Fusion Pore in Live Cells
Recent studies using atomic force microscopy demonstrate for the first time the presence of the fusion pore and reveal its morphology and dynamics at near-nanometer resolution and in real time.

SNAREs in Opposing Bilayers Interact in a Circular Array to Form Conducting Pores
Three soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF)-attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) have been implicated in membrane fusion.

Mechanical Forces Found To Exert Larger Role In Blood Vessel Health And Disease
Mechanical forces, including shear stress, stretch and pressure, can play unsuspected but equivalent roles in some aspects of cardiovascular health and disease.

Whoosh! New Molecules Fastest Ever For Optical Technologies
The internet could soon shift into overdrive thanks to a new generation of optical molecules developed and tested by a team of researchers from Washington State University, the University of Leuven in Belgium and the Chinese Academy of Science in China.

Nanocomposite research yields strong and stretchy fibers
Lycra-like materials were inspired by spider silk

Bats in Flight Reveal Unexpected Aerodynamics
Brown University engineers and biologists have joined forces to record the fine details of wing and body movement in bat flight – together with the patterns of air movement that generate lift.

Repetitive motion speeds nanoparticle uptake
'Bucky amino acid' penetrates faster, deeper when skin is flexed

To catch an intermediate
Berkeley scientists find new way to trap and hold intermediate compounds in water

First molecular simulation of a long DNA strand shows unexpected flexibility
It turns out that sequencing the human genome – determining the order of DNA building blocks -- has not completely cracked the code of how DNA directs various cellular processes.

Stretch a DNA loop, turn off proteins
Biologists have discovered that the physical manifestation of DNA loops are a consequence of many biochemical processes in the cell

Molecular Motor Shuttles Key Protein In Response To Light
Researchers have discovered how a key light-detecting molecule in the eye moves in response to changes in light intensity.

Taking The Animal Out Of Animal Testing -- Applied Biophysics, Harnesses Technology For Cell Research
A Rensselaer Incubator company has commercialized a technology that may take the animal out of animal testing.

Ground-Breaking Research Into Effect Of Millimetric Waveband (MMW) Frequencies On Human Skin
Ground-breaking research in understanding the characteristics of human skin at millimetric waveband (MMW) frequencies is being conducted at Cranfield University academic partner to the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire.

Body's Ability To Emit Light Arouses New Hopes & Fears On Radiation From Mobile Phones
Research on human body's own electromagnetic radiation raises a host of new concerns and possibilities as to the effect of microwave radiation (such as that generated by mobile phones, radar or microwave ovens) on the human body.

Catching The Wave: Researchers Measure Very Short Laser Pulses
Scientists have perfected a technique for very accurately measuring and controlling the electromagnetic waves within some of the shortest laser pulses ever made

Atomic Force Microscopy Finds Application In Neuroscience
To understand how brain cells release compounds (or transmitters) used when the cells communicate with each other, a new technique, used commonly in physics, was devised that can be applied now to the study of a wide range of biological processes and inte

Coherent femtosecond multidimensional probes of molecular vibrations
Femtosecond visible and IR analogues of multiple-pulse NMR techniques provide snapshot probes of molecular structure and vibrational motions, interactions, and relaxation processes...

Kinetics of Receptor-Ligand Interactions in Immune Responses
In this review, authors provided the overview of the current progresses in quantitative understanding of 2D kinetics and forced dissociation of receptor-ligand bindings.

Yale Scientists Visualize Details Of How Hepatitis C Unwinds RNA
Research reveals how a protein from Hepatitis C (HCV) unwinds RNA, potentially allowing it to be copied.

Measurements Of Protein Surface Verify Electrostatics Model
Using a surface-force apparatus, researchers have measured the electrostatic properties of a protein surface at the molecular level. Their results provide the first direct comparison between localized measurements and theoretical predictions.