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Large language models have been rapidly adopted in general and clinically; they could also be incorporated into medical education. Results of a recent study suggest that a combination of traditional learning methods and large language model use could improve learning outcomes for medical students.

PROTAC development has surged in popularity, however our ability to characterize PROTAC specificity in living cells has lagged behind. Here, the authors develop ProtacID, a flexible proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID)-based approach to identify PROTAC-protein interactions in living cells.

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.

Brook trout are at risk from climate change, making it crucial to understand how they adapt to warming temperatures. This study identifies genomic variation linked with response to heat stress, revealing population differences in vulnerability and the potential for assisted gene flow to improve climate resilience.

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.

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.

This study reveals that an outer membrane protein from the predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus forms a pentameric assembly that traps a lipid monolayer within. This allows the discovery of two superfamilies, distributed across a wide range of bacteria, likely to adopt a similar architecture.

Brain-wide recordings in mice reveal that prior expectations are distributed through recurrent loops across all levels of cortical and subcortical processing.

Opposing forces generated by exopolysaccharide trail binding versus type IV pilus retraction generate a high cyclic diGMP–high cyclic AMP state in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that promotes social motility.

Madruga and colleagues present an open-source, miniature 2-photon microscope that can fit on a mouse’s head. Using this system, the authors perform high-resolution brain activity measurements in fine neuronal structures, which they can achieve even in conditions where the mouse is freely-moving within its cage.

A wireless, minimally invasive emergency rescue device is developed for the active burst-release of stable particulate forms of peptide and hormone drugs into subcutaneous sites in mice.

Two high-redshift post-starburst galaxies are in the process of quenching, although their quasars remain active, indicating the complex co-evolution between black hole activity and star formation.

Soft robotic systems can be integrated into wearable technologies, offering adaptable and safe solutions for assistance, rehabilitation and haptic feedback. This Review explores key soft actuator technologies, integration strategies and the role of sustainability in enabling personalized, energy-efficient and durable wearable soft robotic devices.

This Perspective from Summerfield et al. considers the impacts of advanced artificial intelligence systems on the process and function of democracy. The authors explore a wide range of potential risks and opportunities.

The results from a state-of-the-art suite of hydrodynamical cosmological zoom-in simulations show how globular clusters naturally emerge in the Standard Cosmology and also reveal the existence of a new class of object called globular-cluster-like dwarfs.

An understanding of the molecular mechanisms promoting the generation of immunoregulatory and tumour-promoting monocytes and macrophages is key to breaking the cycle of tumour myelopoiesis and developing more effective myeloid-targeting therapies.

There’s an emerging body of evidence to show how biological sex impacts cancer incidence, treatment and underlying biology. Here, using a large pan-cancer dataset, the authors further highlight how sex differences shape the cancer genome.

Rosenblatt et al. run over 900 million resampling-based simulations in functional and structural connectivity data to show that low and medium effect size predictions require training and external samples in the hundreds to thousands of participants.

SuShiE is a multiancestry fine-mapping method for molecular quantitative trait loci that leverages linkage disequilibrium heterogeneity to improve resolution, infer cross-ancestry effect size correlations and estimate ancestry-specific expression prediction weights.

The simultaneous recording of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and functional magnetic resonance imaging signals enable the coupling of local tissue oxygen and neurotransmitter dynamics for measuring changes in the brain

Integrated multi-omic analyses using samples from the TRACERx study highlight cross-talk between DNA hypermethylation and genomic lesions in non-small cell lung cancer.

CD163 is a receptor used by macrophages to capture and detoxify serum haptoglobin-haemoglobin. Here, the authors show that CD163 adopts a multimeric base that presents three arms that combine to form a versatile, calcium-regulated ligand-binding site.

Whole-genome sequencing data from more than 2,500 cancers of 38 tumour types reveal 16 signatures that can be used to classify somatic structural variants, highlighting the diversity of genomic rearrangements in cancer.

Whole-genome sequencing data for 2,778 cancer samples from 2,658 unique donors across 38 cancer types is used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of cancer, revealing that driver mutations can precede diagnosis by several years to decades.

Multi-omics datasets pose major challenges to data interpretation and hypothesis generation owing to their high-dimensional molecular profiles. Here, the authors develop ActivePathways method, which uses data fusion techniques for integrative pathway analysis of multi-omics data and candidate gene discovery.

A risk-based, spatially explicit analysis of carbon storage in sedimentary basins establishes a prudent planetary limit of around 1,460 Gt of geological carbon storage, which requires making explicit decisions on priorities for storage use.

Body size and composition are complex traits that are challenging to characterize due to environmental and genetic influences. Here, Arehart et al. disentangle shared and distinct genetic signals underlying body size and composition.

Viral vector integration can affect the safety of gene and cell therapies. Here, authors introduce MELISSA, a regression-based statistical tool that quantifies integration site risks and clone growth effects, aiding the safety evaluation of therapies in both research and clinical settings.

Barcoding microbial ribosomal RNA creates a recording of gene transfer events without requiring translation.

Excised signal circles are circular DNA by-products of V(D)J recombination that form a complex with the V(D)J recombinase, and when increased in abundance, result in increased mutagenesis, causing adverse outcomes in cancer.

Climate beliefs do not exist in isolation but form an interconnected network known as a belief system. This study analyses the density and inconsistency of belief systems and their associations with informational and socioeconomic factors to inform effective climate change communication strategies.

Breast cancer cells interact with neighbouring adipocytes, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, the authors show that triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells transfer cAMP through gap junctions, activating lipolysis in tumour-associated adipocytes to promote TNBC growth.

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is an aggressive subtype of lung cancer. Here, the authors identify distinct subtypes based on genomic alterations and transcriptomic alterations.

This work reports the metallothermic production of rare earth (RE) Nd metal using NaNdF₄ as an alternative fluoride salt, without HF use or generation, enabling safer, scalable production of critical RE metals for advanced technologies and industry

Comparing clinically diagnosed adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with online participants with self-reported high autistic traits, this study detected higher rates of social anxiety and avoidance symptoms in online participants, emphasizing the potential distinctions between clinically ascertained autism and self-reported trait-based samples.

Chronic care manages long-term, progressive conditions, while acute care handles short-term ones. Here, authors show chronic conditions account for most of the global health burden, with 68% of DALYs and 93% of YLDs attributed to chronic care needs.

Backward replay has been linked to offline learning and is typically enhanced for rewarding sequences. Here, the authors use EEG to show that trait anxiety is associated with reduced reward-related backward replay and a diminished preference for rewarding stimuli.

Controlling nanoscale colloidal crystallization is not straightforward. Such control is now achieved by leveraging a metastable liquid phase of charged nanocrystals.

Colonna and colleagues show that the clock genes encoding REV-ERBα and REV-ERBβ maintain ILC3 functions in the gut by controlling the expression of RORγt.

Study shows PTSD predisposition shares distinct genes and genomic regions with several cardiovascular conditions. Here the findings reveal neuronal, immune, and metabolic pathways, and repurposed drug targets that further the understanding of the comorbidity.

The potential applications of bacterial cellulose (BC) have been limited by challenges in aligning nanofibrils at the macroscale and creating BC-based multifunctional nanosheets. Here, the authors report a strategy of using shear forces from fluid flow in a rotational culture device to biosynthesize strong BC sheets with aligned nanofibrils, and BC-based multifunctional hybrid nanosheets.

Power grids often fail during extreme weather events such as hurricanes, leaving millions of customers without electricity. A large-scale analysis of the operation of power grids in an extended geographical area now reveals that such events exacerbate vulnerabilities that are obscured during normal operation.

Current CO₂ capture strategies often suffer from high thermal regeneration costs. Now a photobase has been shown to reversibly capture and release CO₂ from ambient air using visible light, offering a sustainable, energy-efficient alternative.

Polariton-mediated photochemical charge transfer can be identified and quantified in a properly designed photonic system using momentum-resolved ultrafast optical techniques.

Many tumours exhibit hypoxia (low oxygen) and hypoxic tumours often respond poorly to therapy. Here, the authors quantify hypoxia in 1188 tumours from 27 cancer types, showing elevated hypoxia links to increased mutational load, directing evolutionary trajectories.

The characterization of 4,645 whole-genome and 19,184 exome sequences, covering most types of cancer, identifies 81 single-base substitution, doublet-base substitution and small-insertion-and-deletion mutational signatures, providing a systematic overview of the mutational processes that contribute to cancer development.

Here, the authors leverage whole-genome sequencing from >88,000 diverse individuals to uncover 18 BMI-related genetic signals, including novel variants in participants of African genetic ancestry, highlighting the value of diversity in genetic discovery.