methods

Researchers developed a “test tube” so tiny that it can hold a single cell. These vials enabled them to connect protein secretion levels with surface markers and transcriptome data from the same cell. 

By coloring different organelles simultaneously, cell painting allows scientists to pick up subtle changes in cell function in response to drugs and other perturbations.

A method appears to be the first to noninvasively reconstruct language from brain activity.

The method, dubbed “DIANA,” could transform neuroscientists’ understanding of how the brain works, researchers say—though for now, it’s only been tested in anesthetized mice.

A study finds that CRISPR-Nickase, which changes just one allele of a given gene, improves gene editing efficiency compared with CRISPR-Cas9.

A research group argues that a species’ number of neurons, rather than brain volume, should serve as indicator of cognitive capacity when studying brain evolution, but some experts voice doubts.

A study shows “sonogenetics” could be a useful new tool in neuroscience and other fields.

A new method helps researchers uncover the rules of ribosome recruitment in yeast.

Lab-grown cells from the reef-building coral Acropora tenuis provide new opportunities to study bleaching, symbioses, and biomineralization.

Stable, long-term cell lines will enable scientists to study everything from coral bleaching to biomineralization, knowledge that may help protect corals from ongoing climate change.

Researchers find that SARS-CoV-2 variants can evade primer-probe sets and recommend that diagnostic assays include multiple targets for reliability.

An automated wastewater monitoring technique could enable researchers to predict outbreaks of the virus up to a week in advance.

Researchers use magnetic nanoparticles and liquid-handling robots in an effort to detect COVID-19 outbreaks early.

The pandemic spurred innovation in a variety of ways, from CRISPR-based diagnostics to cell biology benchwork at home.

Researchers report a new way of generating the cells from induced pluripotent stem cells in hopes they will one day be used in blood transfusions.

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna reprogrammed the bacterial immune response into one of the most popular tools for genetics and molecular biology.

A proof-of-concept study finds some commonly used facial coverings may perform worse than no mask at all.

Testing out combinations of antiviral proteins from llamas could help researchers create potent virus-neutralizing multimers.