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Original story by Maria Fernanda Ziegler, Agência FAPESP Using human blood cells, Brazilian researchers have succeeded in obtaining hepatic organoids (“mini-livers”) that perform all of the liver’s typical functions, such as producing vital proteins, storing vitamins, and secreting bile, among many others. The innovation permits the production of hepatic tissue in the laboratory in only 90 days and may in the future become an alternative to organ transplantation. The [...]

In Brazil, scientists affiliated with the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) at the University of São Paulo (USP) have identified a molecule capable of reducing the aggressiveness of embryonal central nervous system tumors. These are malignant tumors that start in fetal cells in the brain and mainly affect children up to four years old. The results are published in the journal Molecular Oncology. HUG-CELL is one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers [...]

An innovative genetic mapping system for polyploid species promises to facilitate the work of scientists and plant breeders who use genomics to develop varieties that are more productive and resistant to disease or drought. Polyploids are organisms with more than two sets of chromosomes. Many plant species of great economic value, such as potato, wheat, cotton and sugarcane, are polyploids. The research was conducted at the University of São Paulo's Luiz de Queiroz College of [...]

Thanks to a new injectable formula, Brazilian researchers have succeeded in enhancing the efficacy and prolonging the duration of action of a drug commonly used to treat joint inflammation. The innovation involves lipid nanoparticles containing a high concentration of the active principle, which is gradually released into the affected joint to sustain the desired effect for up to ten days without the need for repeated administration of the drug. In an article published in the journal [...]

A new study shows that the larvae of the Brazilian stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis depend on interactions between three different species of fungus to complete their development and reach adulthood. In a previous study, a group led by Mônica Tallarico Pupo and Jon Clardy discovered that filaments of the fungus Zygosaccharomyces sp. found in brood cells serve as food for these stingless bees in the initial stage of their development. The symbiont microorganism supplies [...]

A study by researchers at the Center for Cell-Based Therapy, which is supported by FAPESP, identified microRNAs involved in pluripotency maintenance and cell differentiation Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can give rise to many different types of tissues and organs. At the turn of the present century, these cells were believed to offer hope of treatment for several health problems, but as research advanced, scientists realized that understanding and controlling the behavior of ESCs would be a more [...]

Passion fruit woodiness caused by cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), the disease that most affects passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) grown in Brazil, can be combated with a relatively simple technique. A study published in the journal Plant Pathology shows that systematic eradication of plants with symptoms of the disease preserves the crop as a whole and keeps plants producing for at least 25 months. The technique currently used to combat CABMV entails renewing the entire orchard every [...]

A paper published in Scientific Reports describes how researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil and colleagues at institutions in Europe evaluated behaviors leading to weight gain in adolescents. Childhood obesity can favor the premature emergence of health issues such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The main finding is that skipping breakfast, a common habit among teenagers, associates directly with increased waist [...]

Natural compounds isolated from Nectandra leucantha, a neotropical tree species belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceae) and endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest biome in Brazil, where its common name is canela-seca or canela-branca, could result in new medications for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. In a study supported by São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP, researchers at Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) in São Paulo City found that neolignans derived [...]