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To celebrate the journal’s 25th anniversary, we asked 13 researchers to offer a glimpse of what their research field might look like in 2050. They consider how technological breakthroughs — for example, artificial intelligence-powered virtual cells — could transform our understanding of how molecules, organelles and cells behave in different contexts, revolutionize therapies and enable the design of resilient crops.

A study of several longitudinal birth cohorts and cross-sectional cohorts finds only moderate overlap in genetic variants between autism that is diagnosed earlier and that diagnosed later, so they may represent aetiologically different conditions.

High-density multimodal soft bioelectronic fibres provide a platform for minimally invasive implantable electronics, where diverse sensing and stimulation functionalities can be effectively integrated.

In a randomized trial of patients with a previous myocardial infarction and with residual inflammation, a monoclonal antibody targeting the LOX-1 receptor, thought to contribute to atherosclerotic plaque progression and inflammation, reduced soluble LOX-1 and interleukin-6 levels but did not lead to a substantial reduction in coronary plaque volume.

Polygenic scores for body mass index and obesity constructed using data from 5 million people with different ancestries were associated with distinct weight gain trajectories from early childhood to adulthood.

Trained and validated on multimodal data from 14.5 million images from multicountry datasets, a foundation model is shown to increase diagnostic and referral accuracy of clinicians when used as an assistant in a trial involving 16 ophthalmologists and 668 patients.

This study reports age-dependent negative correlations between temporal changes in maximal leaf area index and growing season length, indicating contrasting leaf acclimation strategies driving vegetation greening in young versus old deciduous broadleaf forests.

Together with an accompanying paper presenting a transcriptomic atlas of the mouse lemur, interrogation of the atlas provides a rich body of data to support the use of the organism as a model for primate biology and health.

Atmospheric dryness is increasing as air temperatures rise because of climate change. This Review explores temporal trends and spatial heterogeneity in global atmospheric dryness and the implications for plant growth, productivity and terrestrial carbon cycling.

Internucleosomal linker length alters the stability and dynamics of chromatin condensates by shifting the balance between inter- and intramolecular interactions. Further, by changing the linker lengths, a remodeler can induce or suppress chromatin phase separation.

Drivers of viral evolution in SARS-CoV-2 are insufficiently understood. In this study, the authors show how a key SARS-CoV-2 mutation, NSP4 T492I, is potentially responsible for accelerating genome evolution to develop adaptive variants (e.g. Omicron).

The transcription factors TCF1 and LEF1 promote self-renewal and regulatory functions in B-1a cells.

Integrative analyses of transcriptome and whole-genome sequencing data for 1,188 tumours across 27 types of cancer are used to provide a comprehensive catalogue of RNA-level alterations in cancer.

Analysis of snRNA genes in individuals with rare disorders identifies de novo and recurrent variants in RNU5B-1 and RNU5A-1, in addition to previously unreported cases with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in RNU4-2.

Topological superconductivity is a promising concept for generating fault-tolerant qubits. Here, the authors report surface superconductivity at 5 K in a topological semimetal—trigonal PtBi₂.

As Nature Chemical Biology approaches its third decade we asked a collection of chemical biologists, “What do you think are the most exciting frontiers or the most needed developments in your main field of research?” — here is what they said.

Amyloid fibrils can adopt a range of distinct conformations, yet it is challenging to rapidly discriminate between these polymorphs. Now methods have been developed to screen large, diverse libraries of turn-on fluorescent dyes to rapidly identify probes that recognize fibril subsets.

A large genome-wide association study of more than 5 million individuals reveals that 12,111 single-nucleotide polymorphisms account for nearly all the heritability of height attributable to common genetic variants.

They determine four cryo-EM structures of NiV polymerases from different strains and establish RdRp enzymatic assays for anti-NiV drug discovery. A back-priming RdRp activity and the binding between RdRp core and CD domains in NiV L were identified.

Using data from a single time point, passenger-approximated clonal expansion rate (PACER) estimates the fitness of common driver mutations that lead to clonal haematopoiesis and identifies TCL1A activation as a mediator of clonal expansion.

Single cell analysis of histologic variant bladder tumors detects a shared CA125+ tumor cell state associated with aggressive clinical features and reveals enriched expression of TM4SF1, a membrane protein that can be targeted with CAR T cells.

The flagship paper of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium describes the generation of the integrative analyses of 2,658 cancer whole genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types, the structures for international data sharing and standardized analyses, and the main scientific findings from across the consortium studies.

In this study the authors consider the structural variants (SVs) present within cancer cases of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium. They report hundreds of genes, including known cancer-associated genes for which the nearby presence of a SV breakpoint is associated with altered expression.

In an updated report on 70 laboratory-confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 cases in the USA between March 2024 and May 2025, the absence of human-to-human transmission to date was confirmed, with no known mutations of resistance to neuroaminidase inhibitors.

Human-driven forest fragmentation could have major impacts on ecosystem functioning. This global analysis shows that the relationship between fragmentation and vegetation resilience in forests may differ depending on bioclimatic region and local environmental conditions.

The Global Flourishing Study provides a comprehensive view of the distribution and determinants of well-being by assessing domains such as health, happiness, meaning, character, relationships and financial security. Initial findings reveal significant variations in flourishing across countries and demographic groups, with factors such as age, marital status and religious service attendance showing strong associations with well-being.

A global network of researchers was formed to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity; this paper reports 13 genome-wide significant loci and potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection.

Navigation involves perception, cognition, and movement. Here, the authors use computational modelling to show that different navigation behaviors, their errors, and variability arise from interactions of spatial uncertainties in optimal feedback control under uncertainty.

A genome-wide association study including over 76,000 individuals with schizophrenia and over 243,000 control individuals identifies common variant associations at 287 genomic loci, and further fine-mapping analyses highlight the importance of genes involved in synaptic processes.

As presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting: in cohort 3 of the phase 2 TUXEDO-3 trial, patients with leptomeningeal metastatic disease from any solid tumor were treated with the HER3-targeting antibody–drug conjugate patritumab deruxtecan and showed encouraging 3-month overall survival rates.

This Review discusses multiomic approaches for the characterization and biological understanding of cellular senescence, including detailed case studies on skeletal muscle and adipose tissue that highlight current outstanding issues in the field.

Together with a companion paper, the generation of a transcriptomic atlas for the mouse lemur and analyses of example cell types establish this animal as a molecularly tractable primate model organism.

Proliferation of adult tissue stem cells is tightly regulated to balance maintenance of the tissue against stem cell exhaustion or cancerous expansion. Here they show that zebrafish lateral line progenitors are differentially regulated by two cyclinD genes, which control developmental and adult progenitor proliferation as well as hair cell polarization.

Adriaenssens et al. show that unlike soluble cargo receptors, transmembrane cargo receptors initiate autophagosome biogenesis by recruiting the FIP200/ULK1 or WIPI–ATG13 complex, revealing unexpected flexibility in the selective autophagy machinery.

Furlan’s team engineered the printing of Gd₂Zr₂O₇ photonic coatings on curved metal surfaces, achieving high reflectivity values that outperform state-of-the-art thermal barrier coatings while having remarkably low density and minimal thickness

An analysis of 24,202 critical cases of COVID-19 identifies potentially druggable targets in inflammatory signalling (JAK1), monocyte–macrophage activation and endothelial permeability (PDE4A), immunometabolism (SLC2A5 and AK5), and host factors required for viral entry and replication (TMPRSS2 and RAB2A).

Analyses of 2,658 whole genomes across 38 types of cancer identify the contribution of non-coding point mutations and structural variants to driving cancer.

Some cancer patients first present with metastases where the location of the primary is unidentified; these are difficult to treat. In this study, using machine learning, the authors develop a method to determine the tissue of origin of a cancer based on whole sequencing data.

A parallel experimental and computational approach was used to predict and prepare intercalated, layered hybrid perovskites, highlighting the breadth and flexibility of intercalation.

Combining radiation therapy (RT) with immunotherapy has had limited therapeutic benefits in the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNSCC). Here, the authors present a multi-omics analysis of patient biopsies pre- and post- hypofractionated RT and uncover RT-mediated depletion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells as the underlying cause of immunologic radioresistance in HNSCC.

With the generation of large pan-cancer whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing projects, a question remains about how comparable these datasets are. Here, using The Cancer Genome Atlas samples analysed as part of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project, the authors explore the concordance of mutations called by whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing techniques.

MultiSTAAR provides a general and flexible statistical framework for functionally informed multi-trait rare variant analysis of biobank-scale sequencing studies by jointly analyzing multiple traits and incorporating annotation information.

Geospatial estimates of the prevalence of anemia in women of reproductive age across 82 low-income and middle-income countries reveals considerable heterogeneity and inequality at national and subnational levels, with few countries on track to meet the WHO Global Nutrition Targets by 2030.

Estimates from the Global Dietary Database indicated that 2.2 million new type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cardiovascular disease cases were attributable to sugar-sweetened beverages worldwide in 2020, with the highest burdens in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Understanding deregulation of biological pathways in cancer can provide insight into disease etiology and potential therapies. Here, as part of the PanCancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) consortium, the authors present pathway and network analysis of 2583 whole cancer genomes from 27 tumour types.