A research group has made significant progress in investigating the potential therapeutic effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of stilbene-enriched extracts from the leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. as a potential therapeutic agent for psoriasis. The group was led by Professor QIU Shengxiang at the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and collaborators examined how biotic factors and abiotic factors affect the aboveground biomass at two spatial scales in a tropical seasonal rainforest in southwestern China.

A recent collaborative study has deciphered the cryo-EM structure of the spinach type I PSII-LHCII megacomplex, providing insights into the principles of higher-order assembly and the potential regulatory mechanisms of plant PSII under low-light conditions.

A research team led by Eric H. Xu and WU Canrong from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica presented cryo-electron microscopy structures of apo DP2-Gi complex, a DP2-Gi complex bound to endogenous ligand PGD2, and a DP2-Gi complex bound to indomethacin, a ligand known to favor β-arrestin signaling. These structures revealed distinct binding modes and provided critical insights into the receptor's activation and signaling bias, highlighting the role of lipid interactions.

Prof. ZHAO Yingming from University of Chicago, Prof. HUANG He from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and collaborators, identified nuclear GTPSCS as a lactyl-CoA synthetase that drives histone Kla and promotes gliomagenesis.

Craniopharyngioma has long been a daunting challenge for neurosurgeons and endocrinologists alike. Chinese researchers recently revealed new insights on the growth of craniopharyngioma and identified a potential therapeutic treatment. Understanding this complex tumor’s growth mechanism and identifying a potentially effective, non-invasive medication to treat it mark a significant step forward.

Recent collaborative research has revealed the specific regulatory mechanism involved in phase separation during plant flowering. This study was led by Professor HOU Xingliang from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor MIAO Yansong from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

A research team led by Prof. WANG Haoyi from the Institute of Zoology (IOZ) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell exhaustion model and a functional screening platform for identifying compounds that can rejuvenate exhausted T cells. Using this innovative platform, the team identified the small-molecule compound miltefosine, which significantly enhances the tumor-killing activity of CAR-T cells.

A recent study conducted by Prof. XU Cao’s team from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences innovated a novel breeding strategy to rapidly create climate-smart crops that show higher yield under normal conditions and greatly rescue yield losses under heat stress both in staple grain and vegetable crops.

A research team led by Prof. LI Yu from the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health and collaborators have discovered that ethyl lactate, a key nonethanol ingredient found in distilled liquors, ameliorates alcoholic hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), inflammation, and acute-on-chronic liver injury in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

A team of researchers led by Prof. WANG Junfeng from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has unveiled an innovative drug delivery system that could enhance the effectiveness of cancer treatment while minimizing side effects.

Recently, a research team led by Profs. CHEN Runsheng and CHEN Chang from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have deciphered the genome map of Lycium barbarum and identified its active components. For the first time, the team revealed the complete biosynthetic pathway of LBPPs and identified key synthetic enzymes and RNA molecules involved in sugar metabolism regulation.