Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology

In a new twist in the STAP cell research controversy, Dr. Haruko Obokata was pronounced guilty by the research institute Riken on April 1, 2014. Shunsuke Ishii, chairman of the investigative committee examining the matter proclaimed that Dr. Obokata was solely responsible for the misconduct. Read on for more details. 

Over time, stem cells in damage-repairing muscle tissues struggle to regenerate. In a new study, scientists have identified a process by which the older muscle stem cell populations can be rejuvenated to function like younger cells. Read on to learn more.

In a new study, scientists managed to increase the lifespan of a genus of small flies by altering the symbiotic relationship between bacteria and the cells lining the intestine. Read on to find out more. 

Long thought to have been eliminated in mammals, antiviral RNA interference may exist in mammalian cells, after all, suggest Maillard et al. Read on to know more. 

Rosen et al. show that 3,3’-diindolylmethane—produced in the stomach after consuming cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli—protects against ionizing radiation. Read on to know more. 

Researchers Ramkumar et al. have uncovered evidence that the Smurf2 protein, which typically plays an “enforcer” role in cellular aging, could suppress tumor cells. Read on to know more.