AMM-2024-0010