Metabolic engineering boosts yeast antioxidant power for drug production

Higher Education Press

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Enhancing Candida glabrata tolerance to artemisinin (ART) via biosynthesis of malate

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Credit: Jiangnan University

A recent study by researchers at Jiangnan University engineered the yeast Candida glabrata to boost its resistance to oxidative stress, a common challenge in industrial bioproduction. By introducing a malate biosynthesis pathway—via optimized expression of genes RoPYC (pyruvate carboxylase) and RoMDH (malate dehydrogenase) from Rhizopus oryzae—the team enhanced the yeast’s ability to produce malate, a key molecule linked to antioxidant activity.

The engineered strain showed reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, increased ATP production, and elevated activity of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase and catalase. Notably, the malate-producing strain demonstrated significantly improved tolerance to the antimalarial drug artemisinin, suggesting broader applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

This breakthrough highlights the potential of metabolic engineering to develop robust microbial cell factories capable of withstanding harsh industrial conditions, paving the way for more efficient production of high-value chemicals and drugs.

The work entitled “Engineering the antioxidant activity of Candida glabrata by enhancing malate biosynthesis” was published on Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing (published on Mar. 25, 2025).

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Journal

Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing

DOI

10.1007/s43393-025-00353-4 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Engineering the antioxidant activity of Candida glabrata by enhancing malate biosynthesis

 

Patient care technology disruptions associated with the CrowdStrike outage

JAMA Network Open

About The Study: 

This cross-sectional study of U.S. hospitals found that a widespread technology outage after a faulty cyber security software update on July 19, 2024, was associated with outages in patient-facing network services integral to care delivery. These findings suggest that internet measurement techniques may be useful for surveillance and study of critical digital health care infrastructure. 

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jeffrey L. Tully, MD, email jtully@health.ucsd.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.30226)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article  

http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.30226?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=071925

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

 

Tumor-targeting fluorescent bacteria illuminate cancer for precision surgery

Real-time intraoperative tumor localization enabled by bacteria-based fluorescence imaging

National Research Council of Science & Technology

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Fluorescent imaging results from SAS-based fluorescence-guided surgery in animal models. Tumor and surrounding skin tissue were separated after imaging with the IVIS Macroscope to analyze the tumor-to-background ratio (TBR).

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Credit: Korea Institute of Science and Technology(KIST)

Accurate removal of tumors is the most critical aspect of cancer surgery, yet it remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. In breast cancer, for example, the positive margin rate—where cancer cells remain at the surgical boundary—can reach up to 35%, often requiring reoperation and increasing the risk of recurrence. Preoperative imaging or ultrasound is often insufficient to fully identify tumor boundaries, forcing surgeons to rely heavily on experience. These limitations highlight the urgent need for technologies that can provide real-time tumor visualization during surgery.

A joint research team led by Dr. SeungBeum Suh (Center for Bionics) and Dr. Sehoon Kim (Center for Chemical and Biological Convergence) at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh), and Professor Hyo-Jin Lee at Chungnam National University Hospital, has developed a next-generation intraoperative imaging platform using engineered beneficial bacteria that emit fluorescence specifically at tumor sites. This bacteria-based contrast agent illuminates tumors like a neon sign during surgery, enabling more precise resection and reducing the risk of recurrence.

The researchers engineered a fluorescent bacterial system that specifically activates within tumor tissue, allowing surgeons to identify tumor location and margins in real time. The fluorescent signal remains stable in vivo for over 72 hours and clearly highlights tumor regions even within complex internal organs. Like lighting up a building on a map, this enables intuitive, visual identification of tumors with the naked eye during surgery, even under standard surgical lighting, thereby reducing surgical burden.

Unlike conventional contrast agents that must be developed individually for each cancer type, this new platform exploits two common tumor microenvironment features—hypoxia and immune evasion—making it broadly applicable across multiple solid tumors. The fluorescence intensity is approximately five times stronger than conventional agents, and the system operates in the near-infrared spectrum, ensuring compatibility with existing surgical endoscopes and imaging equipment. It can also be integrated with surgical robots and intraoperative imaging systems to enhance surgical precision and shorten procedure time. The ability to interface with widely used fluorescence-guided surgical systems in hospitals further strengthens its clinical and commercialization potential.

The research team aims to expand this bacterial platform into an integrated cancer treatment system that combines diagnosis, surgery, and therapy. The engineered bacteria, which can autonomously locate tumors, may also serve as carriers for anticancer drugs or therapeutic proteins. To this end, the team is advancing the platform through convergence with medical imaging equipment, precision drug delivery systems, and comprehensive safety evaluations for clinical application.

Dr. Suh of KIST stated, “This study demonstrates a novel approach in which bacteria autonomously locate tumors and emit fluorescent signals, allowing real-time identification of tumor location and boundaries during surgery. Its applicability across a range of solid tumors positions it as a potential new standard for precision surgical imaging.”

 

  

Illustration showing the bacteria-based contrast platform that locates tumors, secretes streptavidin, and highlights the tumor site with fluorescence.

Credit

Korea Institute of Science and Technology(KIST)

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KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://www.kist.re.kr/eng/index.do

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Sang Im Yoo) through KIST’s Major Program. The results were published as a Front Cover article in the international journal Advanced Materials (Impact Factor 29.4, JCR ranking 2.0%), highlighting the significance and excellence of the work.

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Journal

Advanced Materials

DOI

10.1002/adma.202504389 

Article Title

Engineering Bacterial Secretion Systems for Enhanced Tumor Imaging and Surgical Guidance

THINGS TO TEACH IN SCHOOL 💩

Potty pressure: 1 in 5 parents report struggles with toilet training

New poll highlights the challenges and anxieties many families face during major developmental milestone — from readiness concerns to cost pressures

Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

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National poll highlights the challenges many families face during potty training.

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Credit: Sara Schultz, University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Transitioning from diapers to the toilet is a major step for young children — and their parents.

Now a new report shines a light on just how bumpy that journey can be.

One in five parents say their child had potty anxiety during toilet training and another one in five say the process was harder than they expected, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Learning to use the toilet is a major step in a young child’s development and requires time, patience, and consistency,” said Mott Poll Co-Director and Mott pediatrician Susan Woolford, M.D.

“Our report demonstrates that parents are approaching potty training thoughtfully but for many families and their kids, the process often includes setbacks, frustrations, and moments of uncertainty.”

The nationally representative report – based on 820 responses from parents of children ages one to six – found that more than half of parents started potty training around age two. However, 21% began earlier, and another 22% waited until age three. Most felt they chose the right time, though a small number said they may have started too early or too late.

Timing isn’t everything

Parents factored in a variety of reasons before starting potty training. Some needed their child to be out of diapers to enter daycare or preschool. Others were motivated by the cost of diapers — with one in five saying this financial burden played a role in the decision.

“Waiting until a child is truly ready can make the process smoother for everyone,” Woolford said. “Pushing it too soon often leads to frustration and delays. But some families don’t have the flexibility to wait.”

Readiness signs can include staying dry for longer periods, showing interest in the bathroom, following simple instructions, and being able to help dress or undress themselves. Some children may also hide when they need to go or start mimicking adult bathroom behavior.

Common struggles, from regression to resistance

Among parents who reported difficulty, the most common challenges included a child’s refusal to cooperate, busy family schedules, coordination between home and daycare, and household disruptions.

Children may resist for a range of reasons, Woolford notes, from fear of flushing noises to discomfort with adult-sized toilets. Some may struggle with this type of change.

Even once progress is made, regression is common: about a third said their child seemed trained but then took a step back. Eight percent reported issues with constipation or encopresis.

“Potty training isn’t always a straight path,” Woolford said. “Understanding that it’s a gradual process can help parents stay patient. Setbacks are normal, particularly when there are stressful events in the child’s life such as a new sibling or a move to a new home.”

Routines and a calm approach work best

Parents reported using a variety of strategies to support their child during potty training. The most common ones included taking their child to the toilet regularly, offering small rewards, letting their child go diaper-free during the day, or turning the process into a game or something fun.

Another 16% tried the “three-day potty training” method, which can work well when time is short but may feel too intense or stressful for some families, Woolford says.

For children with high potty anxiety, Woolford recommends turning the bathroom into a pressure-free space where they can read books or play songs that help them feel more relaxed.

Simple tools like sticker charts, potty-only toys, and consistent routines can also go a long way as well as using a child-sized potty to help kids feel more secure.

“Regardless of the method, the most important things are consistency, encouragement, and keeping the experience as low-pressure and supportive as possible,” Woolford said.

“If a child continues to struggle, especially if there’s pain, withholding, or ongoing anxiety, parents should talk to their pediatrician for guidance and support.”

 

Global study of more than 100,000 young people latest to link early smartphone ownership with poorer mental health in young adults

Experts outline four key urgent action points as findings show smartphone owners aged under 13 likelier to report a range of issues including suicidal thoughts

Taylor & Francis Group

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Owning a smartphone before age 13 is associated with poorer mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood, according to a global study of more than 100,000 young people.

Published today in the peer-reviewed Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, the study found that 18- to 24-year-olds who had received their first smartphone at age 12 or younger were more likely to report suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, poorer emotional regulation, and low self-worth.

The data also shows evidence that these effects of smartphone ownership at an early age are in large part associated with early social media access and higher risks of cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships by adulthood.

A team of experts from Sapien Labs, which hosts the world’s largest database on mental wellbeing, the Global Mind Project—where the data for this research was pooled from—are calling for urgent action to protect the mind health of future generations.

“Our data indicate that early smartphone ownership—and the social media access it often brings—is linked with a profound shift in mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood,” says lead author neuroscientist Dr Tara Thiagarajan, who is the founder and Chief Scientist of Sapien Labs.

“These correlations are mediated through several factors, including social media access, cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships leading to symptoms in adulthood that are not the traditional mental health symptoms of depression and anxiety and can be missed by studies using standard screeners. These symptoms of increased aggression, detachment from reality and suicidal thoughts can have significant societal consequences as their rates grow in younger generations.

“Based on these findings, and with the age of first smartphones now well under age 13 across the world, we urge policymakers to adopt a precautionary approach, similar to regulations on alcohol and tobacco, by restricting smartphone access for under 13s, mandating digital literacy education and enforcing corporate accountability.”

Since the early 2000s, smartphones have reshaped how young people connect, learn and form identities. But alongside these opportunities come growing concerns over how AI-driven social media algorithms may amplify harmful content and encourage social comparison—while also impacting on other activities such as face-to-face interaction and sleep.

Although many social media platforms set a minimum user age of 13, enforcement is inconsistent. Meanwhile, the average age of first smartphone ownership continues to fall, with many children spending hours a day on their devices.

Currently, it is a mixed picture internationally around the banning on phones in schools, at least. In recent years, several countries have banned or restricted cell phone use in institutions, including France, the Netherlands, Italy, and New Zealand. Results of these moves are limited, however a study commissioned by the Dutch government has found improved focus among students. This month, policymakers in New York have announced it was to become the largest US state yet to ban smartphones in schools, joining locations such as Alabama, Arkansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and West Virginia which have all passed legislation requiring schools to have policies that at least limit access to smartphones.

Overall, previous studies into screen time, social media and smartphone access and various mental health outcomes have shown negative effects, but also mixed, often conflicting results—making it hard for policymakers, schools, and families to navigate this issue. Possibly this may have to do with the use of screeners that miss the critical associated symptoms.

For this new analysis, the team at Sapien drew data from their Global Mind Project, and then used the Mind Health Quotient (MHQ)—a self-assessment tool that measures social, emotional, cognitive, and physical wellbeing—to generate an overall ‘mind health’ score.

Their results showed:

· The specific symptoms most strongly linked with earlier smartphone ownership include suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, and hallucinations.

· Young adults who received their first smartphone before age 13 had lower MHQ scores, with scores progressively declining the younger the age of first ownership. For example, those who owned a smartphone at age 13 scored an average of 30, dropping to just 1 for those who had one at age five.

· Correspondingly, the percentage considered distressed or struggling (with scores indicating they had five or more severe symptoms) rose by 9.5% for females and 7% for males. This pattern was consistent across all regions, cultures and languages, pointing to a critical window of heightened vulnerability.

· That younger ownership is also associated with diminished self-image, self-worth and confidence, and emotional resilience among females, and lower stability and calmness, self-worth and empathy among males.

Further analysis indicated that early access to social media explains about 40% of the association between earlier childhood smartphone ownership and later mind health, with poor family relationships (13%), cyberbullying (10%) and disrupted sleep (12%) also playing significant downstream roles.

The researchers acknowledge the COVID-19 pandemic may have magnified these patterns, but the consistency of these trends across all global regions suggests a broader developmental impact of early smartphone access.

While current evidence does not yet prove direct causation between early smartphone ownership and later mind health and wellbeing, a limitation of the paper, the authors argue that the scale of the potential harm is too great to ignore and justifies a precautionary response.

They recommend four key areas for policymakers to address:

· A requirement of mandatory education on digital literacy and mental health.

· To strengthen the active identification of social media age violations and ensure meaningful consequences for technology companies.

· Restricting access to social media platforms.

· Implementing graduated access restrictions for smartphones.

“Altogether, these policy recommendations aim to safeguard mind health during critical developmental windows,” states Dr Thiagarajan, whose research specialism focuses on the impact of environment on the brain and mind, with an interest in understanding and enabling the productive evolution of the human mind and human systems.

“Their implementation requires substantial political and societal will, effective enforcement, and a multi-stakeholder approach, but successful precedents do exist. For example, in the United States, underage alcohol access and consumption is regulated through a combination of parental, commercial, and corporate accountability.”

Concluding she states: “Our evidence suggests childhood smartphone ownership, an early gateway into AI-powered digital environments, is profoundly diminishing mind health and wellbeing in adulthood with deep consequences for individual agency and societal flourishing.

“I was initially surprised by how strong the results are. However when you give it due consideration, it does begin to make sense that the younger developing mind is more compromised by the online environment given their vulnerability and lack of worldly experience.

“That said, I think it is also important to point out that smartphones and social media are not the only assault to mental health and crisis facing younger adults. It explains some of the overall decline but not all of it. “Now, while more research is needed to unravel the causal mechanisms, waiting for irrefutable proof in the face of these population-level findings unfortunately risks missing the window for timely, preventative action.”

This paper is part of a special cohesive set, entitled ‘The Policy Forum’, in the upcoming publication of Journal of Human Development and Capabilities.

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Journal

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities

DOI

10.1080/19452829.2025.2518313 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Protecting the Developing Mind in a Digital Age: A Global Policy Imperative

Article Publication Date

21-Jul-2025

UK Scientists Unveil Game-Changing Contact Lens Battery

By Haley Zaremba - Jul 20, 2025

• A UK team has created a supercapacitor battery using contact lens polymer materials.
• 
  
• The technology promises faster charging, better safety, lower cost, and recyclability compared to lithium-ion batteries.
• 
  
• Energy storage innovation is critical as grids increasingly rely on variable renewable energy sources.

The energy storage sector is on the cusp of a revolution. As variable energies like wind and solar become more prevalent in global energy grids, energy storage becomes increasingly pivotal for maintaining energy security and grid resilience. But our current battery storage solutions have some major limitations that are holding the clean sector back. So, the race is on to find the next big long-term storage solution. And a team of scientists from the United Kingdom thinks they may have just found it using the humblest of materials.

The new battery storage system uses a supercapacitor and a system built from – no, really – the same types of polymers as your contact lenses. And it could revolutionize the global energy industry forever. The team that developed the technology says that the new battery model has critical advantages over lithium-ion batteries, the current industry standard. 

“The company’s system features zinc halide electrolytes separated from carbon electrodes by a polymer membrane,” reports New Scientist. “This membrane technology is low-cost and uses abundant and widely available raw materials, and it can unlock a new generation of supercapacitors with high energy storage potential.”

While New Scientist reports that the new battery, developed by UK firm Superdielectrics, is not as energy dense as a traditional lithium-ion battery, “it has other advantages including a faster charging time, better safety standards, low cost and a recyclable design.” Lithium-ion batteries have huge existing supply chains, making them an accessible choice. But they are relatively costly, depend on a critical mineral tied up in a geopolitical minefield, and are very tricky to recycle. Oh yeah, and they explode if they get too hot.

The drawbacks of lithium-ion batteries are well known, and the competition to discover and patent the technology that will ultimately replace them – or at least capture a significant part of their market share – is fierce. The Economist has reported that energy storage is “clean energy’s next trillion-dollar business,” and leading law firm Morgan Lewis has described the sector as “the technology that will cash the checks written by the renewable energy industry.”

The sector is so critical because solar and wind – the fastest growing forms of renewable energy – are variable energy forms. This means that their production is volatile and outside of human control, depending on the weather, time of day, and the seasons, rather than responding to demand. This can place a significant strain on electric grids designed for a steady supply of fossil fuels. As a result, in regions with high levels of renewables in their energy mix, we are already seeing historic blackouts and energy prices dropping below zero as a result of energy variability. 

Energy storage evens this out and protects energy grids by capturing excess energy during production peaks and storing it until demand outstrips supply, at which point that energy is fed back into the grid. And there are a million ways to do this – the question is which one of them will rise to the top. Will it be thermal batteries? Gravity storage? Lithium iron phosphate batteries? Or will it be Superdielectrics’ souped-up contact lens? 

The technology is still in early phases of development, and is not going to “leapfrog” over lithium-ion batteries anytime soon, but its makers are confident that it’s on track to do just that in due time. 

“We believe that the home energy storage market today is where the computer market was in about 1980,” Superdielectrics’ Marcus Scott told an audience of journalists and investors. “Clean, reliable and affordable electricity is no longer a future vision. It’s a reality, and we believe we’re building the technology that will power it.”

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

Mexico's Water Crisis Could Undermine Its Clean Energy Plans

By Haley Zaremba - Jul 18, 2025

• Mexico plans a major solar power expansion to boost energy independence and cut carbon emissions.
• Northern Mexico’s chronic water shortages pose a serious threat to these energy ambitions.
• The water-energy nexus highlights the need for integrated resource governance to sustain growth.

Mexico’s new president is making a major play to reform the country’s energy industry for greater energy independence and sovereignty, as well as a cleaner energy future. While this bodes well for the Mexican economy and for global climate goals, there is a critical tradeoff for this new plan: a major shortage of freshwater in the regions where the energy industry plans to expand.

A former climate scientist, President Claudia Sheinbaum is picking up the energy sovereignty torch where former president and fellow Morena party candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador left off. But unlike AMLO, she seems to be serious about cleaning up the country’s carbon footprint. In February, Mexico’s state-owned electric utility, Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), announced plans to build nine solar power plants with a combined capacity of 4.7 GW by 2030, increasing its solar portfolio by more than tenfold, up from its current 433 MW.

The first phase of this CFE expansion plan includes six solar plants with built-in battery storage capacity, the first of which will start to come online in 2027. All six of them are going to be in Northern Mexico, a pivotal region for Mexico’s energy and economic ambitions.

Northern Mexico is poised for a major economic expansion. It already hosts a large part of the country’s energy sector, and could be fertile ground for expanded manufacturing capacities. “Proximity to the US border, a business-friendly environment and an entrepreneurial culture make the region prime for foreign direct investment, particularly amid the current wave of nearshoring,” said the World Economic Forum in a recent report.

Indeed, at a time when Mexico is trying to shore up its energy independence, transition toward clean energy, and develop its economy, the border states hold a lot of promise. There’s just one serious hurdle – it will come at the expense of the region’s water supply. This is a big deal in Northern Mexico, where more than 45% of aquifers are overexploited and rainfall averages are extremely low. What’s more, according to the World Economic Forum, “water governance is fragmented, infrastructure is ageing and climate change is intensifying drought frequency and severity.”

Plus, water policy between the United States and Mexico is fraught. Under an 80-year-old water treaty, Mexico and the United States are legally bound to provide certain amounts of water to each other across the border. But as the climate changes, populations grow, and industry becomes thirstier, and these obligations are becoming harder and harder to meet, ramping up tensions at the border. And believe it or not, this all has major implications for the energy sector.

Energy and water needs are deeply interrelated. Their relationship is known in academic and policy circles as the “water-energy nexus” – and while it’s a bigger deal in water-stressed areas like the Sonoran Desert region, it matters everywhere energy is created and consumed. “Water is used in all phases of energy production and electricity generation,” explains the United States Department of Energy in a 2014 info brief. And, on the other side of the nexus, “energy is required to extract, convey, and deliver water of appropriate quality for diverse human uses, and then again to treat wastewaters prior to their return to the environment.”

Water stress could therefore throw a major wrench into Mexico’s energy ambitions, not to mention other growing industries in the region, including data centers, semiconductors, shale drilling, and brewing beer. “Northern Mexico is a microcosm of the broader resource competition that will define the global energy transition,” says the World Economic Forum. “This case shows that a just energy transition requires not only decarbonization, but smart governance of water, land and social equity. Without that, economic development will be constrained, investments will be at risk and public trust will erode.”

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com