ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
A three-dimensional cross-section of a head showing brain activity with blue highlights and yellow neural connections
Neuroscientists Dive into the Biology of Pain
Studies shed light on pain perception, placebo effect pathways, and how human stem cells can be used to model pain. 
Neuroscientists Dive into the Biology of Pain
Neuroscientists Dive into the Biology of Pain

Studies shed light on pain perception, placebo effect pathways, and how human stem cells can be used to model pain. 

Studies shed light on pain perception, placebo effect pathways, and how human stem cells can be used to model pain. 

Physiology

wrinkled hands held over blue water
The Science Behind Pruney Fingers 
Danielle Gerhard, PhD | Jan 11, 2025 | 2 min read
After a long soak in the tub, fingers may emerge wrinkled. The real reason for this curious phenomenon lies under the skin, in the vasculature and nervous systems.
A microscopy image showing white rounded cells with pink borders.
A Protein That Converts Fat-Storing Cells into Calorie-Burning Cells 
Sneha Khedkar | Jan 6, 2025 | 3 min read
Suppressing a transcription factor induced energy burning in fat cells, offering therapeutic targets to treat obesity and metabolic diseases.
A man holds his knee and grimaces in pain while sitting in front of a bridge.
A Nanoparticle Approach to Treat Torn Tendons
Aparna Nathan, PhD | Dec 29, 2024 | 4 min read
Alayna Loiselle has found a way to bring therapeutics straight to an injured tendon.
A black snake encircled with pattens of red and yellow spots, curled up against a black background.
How Do Snakes Fly?
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Dec 16, 2024 | 2 min read
Changing body shapes and coordinated wiggling provide lift and stability for gravity-defying reptiles.
A starfish with one arm shorter than the other four.
Researchers Discover How Starfish Cut Ties with Their Limbs
Sneha Khedkar | Dec 4, 2024 | 4 min read
A neuropeptide helps starfish shed their arms to escape predators, providing clues about the mechanisms regulating self-amputation.
Middle aged woman sitting on a sofa, holding her knee in pain.
Bone-Building Hormone Identified in Lactating Mice 
Claudia Lopez-Lloreda, PhD | Dec 3, 2024 | 4 min read
A brain-derived hormone that improves bone health could guide new treatments for age-related bone conditions. 
Learn How 3D Cell Cultures Advance Tissue Regeneration
Organoids as a Tool for Tissue Regeneration Research 
The Scientist | Nov 26, 2024 | 1 min read
Explore how researchers use organoids to understand tissue regeneration and develop novel therapies.
f
Time Heals All Wounds: Probing Skin Injuries with Spatial Biology 
The Scientist | Nov 25, 2024 | 1 min read
Discover how spatial transcriptomics and proteomics advance wound healing research.
A photograph of a man sleeping on a couch next to a plate with a poultry leg on it.
Why Does Thanksgiving Dinner Make Some People Sleepy?
Shelby Bradford, PhD | Nov 25, 2024 | 4 min read
Urban myths cry turkey, but the science behind why Thanksgiving feasts induce sleep suggests otherwise.
A doctor holds a model of the female reproductive system.
Modeling the Human Cervix on a USB-Sized Chip
Sneha Khedkar | Nov 13, 2024 | 4 min read
Microfluidic chips that mimic the complex human cervical environment provide a platform to study the reproductive tract and associated infections like bacterial vaginosis.
A golden retriever shakes off water on a sunny lawn.
What Drives the "Wet Dog Shakes" Reflex in Furry Animals?
Hannah Thomasy, PhD | Nov 7, 2024 | 3 min read
Scientists identified the mechanoreceptor that triggers the distinctive shake-off behavior observed in mice when they become wet.
An illustration of malignant cancer cells in pink on a black background.
Data by the Dozen: Consortium Cancer Maps Provide a 3D View of Tumor Evolution
Sahana Sitaraman, PhD | Oct 30, 2024 | 4 min read
New 3D blueprints that highlight tumor complexity reveal several new discoveries, some of which challenge existing theories of cancer progression.
Illustration of a small microRNA in blue with additional microRNAs in the background. 
From Worm Anomaly to Nobel Prize: microRNAs Show Macro Impact
Danielle Gerhard, PhD | Oct 21, 2024 | 5 min read
Discovered 30 years ago, microRNAs are increasingly recognized as important regulators of cell physiology and human disease.
Discover How Molecular Techniques Help Researchers Understand Wound Formation and Infection
Harnessing Molecular Techniques to Identify Wound Microbes
The Scientist Creative Services Team in collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific | Oct 18, 2024 | 1 min read
Pressure wounds are a growing healthcare issue, and accurate characterization is necessary for appropriate treatment.
Some pills strewn about next to an alarm clock on a blue background. 
Why Timing Matters When Taking Medicines
Sneha Khedkar | Oct 10, 2024 | 4 min read
Human liver cells follow their own circadian rhythms, which regulate drug metabolism and infection.
Black and gold sketch of Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, the 2024 Nobel Prize laureates. 
Nobel Prize for microRNA
Danielle Gerhard, PhD and Sneha Khedkar | Oct 7, 2024 | 4 min read
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won this year’s Physiology or Medicine award for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.
Top view of a red paper cutout of female reproductive internal organs with blood drops on pink background.
Reproductive Lifespan is Partially Encoded in the Genes
Aparna Nathan, PhD | Sep 27, 2024 | 4 min read
A new study shows that a constellation of genetic changes link the timing of puberty to weight gain and other biological processes.
The image shows a ball python curled up on top of a tree trunk in the wild.
How Pythons Adapt Their Hearts After a Big Meal
Claudia Lopez-Lloreda, PhD | Sep 26, 2024 | 4 min read
Python heart muscles ramp up their force to sustain metabolic activity to maintain increased metabolism during feeding.
Image of an embryo built from Lego bricks showing cell populations in green and red.
Stem Cell-Based Embryo Models Add a Dimension to Developmental Biology
Shelby Bradford, PhD | Sep 13, 2024 | 10+ min read
Studying human embryonic development is complicated for several reasons. Models derived from pluripotent stem cells representing distinct stages offer a path to studying this process.
ADVERTISEMENT